By Catherine Roscoe Barr | Sunday February 6, 2011

IMAGE : Catherine Roscoe Barr

This pulley tower equipment is central to the Gyrotonic Expansion System

Celebrities and professional athletes are onto something with the rotational stretching and strengthening of Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis

I’ll admit what got me interested in Gyrotonic was the fabulous figures of its celebrity followers – Naomi Campbell, Madonna and Julianne Moore, just to name a few.

But what got me hooked was the fascinating philosophy and unique movements I learned from Marta Hernandez, the owner of a wellness studio in Yaletown called The Space Vancouver.

The studio at The Space

Gyrotonic Expansion System

The Gyrotonic Expansion System was developed by Juliu Horvath (see video), a professional dancer and student of yoga, and consists of Gyrotonic (equipment-based) and Gyrokinesis (mat-based) exercises that draw from ballet, swimming, yoga and Qi Gong (an ancient Chinese practice of cultivating energy through the mind, pronounced chee gung).

Horvath’s brother, a physiotherapist, also influenced the incorporation of “stabilization through contrast” – using equal and opposite forces to help open the joints – into the exercises.

The gentle, flowing movements can be made more strenuous through added repetition, resistance and intention so everyone from professional athletes (Shaquille O’Neil and Tiger Woods are fans) to rehab patients can benefit from the full-body exercises.

Spine Flexibility is the Fountain of Youth

Gyrotonic (“gyro” meaning circle or spiral and “tonic” meaning invigorate or strengthen) and Gyrokinesis (“kinesis” meaning movement) focus on spine flexibility and incorporate circular, rotational and three dimensional movements unlike traditional strengthening exercises (think bicep curls vs. pirouette). Hernandez’s Qi Gong Master, Minke de Vos, says “you’re as young as your spine is flexible.” If that’s true, the Gyrotonic Expansion System might just be the fountain of youth.

Even though the development of Gyrokinesis preceded Gyrotonic (Horvath came up with the theory and basic movements before he developed the equipment), I started with a private Gyrotonic session before participating in a Gyrokinesis class. Hernandez recommends trying Gyrotonic first not only because you get individual instruction but because it’s actually easier to learn the movements using the equipment.

Gyrotonic Basics: Arching and Curling the Spine

The Gyrotonic equipment we used is called the Pulley Tower Combination Unit, and is made up of a pulley tower with wrist and ankle straps and a moveable bench with two discs that are turned with handles, called the handle unit.

First we worked on the basic movements, arching and curling, that are present in nearly every exercise (see video). Once I got the hang of it we incorporated more advanced moves such as circling the arms using the hand unit and circling the legs using the ankle straps.

The movements are so fluid and graceful (at least I felt graceful) you don’t realize what an incredible, full-body stretch you’re getting. At the end of the session I felt taller, calm and energized. I also felt happy; Gyrotonic is fun.

Hernandez points out that it’s as much a mental exercise as a physical exercise, like a “moving meditation” – there’s no time for worrying or list-making during this workout (only the odd giggle as you try to master gyrating your head and torso in different directions).

Take it to the Mat

The Gyrokinesis class used many of the same movements learned during the Gyrotonic session, but instead of the pulley tower we used a mat and stool. For a glimpse into a Gyrokinesis class, check out Regis and Kelly giving Gyrokenesis a go.

Yawn and Stretch

“Movement changes the body,” says Hernandez, and indeed it does.

Somewhere along the way Western civilization seems to have lost track of its natural rhythms, forgetting that the human body was meant to move, not spend the majority of its waking hours parked at a desk or in front of a TV.

Gyrotonic doesn’t necessarily teach anything new, it reminds us of what we already know – what came naturally before we started spending most of our days sitting.

Much of the philosopy, says Hernandez, is based on yawning, letting the body open naturally. Try reaching one arm overhead – probably a pretty good stretch but not all-encompassing and amazing. Now try reaching one arm overhead, the other arm in the opposite direction, and arching your spine from top to bottom (feel free to yawn).

That delicious feeling follows you throughout a Gyrotonic session or Gyrokinesis class and leaves you feeling more open, invigorated, and body-aware throughout the rest of your day. Yum.

Catherine Roscoe Barr, BSc Neuroscience, is a Vancouver-based writer, editor, and fitness professional. Before settling on the west coast she lived in Sydney, Toronto, Oregon, Montana, and practically everywhere in Alberta. She can be found jogging with her adorable dog, dining with her fabulous husband or voraciously reading anywhere comfy.

Happy Holidays!

Please note that The Space will be CLOSED:

Friday December 24^th

Saturday December 25^th

Sunday December 26^th

as well as

Saturday January 1^st

Sunday January 2^nd

We will be operating with limited hours:

December 27^th– December 31^st:

Group Reformer on Tuesday and Thursday at 11am

Led Group on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 12pm

* Privates are also available, ask your instructor*

The Space Vancouver presents

Prenatal Mat Pilates

with Meg Aris

         Thursdays from 7:30pm – 8:30pm

6-week series begins November 18^th, 2010

$140 + tax

Pay by November 1^st and receive 15% off

*Limited space available, please register soon*

For more information or to register please contact:

The Space Vancouver

#305 – 1008 Homer Street (at Nelson)

604-646-0199

contact@thespacevancouver.com

Vital Signs

Regimens: Massage Benefits Are More Than Skin Deep

By RONI CARYN RABIN

Published: September 20, 2010

Does a good massage do more than just relax your muscles? To find out, researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles recruited 53 healthy adults and randomly assigned 29 of them to a 45-minute session of deep-tissue Swedish massage and the other 24 to a session of light massage.

All of the subjects were fitted with intravenous catheters so blood samples could be taken immediately before the massage and up to an hour afterward.

To their surprise, the researchers, sponsored by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a division of the National Institutes of Health, found that a single session of massage caused biological changes.

Volunteers who received Swedish massage experienced significant decreases in levels of the stress hormone cortisol in blood and saliva, and in arginine vasopressin, a hormone that can lead to increases in cortisol. They also had increases in the number of lymphocytes, white blood cells that are part of the immune system.

Volunteers who had the light massage experienced greater increases in oxytocin, a hormone associated with contentment, than the Swedish massage group, and bigger decreases in adrenal corticotropin hormone, which stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol.

The study was published online in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

The lead author, Dr. Mark Hyman Rapaport, chairman of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at Cedars-Sinai, said the findings were “very, very intriguing and very, very exciting — and I’m a skeptic.”

A version of this article appeared in print on September 21, 2010, on page D6 of the New York edition.

Please welcome to The Space…

Dr. Lisa Skerritt

Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine

 Acupuncture | Herbal Medicine | Tuina Massage

Lisa has many years of education in Chinese Medicine, Herbology, Shiatsu and Acupuncture from around the world including the US and the UK. She has been practicing Chinese medicine for over 19 years, and has worked in many areas of B.C. including Whistler, North Vancouver, the West End, and 5 years treating addictions in the Downtown East Side. Lisa has much experience treating a variety of ailments, including muscular-skeletal disorders, infertility, addiction, anxiety and insomnia, stress-related illness, digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, and many types of pain including migraines and arthritis. Originally from St. Kitts in the Caribbean, Lisa was brought up by parents with pharmaceutical training. In addition to traditional Western medicine, Lisa’s parents had a wide knowledge and interest in folk medicine that was brought to the island by the native South Americans and Africans. Growing up and seeing first hand the healing powers of herbs insprired Lisa’s interest in Chinese Medicine.

Lisa is available at The Space Tuesdays 2pm-7pm and Thursdays 10am-2pm

Complete 25 of the 200 questions and The Georgia Straight will enter you into a draw for a $3,000 Flight Centre Gift Certificate!

Visit www.straight.com/bov to cast you vote

The cold and flu season is fast approaching. Here are some tips on how to care for you and your family at the first sign of a cold.

In Chinese medicine, the common cold can be separated into several categories, the most common being wind heat and wind cold. Listed below are a few simple tips on how to recognize which type you have and what you should eat to help your body clear the cold as fast as possible.

1. Wind Cold: Symptoms may include; aching body, clear nasal discharge, headache and chills and coughing up clear phlegm.

What to do:

• Fresh ginger tea (grate ginger into a cup or tea pot, pour in hot water and let steep until there is a strong ginger taste, strain liquid and add honey if you need sweetner)
• Spicy soup (add ginger and hot peppers to a broth based soup, remember that you just want enough spices to break a sweat, nothing more)

2. Wind Heat: Symptoms may include; fever more than chills, sore throat, a hot sensation, yellow or green nasal discharge and coughing up yellow sticky phlegm.

What to do:

• Mint tea (add fresh mint if possible to hot water, let steep for 1-2 minutes, add honey to taste)
• Salt water gargle (for a sore throat, add 2 tbsp of salt to one glass of tepid water, stir until salt dissolves. Gargle full glass and repeat 2-3x/day)

Remember, these remedies should be used during the first few days of a cold. Should your cold last longer or progress in severity, please contact a health professional. If you suspect H1N1 (Swine flu) please contact, Healthlink BC at 8-1-1 and speak to a nurse anytime, day or night.

With summer just around the corner, many people are looking to ramp up their summer health plans. Whether it is a fitness plan or a vow to eat less heavy food and eat more greens, the warm weather has ignited a fire under us and the spark of motivation has been lit.

With that said, what most people neglect in their efforts to prepare for the activities of summer is a full body check up. Not your yearly G.P. visit, although that’s always a good idea too, but an in-depth look at your physical and mental health. Maybe it’s an old shoulder injury that gets flared up every time you push too hard, or digestive difficulties despite your best efforts to eat well, or perhaps it’s that nagging feeling of anxiety or sadness which isn’t fading with the improving weather. Not only can Chinese medicine and acupuncture help address the roots of these issues, it can also act as a support to your spring/summer health plan by preventing injury, aiding digestion, improving heart and organ health, managing stress and helping you stay happy, healthy, motivated and prepared for what the summer has to offer.

Shiatsu

This time of year it is natural to want to change your diet and daily habits to shake off the heaviness of winter and welcome the lightness of spring. Often, a dietary cleanse and new exercise regime are techniques to wake up the body.

Shiatsu is a good support system for your spring cleanse. Gentle, but firm pressure on the muscle and organ tissues helps to circulate the lymphatic system more effectively: metabolic solutes or waste, acids and exterior substances such as viruses, bacteria and drugs are collected in the lymphatic system and transferred to the cardiovascular system, where they are filtered out through the kidneys and eliminated from the body.

Stimulation of the lymphatic system with pressure boosts the immune response and helps alleviate the autoimmune symptoms of allergies that are prevalent this time of year.

Book an initial consultation for Shiatsu, Acupuncture, Chinese medicine and diet and lifestyle coaching until May 31st and receive $10 off.

CALL 604.646.0199 to Schedule an Appointment

It is quite easy, if one pays attention for a short while, to become aware of the subtle nuances of the breath. This naturally encourages a deeper, more steady breathing, without the use of force. In this breath there is a richness that in turn feeds consciousness: the process of becoming aware postively feeds back on itself.

Begin to notice the brief pauses between the inhale and exhale. The moment of stillness in fullness at the top of the inhale and the moment of stillness in emptiness – a touching on the creative void – at the bottom of the exhale. Hang onto none of these states but allowing your awareness to pass freely through the full range of experience, growing deeper and richer with each passing breath. When you feel you have connected with the breath sufficiently, rather than absent-mindedly falling off into unconscious breathing or thoughts, choose to take three last full breaths before consciously returning to your ordinary awareness and activities.