Performance Enhancement
Be Better at Everything
Rolfing® Improves Strength, Flexibility & Performance
Like No Other Therapy
The Magic of Rolfing for Performance Enhancement
Muscular strength isn’t just about how many fibers contract—it’s also about the length of those contractions. This is where Rolfing’s power for performance enhancement comes into play.
When a muscle contracts repeatedly, the fibers pull in the same direction, toward their origin. Over time, the surrounding fascia shortens and bunches up near the origin, much like the way shirt sleeves gather at the shoulder or elbow. As a result, many muscle fibers are already in a contracted state and unable to fully contribute to the task at hand.
For example, if you’re driving a golf ball, some of the muscle fibers meant to power the swing are already fully contracted, reducing your strength and efficiency.
This issue is often misinterpreted during muscle testing, like when a physical therapist tells you your left-hand grip strength is 12.73% weaker than your right. The assumption is that the muscle is weak and needs strengthening, but in reality, the fibers are simply stuck/adhered in a contracted position.
Rolfing breaks up these adhesions, allowing muscle fibers to lengthen to their proper position. The result? Strength is restored immediately—no exercises, no painful stretches. Unlike stretching adhesed fibers, which only pulls on tendons at the muscle ends when bound up by adhesions, (which can be both unproductive and quite painful), Rolfing releases the adhesions restoring proper function.
Rolfing® in Sports and Performance
Yoga
Even yoga instructors face areas of restriction and difficulty. I’ve worked extensively with yoga instructors and students, with dramatic results. Dr. Ida Rolf famously said that the Rolfing 10-Series is equivalent to five years of yoga practice.
Rolfing has even been described as “someone doing yoga on your body for you.” If you’re looking to accelerate your yoga practice, nothing is as effective as Rolfing.
Performing Arts
Dancers and musicians endure grueling rehearsal schedules, leading to repetitive stress injuries in the hands, arms, feet, and ankles. Rolfing has been proven to be far more effective than traditional medicine in treating these injuries. Don’t let pain hinder your performance—Rolfing can help you move and perform with ease. I’ve helped ballet dancers, vocalists, famous saxaphone players and more rapidly recover and perform better
Running
Runners are no strangers to injuries like shin splints, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, IT band tension, and ankle pain. Misalignments in the body exaggerate with long runs, showing up as uneven shoe wear and pain patterns that travel through the body.
I’ve worked extensively with triathletes, Ironmen, ultramarathoners, and weekend warriors, helping them resolve injuries and prevent new ones. Address misalignments now to keep running pain-free.
Golfing
While working in my clinic in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico I treated several world-famous golfers, including Hank Haney, Tiger Woods’ former instructor, for tendonitis in both elbows. Golfers frequently deal with elbow issues, as well as problems in the neck, knees, hips, and lower back.
While pain relief is the first step, Rolfing takes it much further. I’ve consistently received reports from my golfing patients of achieving significantly improved drive distances, ease of movement, and precision in putting. If you’re serious about improving your game, Rolfing will do far more for you than another new club or gadget.
Tennis
Tennis demands agility, precision, and quick direction changes. Fascial adhesions can limit movement and affect performance. Rolfing helps restore agility, eliminate pain in the elbows and wrists, and provide the hip freedom essential for this dynamic sport.
Cycling
Cycling is a classic example of repetitive stress in sports. Long hours in a crouched position shorten the iliopsoas and create strain, leading to upper back pain, hip flexion issues, and long-term imbalance.
Rolfing addresses these issues by deeply releasing tension in the psoas and abdomen, restoring balance, preventing back pain, and improving posture. It’s no surprise the Italian Olympic cycling team has relied on Rolfers for decades
Contact Sports
Football is one of those sports that leaves a “lasting impression”—long-term injuries are common. My Rolfing instructor, Russell Stolzoff, worked with top players from the Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks. Rolfing is utilized by top professional athletes around the world to reach their next level while minimizing injuries. Even injuries from decades ago can often be relieved. As Ida Rolf used to say, “If they’re still warm, they can be helped!”. One of my retired football patients (62 y/o)) came to see me with a lifetime pain in his thoracic spine from a single hit he took in college from “Tommy-Joe Crusher”—-40 years later that adhesion was still there but completely resolved by Rolfing.
Injury Prevention, Muscle Strength and Longevity
Muscle strength is one of the most accurate indicators of an individuals life span. Rolfing improves muscular health by several means— first, it improves blood circulation and lymphatic detoxification- both essential for healthy muscles , tendons and joints. But second it also corrects the short tight muscle fibers which restrict range of motion whiich increase the risk of injuries. By having flexible adaptive tendons and muscles you experience less pain from workouts, get better results and prevent injuries. Ultimately, longevity is tied to your Vitality- or life force. Learning the key components of how to build your vitality for lifelong health is the basis of my Naturopathic practice, Be sure to learn about the importance of raising vitality for your long term health
