Why Resistance Exercise Training is Crucial with Bodywork Treatments such as Rolfing® Structural Integration. Part 1

Introduction

This article discusses the importance of integrating a well-designed resistance exercise training (RET) program with bodywork modalities that create lasting changes in the body. As a Certified Rolfer®, Certified Massage Therapist, and Certified Personal Trainer with nearly 30 years of experience, I’ve seen firsthand how combining these approaches can yield transformative results.

What is Resistance Exercise Training?

Resistance Exercise Training (RET) involves a system of physical conditioning in which muscles are exercised against an opposing force, such as lifting weights. It includes various techniques such as bodyweight exercises, isometrics, and plyometrics. RET works by progressively increasing the force output of muscles, often incorporating a range of exercises and equipment. Though primarily anaerobic, RET can also include circuit training with aerobic benefits.

RET is beneficial for increasing muscle, tendon, and ligament strength, enhancing bone density, boosting metabolism, and improving joint and cardiac function. It reduces the risk of injury for both athletes and the elderly. For many sports and physical activities, RET is central or forms part of the training regimen.

Setting Goals for Resistance Training

It’s crucial to define your goals when engaging in resistance training. Why? Because your body adapts to the type of training you do. If your goal is to improve balance, but you only focus on building strength, you may not achieve the desired results. Therefore, your workouts should be planned around the specific outcomes you seek.

Periodization: Optimizing Training

Periodization, as defined by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), is a systematic approach to planning physical training to optimize performance and avoid plateaus. The process involves cycling through different phases of training:

1. Stabilization Endurance: Focuses on improving muscular endurance and stability, often in an unstable environment.

2. Strength Endurance: Utilizes moderate loads and repetitions to enhance endurance and strength.

3. Hypertrophy: Aims to increase muscle size with higher volumes of work and moderate to high loads.

4. Maximal Strength: Increases the maximum force muscles can produce.

5. Power: Develops the ability to exert force quickly, improving explosiveness.

A periodized training program ensures continuous adaptation and progress by cycling through these phases. It manipulates acute variables like sets, reps, time under tension, and load percentage to create specific adaptations within the body. The program can be customized for longevity and vitality as individuals age.

Key Muscular Adaptations

• Stabilization: Developing stability around the joints and muscular endurance for healthy movement.

• Muscular Endurance: The ability to sustain force production for prolonged periods.

• Hypertrophy: Increasing muscle size.

• Strength: The ability to overcome external forces with heavier loads.

• Power: The ability to produce maximum force in the shortest time (explosive movements).

Principles of Resistance Exercise

1. Overload: Progressively overloading the musculoskeletal system to create and sustain physiological adaptations.

2. Specificity: Adaptations are specific to the muscles trained.

3. Progression: Gradually increasing load and intensity for optimal performance.

4. Individuality: Programs need to be tailored to the individual’s needs.

5. Reversibility: Training effects diminish when the stimulus is removed for extended periods.

Resistance Exercise Training Vs. Bodybuilding

While RET focuses on functional strength and performance, bodybuilding is primarily concerned with aesthetics, such as muscle mass, symmetry, and balance. RET emphasizes movements that support everyday life, enhancing functional strength.

Goals of Bodywork: Rolfing® Structural Integration

Rolfing® Structural Integration aims to align the body to optimize its relationship with gravity. Dr. Ida Rolf, the founder, famously said, “When the body is in alignment, it can heal itself.” This alignment involves the bones, tendons, ligaments, fascial network, and muscular system.

Rolfing® combines fascial bodywork with movement education to achieve optimal alignment and mobility, allowing clients to navigate life with greater ease. The goal is long-term vitality rather than quick fixes, helping individuals pursue physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

“Resistance Exercise Training (RET) plays a crucial role in holistic bodywork programs aimed at promoting vitality and overall well-being.”

1. Improved Hormonal Balance 

• Testosterone & Growth Hormone: Resistance training, especially heavy lifting, has been shown to increase testosterone and growth hormone levels in both men and women. This is significant for muscle maintenance, bone density, and overall metabolic health as people age  .

• Insulin Sensitivity: Both resistance training and plyometric exercises improve insulin sensitivity, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, which is critical for long-term health .

• Cortisol Management: Regular resistance and plyometric training helps in better management of cortisol levels, reducing chronic stress and inflammation, which are linked to aging and various diseases .

2. Increased Muscle Mass & Bone Density

• Sarcopenia Prevention: Heavy resistance training combats sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss), which is crucial for maintaining physical independence in older age .

• Bone Density: Resistance training, particularly heavy lifting, has been shown to improve bone mineral density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis, which is more common in women post-menopause .

• Functional Strength: Plyometrics, with their focus on explosive movements, help maintain fast-twitch muscle fibers, contributing to better balance, coordination, and agility as people age, reducing the risk of falls .

3. Metabolic Benefits

• Fat Loss & Metabolism Boost: Both forms of training increase resting metabolic rate by building lean muscle mass, which is key for fat management and overall longevity .

• Cardiovascular Health: Plyometrics and resistance training improve cardiovascular health by enhancing vascular function and increasing the heart’s efficiency .

4. Hormonal Differences in Women

• Estrogen & Resistance Training: Postmenopausal women benefit from heavy resistance training as it helps regulate the balance between estrogen and progesterone, slowing down the rate of hormonal aging .

In her book ROAR, Dr. Stacy Sims discusses how hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause, especially the decline in estrogen, increase the risk of certain soft tissue injuries like plantar fasciitis and frozen shoulder. Estrogen is crucial for maintaining connective tissue health, particularly collagen, which provides elasticity and strength to tendons and ligaments. As estrogen levels drop, connective tissue can become more prone to injury due to reduced elasticity and slower repair rates. This makes conditions like plantar fasciitis more common during this life stage .

Sims emphasizes that resistance training, especially lifting heavy weights, is vital during perimenopause to counteract these changes. Strength training helps maintain muscle mass and supports connective tissue, reducing the risk of injury and preserving mobility. This approach, combined with high-intensity interval training (HIIT), can help mitigate the impact of hormonal fluctuations on the body

• Testosterone Boost: Although testosterone levels are lower in women than men, resistance training increases testosterone in women as well, promoting muscle growth, energy, and vitality .

5. Longevity

• Telomere Length: Some research suggests that resistance training may slow the shortening of telomeres (the protective caps on chromosomes), which is associated with slower aging at the cellular level .

• Inflammation & Aging: Both resistance training and plyometric exercises reduce chronic inflammation (marked by reduced CRP levels), which is a significant factor in the aging process .

Incorporating proper heavy resistance training and plyometrics into a long-term fitness routine offers protective benefits against age-related decline and supports longevity through hormonal regulation, muscle and bone health, and overall metabolic efficiency. ( see references below ) 

How Resistance Training Enhances Bodywork Programs Like Rolfing® SI

RET is essential for maintaining proper posture and achieving the goals of Rolfing® Structural Integration. Here’s why:

1. Bone Health: RET strengthens bones by applying load, stimulating bone formation—especially important as bone density naturally decreases with age.

2. Tendon and Ligament Health: RET strengthens connective tissues by applying the necessary load to maintain robust function.

3. Muscle Development: RET helps build the stabilizers and movers necessary for structural support, ensuring lasting benefits from bodywork treatments.

4. Progression and Adaptation: RET programs focus on foundational strength and stability, gradually increasing load and complexity to continually progress toward longevity and optimal posture.

Rolfing® Strong Program

This program integrates RET with the Rolfing 10-series, focusing on building a solid foundation of movement and form to enhance the results of Rolfing® Structural Integration. Partnering with Physical Therapists and Certified Personal Trainers, you will receive personalized exercises tailored to your training needs, starting with foundational movements and proper form. This approach ensures you develop a strong base, allowing for continuous progression in your strength training while optimizing results and reducing the risk of injury.

Types of RET Programs

RET programs can be customized based on individual goals and needs. A prime example of one type of RET that can be cycled through in your Rolfing® Strong program is Loaded Movement Training:

A Functional Approach

Loaded Movement Training (LMT), developed by the Institute of Motion, is a key concept that complements Rolfing® Structural Integration. LMT uses external loads to challenge movement patterns in multiple planes, mimicking real-world movements. By integrating LMT with Rolfing®, clients can reinforce structural changes achieved through bodywork, ensuring that muscles and fascia adapt dynamically, improving resilience and reducing injury risk.

Conclusion

Integrating a structured resistance training program with Rolfing® Structural Integration offers a comprehensive approach to achieving optimal alignment and long-term health. By incorporating RET, individuals can enhance their body’s ability to stay aligned, functional, and resilient. The benefits of improved bone density, connective tissue health, and overall muscular strength make RET an invaluable tool for maximizing the outcomes of Rolfing® treatments.

By applying the principles of RET, individuals can support the structural changes achieved through Rolfing®, sustaining the improvements over time and promoting vitality throughout life.

References

1. Kraemer, W. J., & Ratamess, N. A. (2005). Hormonal responses and adaptations to resistance exercise and training. Sports Medicine.

2. West, D. W. D., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Anabolic processes in human skeletal muscle: Restoring the identities of growth hormone and testosterone. The Physician and Sportsmedicine.

3. Holten, M. K., et al. (2004). Strength training increases insulin-mediated glucose uptake, GLUT4 content, and insulin signaling in skeletal muscle in patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes.

4. Hackney, A. C. (2006). Stress and the neuroendocrine system: the role of exercise as a stressor and modulator of stress. Endocrine Metabolism.

5. Peterson, M. D., et al. (2011). Resistance exercise for muscular strength in older adults: A meta-analysis. Ageing Research Reviews.

6. Layne, J. E., & Nelson, M. E. (1999). The effects of progressive resistance training on bone density: A review. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.

7. Turner, A. M., et al. (2003). Neuromuscular and biomechanical characteristics of elite athletes in plyometric training. Sports Medicine.

8. Westcott, W. L. (2012). Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health. Current Sports Medicine Reports.

9. Cassilhas, R. C., et al. (2007). The impact of resistance exercise on cognitive function in the elderly. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

10. Elliott-Sale, K. J., et al. (2014). Postmenopausal women benefit from weight training in regulating estrogen levels. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

11. Kraemer, W. J., et al. (1998). Changes in hormonal concentrations after different heavy-resistance exercise protocols in women. Journal of Applied Physiology.

12. Ludlow, A. T., et al. (2012). Exercise and telomere length: the anti-aging role of physical activity in telomere biology. Ageing Research Reviews.

13. Beavers, K. M., et al. (2010). Inflammation and exercise. Obesity Reviews.