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THE AIMS TO SQUEEZE

If your friend told you that they’d been Rolfed, you’d probably be concerned for their health but in fact, Rolfing is a form of body therapy that bring relief to patients all over the world from Europe to the United States, and now at Holistic Central in Hong Kong.

Steven Bremner, Holistic Central’s Rolfing therapist recommends Rolfing for almost anyone. “All bodies have some degree of muscular disorder and compensation, and virtually anyone will benefit from Rolfing: business people, those suffering chronic pain and stress, athletes, dancers and even musicians.”

The original term for Rolfing is structural integration and this does paint a better picture of what the therapy is all about. One example of where core and functional muscles can become disordered or imbalanced, says Steven, is through leading a sedentary lifestyle or spending too many hours at a desk. Alternatively, we may suffer an injury or develop unnatural postures from overusing the wrong muscles and underusing the core musculature.

“Many of us have simply lost touch with what are bodies are really designed for— moving!” says Steven.

“Many of us have simply lost touch with what are bodies are really designed for— moving!”

This is where Rolfing can help reestablish proper use and alignment again in the body. It is no wonder that Rolfing is popular with professional athletes and dancers who find that their performance vastly improves after the Rolfing series. One of Steven’s patients, Ironman and marathon runner Chris Johnson, credits Steven with “putting the tiger back in her tank”, saying that since coming to Steven for treatments, she is now more successful in her athletic career than ever before.

In fact, Steven was formerly a professional principal ballet dancer for over 20 years. Steven says that dance taught him a lot about body awareness and its amazing capacity for change expression through movement and function.

“My whole life has been about exploring the wonders of the human body through movement and dance. I have pushed my body to the edge on a daily basis, and the main reason this has been possible is through knowing my body and constantly listening to, and respecting it when it tells me what it needs to work optimally.”

Therefore, when Steven decided to extend his skills beyond a dancer’s career, he chose Rolfing as a therapy to study and become certified in because: “While there are a few other reliable systems out there that use manipulation for treatment, Rolfing attracted me the most because it involves everything from the myofascial structural work, breathwork, movement integration, working with subconscious patterning , balancing in the gravity field, energy, etc. It presents a more holistic approach.

“There are some similarities between Rolfing and say osteopathy or the Alexander technique, but Rolfing goes much further beyond the soft tissue manipulation. Steven explains that gravity is one of the key players in the outcome of a balanced system. He says: “In fact Rolfers often say that it is gravity that is the therapist. We’re not meant to live this sedentary life and like animals our bodies are meant to move – to flow in harmony within the gravitational field. “

So what happens when you are Rolfed?

Rolfing has been described as comprising of three parts: palpation where the therapist feels for imbalances; discrimination where the therapist decides and finds the primary structural causes and gently eases muscles and fascia towards balance again; and finally, and most critically, integration where your body is put back together to a higher level of function as it should be!

Ida Rolf , the founder and creator of Structural Integration often said that “anyone can take a body apart, but few can put it back together in a better place than it started at.”

The skill of the Rolfer is in their ability to feel and sense imbalances in tissue texture, quality and tension which will guide the therapist in the appropriate techniques. Typically a patient will take “the recipe” or the Rolfing Ten Series which is a series of ten 90 minute sessions which allow for a logical sequence of myofascial release, and movement integration:

In the first three to four sessions the therapist works on the superficial muscles to create balance, space and efficient movement. Once achieved , the next four to five sessions are used for accessing the deeper core structures. Because the superficial muscles have properly prepared to give space and room for the core, the core can come through and “wake up” again. We start to see restored balance differentiation and better function of the body again. The last few sessions are to focus on movement integration, to bring it all together and prepare the body to function better out there in the real world beyond the therapists door. The Results: For many the results are a more powerful, efficient, free flowing and graceful body. A Rolfing client often experiences a heightened sense of wellbeing, clearer thoughts, enhanced creative abilities, better digestion, improved metabolic rate, lymphatic function, circulation, breathing, and improvements in fitness levels, even for the most sedentary persons.

Visit www.indigorolfing.com

Cilla McDonald, a patient of Rolfing Therapist Steven Bremner, explains how Rolfing has made her feel “10″ taller”, releasing and realigning and her body and on a superficial level, curing headaches and backpain – and on a deeper level leaving Cilla feeling more grounded. Watch Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aydr9Iiq-VU#!

If you love sport you know that to perform better, you must train harder but this may not always be so. Two amateur athletes recently found that a trip to a Rolfer, Steven Bremner, not only cured the aches and pains, but as patient Vanessa , says: “It gave me a new body.”

Vanessa, a marathon runner in her late forties, explains: “I was referred to Steven Bremner because of a persistent, deeply-placed nagging pain in my right shoulder. I originally went to see Dr Jamieson, expecting cortisone shots, but was referred to Steven, one of the practitioners at the Holistic Central practice, instead.

“Now, following the treatment I feel more fluid, lighter and released. Not only has the pain gone, but I saw my marathon speed shift from 11:26 minutes per mile to 11:21 without any problem.”

Alexander van Praag is another sporty patient who got more than he expected when he went to see steven to treat his long-term neck, knee and back pain. “In the gym I have noticed a very marked improvement in performance. It feels like I have been driving with my parking brake on for years, and now it’s released,” he says.

Rolfing may seem a strange name for anything, but it is named for Dr Ida Rolf who, more than 50 years ago, discovered that she could achieve remarkable changes in posture and structure by manipulating the body’s myofascial system, which surrounds and supports our muscles, tendons, bones, organs etc. in an intricate 3-dimensional network. Dr Rolf called her system of treatment Structural Integration.

Rolfing, or Structural Integration, has a very different way to address the body and its various symptoms and imbalances. “People usually consider bones the means of support for our bodies, but from a Rolfers perspective, it is the fascial system that decides the alignment and function of the body as a whole. Rolfers aim at a number of principles during the 10 series. Firstly, we are educators more than anything. Which means we help clients to become more aware of their patterns and how they use their body, and provide them through the work more options for greater freedom of movement and living. Secondly we don’t treat symptoms; rather, we seek out root causes and root patterns that have brought a body to its current state of discomfort. Steven says: when we get the body in alignment and in a good relationship to the gravitational field, the body begins to work its magic, it begins to heal on many levels, pain begins to disappear, and all the benefits of a well “Rolfed “ body come into fruition!

The treatment has been compared to peeling off a tight wetsuit to find you suddenly free.

Rolfing typically runs for 10 sessions and generally no two sessions are the same as it is a progression of treatment. “In the first few sessions I work on the outer most layers of the myofascial system,” says Steven. “On the fourth session I might start working deeper towards the intrinsic or core muscles .its all about balancing in a 3dimensional setting. Another major component of the Rolfing experience is breath work, without this Steven says, “all is for not “. Focus on breath-work is instilled from the first session and progresses more deeply as the work unfolds through the series.

Van Praag describes his treatment: “The work felt like an "education for the body", where the body learned and adapted to new ways of movement and alignment. Each session seemed more like a lesson, which was delivered both through Steve's hands, elbows — and even feet — directly to the tissue of the body, and also through movements that he taught me to take home to use.

“What I particularly appreciated was that Steve approaches the body as a whole, and is able to address the root cause of the problem, not just the local site of the discomfort.”

Vanessa had a similar experience. Although she had originally gone in for shoulder pain, which Steven cured, in the course of the treatment Steven also diagnosed and treated a plantar fasciitis-like area of pain on her foot. “It was not debilitating so I hadn’t mentioned it,” she says. But that too now has gone.

Steven himself has benefitted from his own knowledge. In his first career, Steven was a professional ballet dancer and he is proud to say that thanks to Rolfing, he still dances and dances well. “I use all the principles of Rolfing and even now at 45, I’m like a well-oiled machine,” like a panther! Efficient, energetic, centered in my structure and very flexible he says.

While Rolfing is a novelty in Hong Kong, Rolfing is more widely appreciated in the North America and Europe where Steven comes from. So much so that the tough guys from The Minnesota Vikings recently attributed their improved performance and decrease in injuries to Rolfing. Steven agrees: “Everyone needs to be Rolfed — from the elderly to kids, from business people to athletes. I have never met anyone whose body didn’t need some Rolfing.”

Visit www.indigorolfing.com

E.B.T. is a non-invasive therapy that incorporates modalities from both eastern and western disciplines, to identify and correct root causes of pain and discomfort. E.B.T. utilizes techniques from the foundations of acupuncture, Kinesiology, chiropractic, myofascial release, Rolfing, movement therapy, chi balancing, nutrition etc.

What is a typical E.B.T. Session like?
On your first visit, your medical history, lifestyle, posture, work habits, sleep cycles, life goals, nutrition, etc. will be closely examined. This helps to provide a general blueprint of how one is managing their system on a day-to-day basis.

Once all the information is gathered, the E.B.T. practitioner will choose an appropriate method of accessing vital information hidden deep within the body. One of the main tools for evaluation in E.B.T. is called “muscle testing.”

What is Muscle Testing?
Muscle testing is basically a bio-energetic method of tapping into the body’s inner workings to access the hidden messages about the past and current state of balance and health within the body. Muscle testing stems from clinical kinesiology (the study of motion or movement), and has the ability to locate weaknesses or blockages. There is a direct link between muscle testing and E.B.T to the theory and application of the ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture.

Organs, glands and the various systems in and around the body (nervous system, respiratory, lymphatic, immune system etc.) are connected through a series of energy pathways called meridians.

These energy pathways all connect to the central nervous system via the two main channels, the central and governing meridians, which run up and down the front and back of the body. If there are any imbalances or weaknesses in the body, they will show up along these pathways as a physical weakness in one or all the muscles. These weaknesses provide vital information on the state of balance of the various systems in the body. Over 48 different muscles can be tested throughout the body, each specific to a particular gland, organ, and system or meridian.

What are some of the major causes of physical pain and imbalance?
You may be surprised to know that a great deal of physical pain has little or nothing to do with a physical cause! And that is one of the major reasons we often fall short of fully expressing optimal wellbeing.

The mind and body are inextricably linked, and if either one is out of balance or off kilter, they will either immediately or eventually have a negative impact on the other. Your thoughts, actions, emotions etc. are all linked to and affect one another. Emotional, spiritual health and even karma will all have an effect on your overall health.

Thoughts and emotions are things. They have an energetic component to them. Therefore when an E.B.T. practitioner makes a correction to one or more of the various levels: physical body, mental, emotion bodies etc., what he/she primarily does, is release or remove an energy block or stagnation related to that issue or event.

Once this energy or “chi” is moving smoothly throughout all levels and systems, then balance is achieved, and we can get on with the business of being and living a full, enriching life.

Who can benefit from E.B.T.?
Anyone can benefit from E.B.T. because it incorporates a variety of approaches. It can be of great benefit to everyone from children to the elderly, to professional athletes, dancers and office professionals - anyone suffering from chronic pain and illness can benefit can benefit greatly from the treatments. E.B.T has also been found to be of great benefit to those suffering from career or creative blocks. By removing the blocks, one can regain a sense of clarity and begin to manifest their true potential again.

Energy Balancing Technique brings into the client’s awareness the causes and events which have contributed to dis-ease and pain. Once these are recognized, one can energetically reactivate the body’s self regulating/healing system to correct itself, thus allowing for the natural restoration of optimal health and well being.

An added benefit of E.B.T is its ability to act as a preventative health care tool, to bring to light any signals of seemingly insignificant imbalances to the client’s awareness before they become a major health concern.

Steven Bremner is a certified Rolfer for structural integration,kinesiology practitioner, Stretchrelease therapist and E.B.T.practitioner.