Conversations with My Body Worker

Twice a month I go to a Rolfing appointment. I’m not injured, but I value my body. I pay cash. Heck, I pay a lot of cash to see a great Rolfing practitioner just a few blocks from the gym.

If you aren’t familiar, Rolfing is a “holistic system of soft tissue manipulation and movement education that organize(s) the whole body in gravity.” My girlfriend, who happens to be a remarkable doctor of chiropractic, suggested I go to Rolfing to emphasize placing value on my body. I agreed with her, so I go. Though Lindsey always can take care of me, there’s something about a standing appointment for me without the alarm of an acute injury.

In these Rolfing meetings I’ve been getting great treatment and learning a ton about my body. As two people that see and correct movement for a living, I also realized that my practitioner and I have some common thoughts. Here are two that stuck in my mind:

Recovery and function aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, these two ideas are so wedded together that it’s disfunction that drives the need for treatment. Furthermore, treatment isn’t effective until function is fixed and real health happens squarely in the middle of the two.

We think everyone wants to succeed as much as we want them to succeed. Regardless of how bad I want someone to want succeed, they’ve got to want it themselves first. We both see potential everywhere. However, it’s an error to think that everyone wants to maximize their potential. As much as this make me (and her) sad, it’s reality. No coach or practitioner can do their magic until you’re ready and willing.

Since most of you reading this are students rather than coaches or Rolfing practitioners, I’d hope that the lesson is still clear from your perspective. Great treatment isn’t a green light for poor movement, and great movement doesn’t negate the need for treatment. Furthermore, if you aren’t hungry to improve, you won’t. No matter who you hire, how much you pay, and how great your outfit looks, if you aren’t ready to take responsibility for your success, you won’t be enjoying any.

There will be more conversations. Stay tuned.

 

Logan Gelbrich

@functionalcoach