Berlin

On Tuesdays, 2 students pay the price of 1 ticket (7,5 €/person): 15€. Please present your student IDs at the box office.

FR:EIA is the new plastinate at the BODY WORLDS Museum in Berlin, which was officially unveiled on November 24 during a webinar! In front of over 1000 participants from all over the world, BODY WORLDS curator Dr. Angelina Whalley, fascia expert Dr. Robert Schleip, and the definitive leaders of the fascia project, Dr. Vladimir Chereminskiy and Gary Carter, explained in detail the complicated and elaborate process of fascia plastination, as well as the importance of this unique plastinate for medical research and education.

The fascial connective tissue makes up about 20% of our body, depending on our constitution, and forms an all-encompassing net-like network that connects the individual body structures and anchors them glidingly in the body. This does not sound very spectacular, and that is why scientists have paid little attention to this tissue for centuries.

The actual functions of connective tissue were completely misunderstood for a long time. Only in recent years has it begun to be understood that it plays a central role in our health. Thus, back pain often has its cause not in vertebral or disc damage, but in the fasciae. Muscle soreness and sports injuries are also usually based on fascia injuries.

Although fascia is the focus of scientific and therapeutic attention today, three-dimensional imaging of fascial tissue has been a challenge until now. This is precisely what the team led by BODY WORLDS creator Dr. Gunther von Hagens, together with experts from the International Fascia Society, has now succeeded in doing. For three years, anatomists, scientists, physicians and physiotherapists from both teams from different countries worked to illustrate the complex and extremely unstable connective tissue network on an entire body. The resulting whole-body plastinate, called FR:EIA (= Fascia Revealed: Educating Interconnected Anatomy), shows this reticular tissue system in minute detail. It is the only preparation of its kind in the world.

Dr. Robert Schleip has put fascia in a new light with his years of research and has thereby contributed significantly to a rethinking in the sports, fitness, yoga, osteopathy and physiotherapy fields as well as in Chinese medicine. For him, FR:EIA is a breakthrough in three-dimensional fascia representation: "FR:EIA realizes a historically significant extension of conventional anatomy. In this novel representation, the fascial connective tissue takes center stage instead of being recognized only as a supportive background and packaging organ. Without the blessings of plastination, this beautiful whole-body representation of the fascial network would not have been possible. FR:EIA is therefore a unique object of study for all physicians, therapists and fascia experts, but also a revelation for the medical layman," says Dr. Robert Schleip.

For BODY WORLDS curator Dr. Angelina Whalley, the plastinate is the absolute highlight of the exhibition: "Even Leonardo da Vinci admonished us to recognize that everything is connected to everything else. The ever-growing findings in fascia research impressively prove his view. FR:EIA will permanently change the way we look at ourselves, our understanding of our physical needs and the way we treat our bodies. I am delighted to be able to present this unique plastinate to a broad public in our BODY WORLDS Museum in Berlin."

Click here for the webinar-recording.

We cordially invite you to explore the new fascia area at the BODY WORLDS Museum at Alexanderplatz for yourself!

From now on, the museum offers a free audio guide for your own smartphone.

How does it work?
Just connect to the WLAN with your smartphone, scan the QR code at the cash desk, and then you're ready to go. The audio tour for your smartphone is available in German and English.

We wish you an exciting visit to our exhibition!

The fascia structure of the human body and fascia manipulation form the basis of Rolfing® Structural Integration - a method of manual bodywork. The aim of this sustainable method is to align the body in the context of gravity. Rolfing® focuses on the fascia (connective tissue) but involves the whole body.

Rolfing® Structural Integration can lead to impressive postural improvements. Already in the 1950s this bodywork was explained by its inventor, Dr. Ida Rolf, mainly with the concept of fascia: "Fascia is the organ of posture. Nobody ever says this; all the talk is about muscles. Yet this is a very important concept, and [...] we as Rolfers® must understand both the anatomy and physiology, but especially the anatomy of fascia".
These early findings regarding the importance of the fascia now receive a new scientific foundation and meaning through current research and thanks to the fascia plastinates of the Bodyworlds exhibition. For trained Rolfers® or students of Rolfing®, the fascia plastinates are interesting objects of study. Dr. Robert Schleip, fascia expert and Research Director of the European Rolfing® Association: "The world's first fascia plastinate, FR:EIA, puts fascia in a completely new light scientifically. There is now a lot of new evidence that working with fascia has an impact on the whole body because fascia connects everything."
New findings could now lead to a change in thinking and have the potential to help millions of people suffering from chronic pain, stiffness, mobility problems and surgical rehabilitation.

What is Rolfing® Structural Integration?
Rolfing® Structural Integration is a method of manual bodywork that focuses on fascia. The aim is to align the body in the best possible way in the context of gravity. Through touch and movement, certified Rolfers® support their clients in improving their posture and movement patterns.
The body stores physical and emotional tension, trauma, and stress. Pain in one part of the body affects other parts. Rolfing® can improve the functioning of the body and the emotional state.
Rolfing® is different from therapies such as massage, deep tissue work, chiropractic, or osteopathy, although clients often have similar physical symptoms.
More information about Rolfing® Structural Integration:
rolfing.org.

The Rolfing Training at the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute® Europe
Students of Rolfing® gain a solid understanding of myofascial bodywork and movement principles through the three core themes of Touch, Movement and Anatomy. The basic Rolfing® training takes place in three levels, with emphasis on a good mix of theory and practice.
Courses can be taken on a modular basis (part-time) or intensively (full-time training blocks). In order to continue training after the certification as a Rolfer®, further education, Rolf Movement™ and Advanced Rolfing Training are offered.
The Dr. Ida Rolf Institute was founded by Dr. Ida Rolf herself. The European Rolfing School is based in Munich, Germany. A team of highly qualified teachers, whose ongoing training is part of the quality standards of Rolfing® training, teach in several languages and at selected European locations. With a teacher/student ratio of no more than 1/10, teachers provide individual feedback and help their students gain confidence in using important concepts and new skills.
The teaching at the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute® Europe is based on Dr. Ida Rolf's work and method of Structural Integration. In addition, the training today also includes the study of new scientific research in the areas of fascia, movement, anatomy, and touch. This combination makes it possible to meet the challenges we all face in today's world.
More information about the Rolfing® training:
rolfing.org.
Video about studying at the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute® Europe:
rolfing.org.

The European Rolfing® Association
The European Rolfing® Association e.V. (ERA) is a non-profit organisation based in Munich, Germany. It was founded in 1991 to support all certified Rolfers® practising in Europe and represents the profession of Rolfers® in Europe.
Through its own school, the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute® Europe, it provides training and continuing education for Rolfers®.
rolfing.org.

Fascia is a complex network of connective tissue that is found throughout the body. It plays a crucial role in providing structural support, facilitating movement, and transmitting forces between different parts of the body.
In Rolfing® Structural Integration training at the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute® Europe, understanding fascia anatomy is key to helping clients improve their posture, movement, and overall well-being.

What is Fascia?
Fascia can be thought of as a three-dimensional web that surrounds and permeates every muscle, bone, nerve, and organ in the body. It is made up of collagen, elastin, and other proteins, and is capable of adapting to changes in tension and pressure.
When fascia is healthy and functioning properly, it allows for smooth, coordinated movement and efficient force transmission. However, when it becomes damaged or restricted, it can cause pain, stiffness, and dysfunction.

Working on Fascia Layers
One of the key principles of Rolfing Structural Integration is the manipulation of fascia to create lasting changes in posture, movement, and overall well-being. Rolfing practitioners use a variety of techniques, including deep tissue massage, stretching, and movement education, to release fascial restrictions and reorganise the body’s structure.
In Rolfing, practitioners work with fascia in layers, starting with the superficial layer and gradually working deeper into the body. The superficial fascia is the layer that lies just beneath the skin and is responsible for providing insulation and protection. It also contains a network of nerve endings and sensory receptors that play a role in proprioception, or the body’s awareness of its position and movement in space.
Deeper layers of fascia include the myofascia, which surrounds and supports individual muscles, and the deep fascia, which envelops organs and other internal structures. The deep fascia is particularly important in Rolfing, as it can become restricted and cause pain and dysfunction in areas such as the pelvis, abdomen, and chest.
Rolfing practitioners also focus on the fascial connections between different parts of the body, known as fascial lines. These lines are pathways of tension and force transmission that link the feet to the head. By releasing restrictions in these lines, Rolfing practitioners can create significant changes in a client’s overall structure and function.

Myofascial Foundations Training
Myofascial Foundations training is the first part (Level 1) of the Rolfing Structural Integration curriculum that focuses on teaching students the foundational skills of working with the fascia.
At Myofascial Foundations training, students learn about Anatomy, Touch, and Movement to better understand the fascial system and how to work with it. Here are some of the topics covered in each area:

Anatomy:
• Overview of the fascial system and its role in the body
• Specific anatomy of the fascial system, including the different types of fascia and their functions
• Anatomy of the muscles, bones, and organs that the fascia supports

Touch:
• Techniques for palpating the fascia and assessing its condition
• Skills for using touch to manipulate the fascia, including different types of pressure, direction, and depth
• Developing sensitivity to subtle changes in the fascia and the body as a whole
Movement:
• Understanding how the fascia contributes to movement and posture
• Techniques for working with movement patterns to improve alignment and function
• Strategies for helping clients develop awareness of their bodies and movement patterns

Myofascial Foundations training provides Rolfing students with a strong foundation in the principles and techniques of working with the fascial system. This training allows Rolfers® to develop their skills in a structured and systematic way, and to build on this foundation as they progress through the Rolfing curriculum.

Further Information

More information on fascia research:
fascia research

Here you can find all the information on studying Level 1 - Myofascial Foundation at the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute® Europe:
rolfing.org

Start of our next Level 1 Trainings in English language:
• Amsterdam 23.09.2023
• Munich 08.03.2024

Here you can find an overview of all Rolfing courses for beginners: overview