Magazine Roller Adjustment: A Shiatsu Shin Tai Structural Technique

The following video was taken during a Shiatsu Shin Tai Structure course given in Doylestown, PA, USA in February of 2015.  Please note that we do NOT recommend doing this technique unless you have received instruction in class first.  This video is meant to be a review and accompaniment to hands-on instruction!

The Magazine Roller Technique

The Magazine Roller Adjustment is a technique sometimes used near the end of a Shin Tai treatment.  It helps to bring more motion and alignment into the upper thoracic region.  A practitioner uses the technique only after there is a good amount of space and motion in the system (regular phase II and/or phase III motions).

To do this technique you will need to get two magazines that are the same size.  Then roll each one tightly into a column.  Using packing tape or duct tape, wrap each one with the tape so that they are covered and secure.

You will need someone else to help you get the tape wrapped around each magazine while it is held in place.  Magazines of about 180-190 pp are usually the right thickness to make rollers that are about 2" in diameter.  Once you have the rollers made, keep them in your treatment room.  They will last throughout your bodywork career;  a very functional, simple, economical tool to perform a very effective technique!

Introduce Motion & Space First

It is better to prepare the body well before doing this technique.  In Shin Tai we create space and motion before any kind of structural work, so that the physical body can integrate changes with ease.  Introducing more alignment in this way has the advantage of partially using the receiver's own inner force to make the adjustment.

Instead of imposing compression from the outside to move the structure, the practitioner first amplifies the receiver's motion and inner force.  Then that is used to help introduce even more motion through a variety of techniques.

When the receiver's body has enough space and motion to use this technique, they need to come into supine position.  The practitioner will slide the magazine rollers underneath the body so that there is a roller on each side of the upper thoracic spinous processes.  The rollers will provide support along each side of the transverse processes that will encourage more alignment during the technique.

The Thrust

Sometimes the thoracic vertebrae will adjust without any actual impulse/thrust at the end of the set-up.  Listen to the tone and range of the cracking sound (if there is any) in order to understand the impact of the adjustment.  The more resonance and range (high to low tones) that you hear, the more complete the adjustment.

Take time after doing the technique to allow the receiver to be still and FEEL into their body.  Watch and observe any increased breath and motion.  Awareness on the part of the receiver and practitioner helps to amplify the effects of the adjustment and allow it to penetrate more deeply through the body.

Important Points to Remember

1. only use if Phase II & III motions have been present during the session
2. take out all the slack in the trajectory of force before applying the impulse
3. have the receiver feel the responses in their body after the technique
4. as a practitioner, make sure to observe any increased motion from the technique

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