THE EVOLUTION OF MOVEMENT – from Pilates to GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM®
THE EVOLUTION OF MOVEMENT
From Pilates to GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® (what makes them different and what they have in common also compared with Yoga)
| PILATES | GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® |
| It was invented last century in th period between the two wars by the athlet of German origin Joseph Hubertus Pilates (1883-1967) and developed in the USA. It also includes Pilates Matwork. | It was invented in the 80s of last century by the dancer and athlet of Hungarian origin, Juliu Horvath, and developed in the USA. It includes GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS®. |
| At first Joseph Pilates called his method “Contrology” to highlight the importance of concentration and control of the mind over the body. Today the method takes its name from its founder Joseph Pilates. | The etymology of the name comes from the Greek ‘gyros’ (circular, circle, spiral) and the latin ‘tonus’ (sound, tone, tonic). |
| Joseph Pilates never registered the method and equipment ‘Pilates’ as a trademark. | The GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® is a registered trademark by its founder Juliu Horvath in the USA, that protects the method and the equipments. |
| Pilates is a methodology that uses specific equipment created by its founder: Cadillac, Reformer, Chair e Barrel. | GYROTONIC® is a methodology that uses specific equipments: Pulley Tower, Jumping Stretching Board, Gyrotoner, Archway, Leg Extension, Propeller. |
| The equipment used in Pilates helps to support bodyweight and to do bidimensional movements, which are movements in 2 spatial dimensions. The method is therefore based on two-dimensional movements. | The GYROTONIC® equipments help to bear bodyweight and to carry out three-dimensional, circular and spiral movements. The GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® is therefore based on three-dimensional movements. |
| The method focuses on muscular control of movement in a clearly defined space. | It is a method that focuses on muscular decontraction, and uses muscle control of movement in a much wider range of motion. |
| Pilates is a methodology that uses specific equipments. | The GYROTONIC® is a methodology that uses specific equipments. |
| The Pilates Matwork, however, based on free body movement. Although it is a part of the same discipline and based on the same principles as Pilates, it does not use equipment except for small items and accessories. It is in general the most common technique used in gyms and in order to distinguish this particular method it is advisable to give the full title ‘Pilates Matwork’. | The GYROKINESIS® is a methodology that is performed in free movement, generally in group classes and without the use of equipments or small tools. As GYROTONIC® it belongs to the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM®, and therefore is based on the same principles, but in a way that is even more fluid and without interruptions. |
| Although Pilates and Pilates Matwork are based on coordination of movement with breathing, on concentration and control as in Yoga, this method does not have a meditative aspect. | Although GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® are based on coordination of movement with breathing, on concentration and control as in Yoga, these methods also have a meditative aspect. |
| As Joseph H. Pilates did not register his brand and therefore patent his method and equipments, after his death in 1967 in the USA a free market of instructors and of other equipment such as ‘Gravity’, ‘Spring Board’, or ‘Jump Board’ sprang up. This has continued up to the present and sometimes links other principles of other disciplines to the name Pilates. However, in Italy and other parts of the world there are some professional schools set up by original students or their descendents of the Master himself. They have tried to maintain as far as possible his teachings and have created a professional study program with final certification. To name but a few amongst the most well known, there is True Pilates, run by Romana Kryzanowska, the world heiress of the Pilates method for approximately 60 years, Power Pilates, Polestar Pilates, and Cova Tech Pilates. | There is only one official Headquarters authorized to guarantee final certification of GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® trainer. This is the Gyrotonic Sales Corp. chaired by its founder Juliu Horvath. The Maestro in person, has officially delegated and authorized about 200 Master Trainers throughout the world to hold professional training courses with final certification. To keep the certification valid and at the level stated, each trainer must do an update course every year or two years. |
Both Pilates and GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® have their roots from the brilliance of the two founders, Joseph Pilates and Juliu Horvath, two Europeans that were born between two centuries and have seen their creativity and work acknowledged in USA.
The two Masters had the same intuition to create something important that could be useful to Humanity. Neither of them came from a scientific background or had been a doctor or physiotherapist but both came from the world of athletics or dance. However, they both had a sound knowledge of the body, great intuition and knowledge of biomechanics. They tried out each movement first of all on themselves after having suffered some physical trauma. Given the great sensitivity and brilliance of these two men, both methods try also to help people in rehabilitation after accidents.
Both Pilates and GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® are holistic body disciplines that improve psycho-physical well being and focus on coordination of movement to breathing, on concentration and control as in yoga. However differently to yoga, the positions are not held for a long time, but are more dynamic, fluid and using equipment that helps to support body weight. For this reason, even people who normally do yoga can benefit from these disciplines.
The two systems run along parallel routes and can be easily integrated to offer a more complete preparation. Colleagues all over the world who are highly qualified in Pilates also have training in GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® in order to insert this method in their studios. Although, for obvious historical reasons, the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® is projected into creative planning and to the future, Pilates remains even today an avant-garde method of physical education despite the absence of its founder.
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