GYROTONIC® and Pilates both build strength and flexibility. They both have equipment and non-equipment based exercises and just as JosephPilates inspiration came out of his own childhood rickets and asthma, Romanian-born dancer Juliu Horvath devised the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® to help rehabilitate his back and Achilles tendon injuries. Both methods are a culmination of other exercise philosophies, as well as, innovations in movement and the healing arts. With Pilates it is increasing body awareness and re-educating the body’s neuromuscular system, where in Julius’ work, he draws upon the acupuncture meridians and QiQong.

Other similarities include focus on the body’s core, use of system-specific equipment, joint range of motion and emphasis on the breath. But how each of these areas is approached is what truly differentiates these systems. From a dance perspective, Pilates would be compared to ballet, as GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® is likened to modern dance.

Where Pilates is more linear in terms of range of motion and mostly done lying down, GYROTONIC® is more three-dimensional and many exercises are done seated. In terms of where the movements originate from, Pilates’ “Powerhouse” is musculature-oriented, where GYROTONIC® s’ “Seed Center” represents the life force, energy body flowing into the physical or anatomical body. In general terms, Pilates focuses on stabilization, GYROTONIC® focuses on mobility.

As for the equipment, Pilates uses springs, where GYROTONIC® uses pulleys and weights. Both men designed many different pieces of equipment to assist with the foundation of their work, that being matwork in Pilates and GYROKINESIS® in Julius’s system. Breathing is an important part of both. Pilates’ approach is of an “internal shower” and Julius incorporates three distinct breathing patterns to match different tempos of his movement.

Both systems have proven healing properties with Pilates increasingly accepted by the U.S. medical and rehabilitation communities and GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® being heralded in Europe for orthopedic injury recovery.

Some personalities lend themselves better to one method over the other. At Inner Elements Gyrotonic® is only available in a one-on-one setting, where Pilates Equipment sessions are also available in a class setting.

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