Rolfing® Client Interview
Interview with Punitama Phipps, Colorado Tennis Champion of Open Tennis Woman's Doubles who received the basic 10 Rolfing® Sessions during the 2003 Tournament.
Q: What is the name of the competition you were in? Is there a website with information you or your sport/team?
A: Colorado Tennis Open Woman's Doubles
http://www.tennisinformation.com/tourny/4/1/5/6/2/3/5/draw-84-mf.htm (cache)
Q: How did you hear about Rolfing®?
A: I heard about it for years but I never felt really interested and then one day it seemed to be the right thing. Everybody was giving it the rap of being too tough on the body but then I met Kurt and just trusted him, thinking that he would not hurt me.
Q: Was it too tough?
A: No, it was not too tough, it was very good (laughs).
Q: How did you generally benefit from Rolfing®?
A: It seems like, it felt like, especially, when we were working on my legs, I realized that I was using one leg more than the other and that leg got a lot of relief and it does not seem so tense anymore. I feel solid, more balanced on both of my feet; I don't feel so off balance. That's the main thing that I noticed.
Q: Do you use Rolfing® during competition or off-season?
A: I did all the 10 sessions during the competition.
Q: Did you realize a change; did it help you in any way?
A: It seems like the same thing again, it seems like because he worked on my legs, it got me in tennis, it is very much of a balancing thing, you move, you get back into balance, you go left, you go back into balance. It seemed to help me - moving better and getting into balance better.
Q: Will you return for tune-ups?
A: Yes I will, but I have not yet gotten around to it.
Q: Does Rolfing® offer help with pain relief?
A: I never really did have pain, so can't talk about that.
Q: Do you work with other health practitioners? Who? Why?
A: Yes, I do get the occasional massage, and I work with a Chinese Acupuncturist and a Chinese Herbalist.
Q: Why is Rolfing® holistic for you, what makes it stand out from the rest?
Do you know what holistic means?
A: What is it?
Q: It affects the whole being, your whole life may be affected by it, your relationships; Rolfing® is a holistic discipline.
A: I don't know what makes it stand out; I am sure it makes it stand out somehow. One thing I realized that, after the session, pretty much from the beginning, I was breathing more, and with that, I felt I had more energy. And you know, when you are breathing more, you are getting more oxygen and you feel better and you can do anything what you like.
Q: What is the difference between your Rolfing®, massage and chiropractic experiences?
A: I never had chiropractic, so I don't know about it. With massage, massage is more a relaxation and not as profound. So, in Rolfing®, I had to get used to because with massage I really like to space out and with Rolfing®, I could not, I had to become more present. Sometimes, when I was just ready to go to sleep, Kurt would come and wake me up and make me do things. This is good I actually liked it, but I had to get used to it.
I don't know that massage has such a long-term effect.
Q: Rolfing® has a more long-term effect?
A: Yes.
Q: Has Rolfing® helped you with injury prevention and recovery? Performance?
A: With injury preventions, not that I did prove anything, but with my leg being kind of tight. I feel it may have helped when it loosened up quite a bit so you don't hurt - ankle in tennis is pretty common - ankle or your knee.
My performance, like I said, I think it increased.
Q: You won the championship - right?
A: In my level - yes, I played really well. Rolfing® helped me to win several medals this season.
Q: Really?
A: Really! (laughs) - Colorado State Champion (beams)
Q: What is your experience with athletes who compete? Why would they benefit
from Rolfing®?
A: I think for people - same as with acupuncture, it's a different application with acupuncture - with Rolfing®, I have been trying to tell people that it strengthens your body and it will allow your body to move better. For my fellow athletes at various courts, that's why I think they could benefit.
Q: Would you recommend Rolfing® to other athletes?
A:Yes, yes I have. I think it is important, especially when you are doing sports because you stress your body in some ways more, it catches more and it [Rolfing®] supports the whole system, supports the muscles, the ligaments.
Q: Why is it important for people in your sport?
A: I think that most real professional athletes actually do chiropractic, Rolfing® or whatever gives them more support.
Q: Most people say it improves their body awareness. Did you notice this? How has this helped your performance and with injury prevention?
A: Yes, I noticed about the breathing, like when I breathe really shallow, I stop and I realize: "Oh" and then start breathing better. Also again for tennis, breathing is really important, because you have to kind of energize and relax at the same time. If you don't breathe well, you are just not as good.
Also, I really do notice again and again in sport or any day when I lean back to, just starting on one side, the side I was overusing, I really notice it a lot more and can catch myself and change. So that did really help.
Q: What about injury prevention?
A: I don't know, I haven't really thought about injury prevention, but again, for tennis, balance is very important because if you are unbalanced, that's when injuries happen - to your legs or to your arms, it's like when you are off balance, you may hurt your back, but mostly your feet and legs. You see it again and again. People twist their legs so they fall.
Q: So Rolfing® definitely helps?
A: Rolfing® definitely helps!
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