The American Council on Fitness advises consumers considering any new exercise program to evaluate its claims, tell instructors of past injuries and go slowly at first. Gyrotonic hasn't been around long enough for the medical community to weigh in, says James Garrick, an orthopedic surgeon at the Center for Sports Medicine in San Francisco. It's essential with Pilates and probably the same holds true for Gyrotonic that instructors are well-trained and qualified. At a minimum, Gyrotonic instructors must attend a 24-hour introductory course, followed by at least 48 hours of training. Only three people Horvath and two of his disciples conduct Gyrokinesis training and certification, says Matt Aversa, managing director of Gyrotonic, which is headquartered in New York.
Certification requires an intro course plus seven four-hour days of training.
Aversa estimates that 70 percent of Gyro users have a Pilates background. But Gyro, practitioners say, takes exercise literally to a new plane. Yet its looser movements make Gyrotonic initially more difficult to grasp, says Amrhein, who teaches both. Even then, Amrhein says, she considers most people beginners. To see the difference for myself, I tried a 60-minute session on the pulley tower.