The Decades-Old Recovery Practice Athletes & Dancers Swear By
Published July 26, 2017 by Leigh Weingus
Whether you're recovering from an injury or you're looking to improve your mobility and athletic performance, the little known active recovery method called GYROTONIC® exercise is a must-try. Founded in 1942 by Romanian ballet dancer and swimmer Juliu Horvath, the GYROTONIC® method isn't as buzzy as cryotherapy or stretching. But the unique equipment and movements involved in this practice—it's been called "yoga for dancers"—help decompress the joints and sync movements with the breath.
How the GYROTONIC® method works.
Juliu Horvath had a sound reason for developing the GYROTONIC® method. After moving to the United States to dance with the New York City Ballet and Houston Ballet, he found himself with career-ending injuries—herniated discs and a torn Achilles tendon. So he came up with the GYROKINESIS® method, or "yoga for dancers." The GYROKINESIS® method is practiced with minimal equipment (a mat and a chair), while the GYROTONIC® method (which is more common) goes a little heavier on the equipment with tools like jumping stretch boards, archways, and leg extension units.
Regardless of which method you choose, both incorporate aspects of more well-known recovery methods like yoga, tai chi, and swimming. While the GYROKINESIS® method can be done on a mat at home, there are certified trainers and training studios where you can practice the GYROTONIC® method with various forms of equipment. GYROTONIC® exercise most closely resembles Pilates from the outside, especially when machines get involved. The wooden machine with pulleys—called a Pulley Tower Combination Unit—looks a tad similar to a Pilates reformer. And while there are no asanas involved, the breathing techniques used as practitioners practice fluid movements with pulleys and weighted discs more strongly resemble yoga and tai chi.
"GYROTONIC® [exercise] is essentially a way of doing rehab involving weight training and strengthening," explains Dr. Dennis Cardone, chief of primary care sports medicine at NYU Langone Orthopedics.
"This type of rehabilitation combines resistance training with specific body motions that can be related to a specific sport. For example, tennis players could practice a swinging motion in combination with resistance training."
Who should practice GYROTONIC® movement?
The short answer? Everyone. As long as you're doing them correctly, GYROTONIC® exercises are an excellent way to take stress off the joints and become more familiar with exactly how your body works. But as with most things, it's important to consult a professional—especially when you're first starting out.
"Before beginning...you should be evaluated by a qualified health care practitioner," says Nicholas M. Licameli, physical therapist at Professional Physical Therapy.
While everyone is different, GYROTONIC® [exercise] can be compared to yoga in terms of its intensity. "The GYROTONIC® [method] uses a flow of fluid movements that take the body up to and through its end ranges of motion," continues Licameli. "While this may be a great way to improve mobility and range of motion in some individuals, be aware of existing pathologies of nerves, joints, and soft tissues. You don't want to make any existing problems worse!"
As long as you take proper precautions, give GYROTONIC® exercise a try. Your muscles and joints will thank you.
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/what-you-need-to-know-about-gyrotonics
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