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Rolfing is a form of deep-tissue, structurally oriented bodywork that was created by Ida P. Rolf, Ph.D., a Columbia University trained biochemist in the 1930s. Rolfing is employed primarily to help relieve stress and increase mobility, ease breathing, address posture problems, reduce musculoskeletal and back pain, and generally improve a person's energy and well-being.
 Rolfing is based on the premise that physical and emotional stress — as well as gravity — can throw the body out of vertical alignment and cause muscles and the connective tissue known as fascia to become rigid and inflexible. These problems can then lead to more stress, illness, and a loss of general well-being.
Rolfing aims to realign the body by using measured pressure and stroking to stretch shortened and tightened fascia back into shape. The goal is to make the fascia softer and more flexible, and to restore its natural balance in relation to muscles, tendons, and bones.
In a typical Rolfing session, the practitioner will ask you to undress to your underwear (or bathing suit) and have you lie on a massage table for the treatment. The treatment itself may begin with the Rolfer manipulating the upper half of your body to free any restrictions around the rib cage. This will help you breathe more easily, which will set the tone for the next sessions.
Typically, a full Rolfing course involves 10 sessions of 60 to 90 minutes each. Sessions one through three, known as the "superficial" sessions, usually focus on the surface layers of the fascia. These layers are associated with the muscles that are near the surface of the body. Sessions four through seven involve the deeper fascia and muscles, and are called the "core" sessions. Sessions eight through ten are the "integrative" sessions. They aim to synthesize the work of the earlier sessions.
As the sessions progress, the course of treatment will involve an increasing amount of pressure on the fascia. Because the practitioner is working so deeply, the treatment can be intense — rather than relaxing — but it should never be unbearable. After each session you should feel energized and balanced.
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