Get out of your exercise rut!
Just about every exercise programme in existence is on a fixed track of some sort – machines slide along rails, weights go up and down, and treadmills roll relentlessly forward. It can all get a little too ‘mechanical’ at times.
That’s where the Gyrotonic method is different. Gyrotonic works your body through a fusion of expressive, circular movements, it combines elements of dance, yoga, swimming t’ai chi and gymnastics into a liberating exercise form that’s perhaps best described as “dancing with weights”.
Gyrotonic workouts emphasize rhythmic, flowing sequences of movements paired with specific breathing patterns that help stimulate cardiovascular and neurological systems. And both emphasize core work — toning the muscles around the torso and improving posture, balance and agility.
Matt Aversa, vice president and COO of the Gyrotonic International Headquarters says Gyrotonic also differs from yoga and Pilates because there’s “no end point in the movements.” Pilates is more linear; yoga is more static; and Gyrotonic is both circular and fluid. In fact, Gyrotonic can actually accelerate advancement in your yoga practice, says Aversa, allowing you to get into difficult positions more easily.
Aversa also points out one way that Gyrotonic is different from toning or weight-training work: “In Gyrotonic we use resistance to open the body — to leverage rather than to build mass.”
He says that it’s very much functional fitness: “Gyrotonic increases the functional capacity of the entire organism,” he says. “Even if you’re just playing ping-pong, it helps.”