Since Rolfing’s inception it has been informed by ideas that originated in the practice of yoga. Dr Rolf’s own yoga practice had a profound impact on her understanding of the body. Over the years as the popularity of yoga has increased many practitioners find Rolfing to be an effective way to support and augment their yoga practices. Below, yoga practitioners discuss their Rolfing experiences.

Cat Enright-Down, a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher describes her Rolfing experience:

“As a yoga teacher I found Rolfing beneficial in many ways. Initially, I had some injuries which I could not understand or heal through yoga or other body work modalities. After several sessions with Russell, and through our conversations about the body, my long-term injuries were resolved. The greatest insight I came away with is the concept of fascia as a continuous form which runs throughout the body. I had taught my yoga students for years that their arms were connected to their toes, and finally I had a name to give this idea. I am grateful for my physical healing and for my deeper comprehension of the body.”

Kim Davis, an advanced yoga practitioner, calls Rolfing an “intensified way of correcting imbalance” in her body. Like yoga, Rolfing reminds Kim that her body is “unique and in a process of change”.

“It is a very direct path to body freedom. Because of the many twists and turns that were living in my pre-Rolfed body, I think my attempt at many of the yoga poses was futile. I’m at a better space now to work in the poses and benefit from them more in the way they are intended. Being Rolfed brought me to an alignment that I know to be balanced, and I take that body-knowledge with me into headstand and shoulder stand.”

“Breath is central to yoga, so I would say that Rolfing has opened up the restrictions around my lungs and ribs and shown me how it feels to take full breaths without stress and restriction.”