How Gyrotonic® Builds Your Health

Gyrotonic is a comprehensive movement system that emphasizes three-dimensional spiraling, and circular movements to improve musculoskeletal health. It is useful for exercise, physical therapy or rehabilitation.

This type of movement increases the functional mobility of the spine as well as build strength and flexibility of the muscles surrounding it.

Doing a Gyrotonic Spiral Movement

Gyrotonic training emphasizes movements that stretch, strengthen, and elongate muscles while nurturing the connective tissue around joints to improve balance, coordination, strength, and flexibility.  It includes careful attention to breathing and rhythm.

Instructor Assisting a Man with His Posture During a Warmup

The system consists of two complementary exercise methods - the Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis Methods. Gyrotonic training uses specialized equipment in a studio, under the supervision of qualified instructors.  For Gyrokinesis, you only need a chair and some space on a floor, and can be done in a studio or at home.

Why Gyrotonic Is Beneficial for Older Men

Gyrotonic is especially good for men who are getting on in years. 

• It is set up so that it's almost impossible for you to injure yourself.
• Improves your balance, strength, flexibility and stability, which you need to avoid falls or injuries in the future.
• It is customized to your specific needs and limitations.
• Three-dimensional movements improves the function of muscles you often neglect.
• Learn how to synchronize your breathing with your movements.
• Helps you to recover from injuries or to rehabilitate yourself if your health is poor.
• Your workouts are monitored or supervised by an accredited instructor.
• Improves your posture and your shape.

Dick's Story - "Gyrotonic Saved My Life"

Here's one of our elder Greenwood Men's Group members on a Gyrotonic machine doing a movement in a local Gyrotonic studio in Greenwood. He is moving the handles in various rotations to increase the spiraling movement in his spine. Feels good! It helps his spinal stenosis and pumps nutrients into his damaged discs.

Greenwood Men's Group Member Doing a Two-Sided Spiral

He has a friend, Dick, who occasionally shares a Gyrotonic training in the same facility.  Here is what Dick said about how Gyrotonic helped him.

Baseball was Dick's favorite sport, starting it in high school. He played a lot of baseball until middle age started to catch up with him. He developed arthritis in his cervical spine, which limited the mobility of his throwing arm. His throw became weak and he couldn't throw the ball in the direction he wanted. Forced to give up baseball, he began searching for solutions.

Dick consulted doctors. Got physical therapy. Tried Pilates and numerous other exercise and movement concepts. He tried everything; nothing worked. Eventually he shared his sad story with friend Cathy, who was a student of Gyrotonic. She said to give Gyro a try. 

With nothing to lose, Dick started doing Gyro. Over time, his cervical spine functioning improved to the point where he could again make his throwing arm do what it was supposed to do. He was able to resume his baseball endeavors, which he continued with enthusiasm and confidence for nine years before quitting at age 65. He quit because of poor playing field conditions and wanting to avoid the risk of possible injury. But his arm was fine.

Dick is now 79 years old and has been doing Gyro twice a week for 24 years. He says he will continue with Gyro until he is physically unable to get to the facility. He says "Gyro has saved my life". 

Gyrokinesis

The Gyrokinesis Method is a Gyrotonic movement method that does not require any equipment.  It addresses the entire body, opening energy pathways, stimulating the nervous system, increasing range of motion and creating functional strength through rhythmic, flowing movement sequences.

It is done from a chair, standing or on the floor. We have Greenwood Men's Group members who do Gyrokinesis on Zoom in the comfort of their homes. If this interests you, let us know and we'll try to connect you with an instructor who teaches over Zoom.

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The Greenwood Men's Group's mission is to provide a supportive environment where men from diverse backgrounds can foster camaraderie, develop friendships, share wisdom, enrich one another's lives -- and contribute to the Seattle communities of Greenwood, Ballard, Crown Hill, Fremont, Green Lake, Greenwood, Licton Springs, Loyal Heights, Phinney Ridge, Ravenna, Sunset Hill, Wallingford, Wedgwood, Whittier Heights and beyond.