This amusing commercial shows the incredible spatial orientation skills of chickens, thanks to their vestibular system. It is understood that it is the result of their need for fine balance control in flight (the ancestors of domesticated chickens could fly). Although less developed in humans, our vestibular system is essential for balancing steadily and orienting […]
Good Posture: ChatGPT versus Human Perspective
After hearing so much hype about what the media call ‘Artificial Intelligence’, I was curious and downloaded ChatGPT on my phone. Being a Rolfer and Yoga teacher, my first question was: ‘What is good posture?’ The answer was detailed and included the words balance, upright position, natural curves of the spine and distributing weight evenly. […]
Imagine…
Do you like to play with your imagination? If you do then imagine that your eyes are not front facing for a moment but that they are on the sides of your head instead… Now Imagine how it would feel to have these great antlers by the sides and above your head like this majestic animal…. Take a […]
Vestibular System: Find your Balance and Spatial Orientation
Are you struggling to balance? Rolfing can help to improve balance and spatial orientation. The vestibular system or inner ear, is a sensory system that creates the sense of balance and spatial orientation. It consists of three semi circular canals and otolithes which detect rotational movements and linear accelerations. Certain common habits have the effect of […]
Tennis Ready Position: Support versus Compression
In the men’s Wimbledon tennis final today one could notice two champions with two very different ‘ready positions’. Novak Djokovic was flexing at the knee and hip joints keeping his spine neutral while Nick Kyrgios was flexing his spine. Who do you think gets more structural support from his spine and more support from the ground? Who […]
Polina Semionova: Balance and Support
In this video of ballerina Polina Semionova, one can see that she is not just flexible. That her remarkable balance and stability are integral parts of her artistic expression. In the field of gravity, flexibility on its own does not allow humans to reach their full potential. Specific body parts have to be able to stabilise and […]
Find Balance between Ground and Space
Finding Balance between Ground and Space with Rolfing®. “As animals, we walk the earth, as bearers of a divine essence we are among the stars, as human beings we are caught in the middle” During Rolfing sessions we work together to assess your postural habits. We observe the position of your centre of gravity and […]
White Nights, Mikhail Baryshnikov & Gregory Hines
Balance and orientation. Here’s a video that I enjoy watching. We see two great dancers dancing together, Michael Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines. Although they are performing the same moves, we can see differences in their postures and orientations? Who do you think is orienting himself more to the ground and who is more balanced between ground […]
Improve Posture with Rolfing
Improving posture with Rolfing Structural Integration. This client is in her early sixties. She had her neck forward, a rounded upper back and hyper-extending knees, which caused knee strain and discomfort. The ‘After’ photo was taken after seven Rolfing® sessions. We can see postural improvements, her neck is less forward, her upper back less rounded […]
Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly
Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly dancing together. I find this classic movie both entertaining and educational. One dancer’s light body is flying in the air, while the other dancer’s athletic body moves fluidly. What is your preferred style, do you know your own body type? Enjoy the video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKapFZt-sO0&t=235s BLOG