My Gyrotonic ‘Infused’ Well-Being Routine

Are you a practitioner of the GYROTONIC® Method and/or the GYROKINESIS® Method or curious about how to incorporate these methods into your daily routine?

 There are a number of ways to practice both of these methods on and off the equipment (which have seriously changed my life).

From being a GYROTONIC® trainer and dancer for many years, intertwining the GYROTONIC® Method and the GYROKINESIS® Method, mixed dance styles, and other fun and inspiring (yet challenging) techniques helps me to stay focused and interested in learning about why different techniques are important and how to master them in my own way.

Here are some great and simple ways how the Gyrotonic Method and the Gyrokinesis Method can be used interchangeably and within other routines. Check it out.

What the Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis Method works on:

• Narrowing of the Pelvis (deep core activation)

• Abdominals

• Hamstrings

• Hip openings

• Foot articulation

• Breathing with intention

• Stretching while strengthening

How both Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis exercise help each other: Going from the mat to the machine, or vice versa, it is a good way to check in with alignment and strength (also telling sign of other habits).

Within both methods, you are learning complimentary, yet challenging movement and coordination skills. This is beneficial as it connects to other relatable movements such as dancing, swimming, yoga, etc.

The Free/ Can-Be-Done-Anywhere Routine

• Walking, Running

• Yoga (online or self-practice)

• Stretching

• Sitting (i.e. typing for hours on end)

• Cycling

How the Gyrotonic Method and the Gyrokinesis Method helps: It reinforces neutral postural alignment and reminds us how to relieve pressure in the joints. Arching, curling and twisting are key components to maintain a healthy spine.

It also enhances the internal line (the fifth line) of energy for appropriate direction and force. This provides a great reminder to view and move the body as one entity. This combination of skill and practice can save you from further harm, if previously injured, and clarify movement functionality.

The Dance Routine

• Ballet

• Contemporary

• Improvisation

• Gaga (the movement language)

How the Gyrotonic Method and the Gyrokinesis Method helps:

It helps to find freedom in moving the skeletal and muscular system as a whole by enhancing a natural and continuous spiraling motion within the body. This becomes especially important when dealing with quick and unexpected movements.

This, in turn, helps to protect the body from unnecessary injury. Moreover, these methods allows one to become freer in movement, improve technique more swiftly, and to let rhythm (i.e. music and breathe) to work as a guide.

The Warm Up and Cool Down Routine

• Body Awareness

• Preparation

• Goal strategy

• Mindfulness

• Personal safety

How both the Gyrotonic Method and the Gyrokinesis Method helps: After a Gyrotonic (equipment) class, for instance, sequences are given to do on your own at home, which are essentially part of the Gyrokinesis (mat based) Method.

As these can be done anywhere, it’s a quick and perfect escape from distraction and bad habits (i.e. before or after a performance). These methods focus on body awareness by first slowly to build the nervous system and cognitive input.

After queuing the body to a safe and fluid state, one can then continue with more vigorous, fuller movement as well as recover.