Facts at a Glance

Rolfing Structural Integration

Dr. Ida P. Rolf, a biochemist and Rockefeller University fellow, founded the Rolf Institute in 1971, in Boulder, Colorado. Rolfing® is a brand of Structural Integration and is a registered service mark of the Rolf Institute® of Structural Integration.

Dr. Rolf began her inquiry more than fifty years ago, devoting her energy to creating a holistic system of soft tissue manipulation and movement education that organized the whole body in gravity. She eventually named this system Structural Integration and later it was nicknamed "Rolfing” by clients and practitioners. She discovered that she could achieve remarkable changes in posture and structure by manipulating the body's myofascial system.

Rolfing®, structural integration, offers a combination of bodywork and movement education. It manipulates the body's connective tissue to rebalance the body, and bring pain relief from chronic pain, stress, and injury. Most Rolfing feels really good, like a deep massage, and may offer immediate results. Using their fingers, hands, and elbows, Rolfers slowly work through deep layers of tissue to release built up tension and results can be dramatic. Rolfing Movement Integration offers education about your body, so you can recognize habitual movement patterns, and learn to move with greater ease, elegance and freedom of expression. Professional athletes, dancers, children, business people, and people from all walks of life have benefited from Rolfing.

Rolfing Certification:

The Rolf Institute is the sole certifying body for Rolfers. This certification enables graduates of the training program to become members of The Rolf Institute, who may offer this work to the public, referring to themselves as Certified Rolfers and Rolf Movement Practitioners. To determine if a practitioner is a Certified Rolfer, consumers look for the trademark, ROLF™, ROLFER™, ROLFING®, and THE ROLF INSTITUTE®. A directory of Certified Rolfers can be found at the Rolf Institute website, at 192.168.69.202/rolf. All other practitioners use the term, structural integration to refer to their work.

Rolfing Research

Rolfing® has become the subject of important research, and studies have been conducted at major universities, such as UCLA and the University of Maryland, which document the positive physical and emotional effects of the work. Research has demonstrated that Rolfing creates a more efficient use of the muscles, allows the body to conserve energy, and creates more economical and refined patterns of movement. Research also shows that Rolfing significantly reduces chronic stress and changes in the body structure. A study showed that Rolfing significantly reduced the spinal curvature of subjects with lordosis (sway back); it also showed that Rolfing enhances neurological functioning.

The Institute sets high standards for candidates, students in training, and members as reflected by its Code of Ethics, Standards of Practice, and Continuing Education/Public Workshops. This goal is accomplished through providing a quality-training program in Rolfing structural integration, certifying Rolfing practitioners and providing them with continuing education, promoting research and educating the public about the value of Rolfing.

Rolfing Educational Studies

The Rolf Institute training program offers:

• Rolfing certification in three formats: Rolfer, Advanced Rolfer and Rolf Movement practitioner.
• The Rolf Institute has the largest number of faculty of any SI school that trains people in structural integration.
• The training program requires educational prerequisites and training, and mandatory continuing education.
• Certified Rolfers receive training in ethics standards and are required to follow a "Code of Ethics."
• Certified Rolfers are licensed to use the Rolfing trademark.
• The National Certification Board approves the Rolf Institute for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education provider.

Demographics

• There are 1500 Certified Rolfers in 26 countries, internationally.
• In the U.S., Rolfers practice in nearly all-50 states, with concentrations on the East and West Coast and in Colorado.
• Client population ranges from infancy to old age, and is distributed equally between genders.
• It is estimated that more than 1 million people have received Rolfing work.
• Rolf Institute trainings in the U.S. are held in Boulder, CO.
• The Institute has centers in Europe, South America, Australia and Japan – the European Rolfing Association is located in Munich, Germany and Brazilian Rolfing Association is located in San Paulo, Brazil. The Australia Rolfing Office is located in Darwin Australia.

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