Sitting on a low wooden stool in loose clothing and bare feet in Cindy Vervaeke's fitness studio, I move my body gently side to side, stretching and twisting while following the flowing movements of Gyrokinesis.

"Begin with your feet grounded and wide apart and wiggle your sit bones back and forth," says Vervaeke. "Lean forward with a flat back, pull your belly in and curl yourself back up from your tail bone to your skull."

 

Originally called yoga for dancers, this fitness regime draws some of the benefits derived from dance, Pilates, swimming, tai chi and yoga. It's not an aerobic exercise, but it does get your muscles and joints moving, forces you to breathe properly and gets you to s-t-r-e-t-c-h - so much so I feel a few inches taller when the hour-long class is over.

 

Vervaeke, who received her Gyrokinesis training in Manhattan last fall, is keen to spread the word in Ottawa, where there is only one other person certified. Practised by a growing number of celebrities and professional dancers, Gyrokinesis is quickly becoming a hot topic even though it has been practised for 30 years in the U.S. and Europe.

 

"I started doing Gyrokinesis as the result of a neck injury and feel better than I have in 12 years of teaching Pilates," says Vervaeke, a familiar face in the Ottawa fitness scene for the past 24 years. She runs numerous classes each week from the comfort of a basement studio in her Ottawa South home.

 

Gyrokinesis was developed by former Houston Ballet dancer Juliu Horvath after he tore his Achilles tendon and herniated a disc in the late 1970s. Unable to get down on the floor to stretch, Horvath began to develop his own form of yoga and Pilates in an effort to rehabilitate his injuries. In 1982, he opened his first Gyrokinesis studio in New York City to teach his exercises to the dance community. He gives master classes around the world, and fitness studios are beginning to embrace it.

 

The motive behind the full-body workout is to increase strength and flexibility. The exercises are suitable for any body type and age and are used by the injured to regain mobility, the golfer to improve their swing and the average person to tone and get in shape. Gyrokinesis can also be extremely beneficial for people with Parkinsons and arthritis and knee-replacement patients.

 

Gyrokinesis (the word "gyro" means rotating) has three distinctive parts, all performed on a stool and mat. The first is "awakening the senses" in preparation for the body's movement. The second is a series of spine and pelvis movements consisting of arches, curls, bending and twists. The third and final stage is a series of exercises designed for strengthening the core and upper body. Vervaeke says the three components stimulate the nervous system and create energy and wellness from the inside out.

 

"From the first class I took in the spring of 2009, I started to move my spine in ways that I had not experienced in any other form of exercise. The mind/body/spirit benefits overwhelmed me, and that was something lacking with Pilates. My clients tell me that they feel stretched, relaxed, worked out, invigorated and happy after a regular gyro class."

 

During my visit to Vervaeke's studio, I meet with Fred Barrett, a former NHL hockey player and retired Ottawa firefighter, his wife Lois and Janet Gehr, an avid horse rider, who has had numerous injuries, including a crushed pelvis. The three have been taking classes with Vervaeke for years. I enjoy the repetitive circling and rhythm movements and am surprised how quickly the time passes and how loose my neck and shoulders feel the next day.

 

"Anyone can do it from elite athletes to women on maternity or someone nursing an injury. My mom is in her 80s and she's doing it," Vervaeke says.

 

Classes cost $22, but sessions run for 10 to 12 weeks with a maximum of six clients per class. To find out more information, visitpersonalpilatesottawa.com

 

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