Quotes:

“Imagine your body is your car and Pilates is a tune-up. Without Pilates, your body gets rust on the chassis, the tyres aren’t aligned, your oil is low, the engine gets too hot… You get the picture! Pilates keeps the body running like a well-maintained car.”

Ben Salmon, Tennis Coach, Client

PILATES

Nicholas explains Pilates

Pilates, is no fad. Its creator, Josef Pilates opened his studio in New York City in the late 1920’s. Since his death in 1967 the method has evolved and been continually updated and finally landed in Australia just over 20 years ago.
Many people will explain Pilates a different way, here is my interpretation.

Pilates, in the initial stages is a corrective exercise method. In this way, you will iron out faults in your movement system and find a clean and strong way of moving. For example, why use your neck and shoulder when all you want to do is a sit-up to strengthen your back and tone your tummy? Pilates will decrease your chance of (re)injury, reduce your experience with back, neck and joint pain and overall give you a stronger sense of good health.

Once your body uses the correct muscles to stabilize movements, advance through the method with greater physical challenge and enjoy the results of advanced strength training but with a solid and educated foundation. This means that instead of being drilled with a no-pain, no gain mentality, you work-out the smartest way to build strength and dexterity of movement.

The Movement Refinery uses custom designed and environmentally friendly equipment to provide assistance and resistance while exercising.

Please come in to the studio and make an appointment to have a chat with the studio director so he can demonstrate how the equipment and your body can work. This is totally no-obligation and complimentary, of course.

The Movement Refinery teaches Pilates equipment work using private sessions (1:1) and small groups (never more than three clients per class).

GYROTONIC ®
What is GYROTONIC®?
Unlike most conventional exercise machines where linear or isolated exercises create uncoordinated strength, GYROTONIC® Expansion System is served by specially designed exercise equipment built to optimize and integrate the human body, accessing freedom in movement, strength and flexibility.

GYROTONIC ® is three-dimensional exercise taught on unique weight and pulley based equipment. Founded by Juliu Horvath your workout incorporates the principles of yoga, dance, tai chi, and swimming. GYROTONIC® training is a series of circular and fluid exercises that works the entire body through muscular, skeletal, and cardiovascular stimulation.

Exercises are combined with synchronised breathing patterns which enhance aerobic and cardiovascular stimulation and promote neuromuscular rejuvenation. GYROTONIC® is a system focused on muscles, muscle fascia, your skeletal system including your joints and spine, your nervous system, and your energetic biology.

Differences of Pilates and GYROTONIC®
Pilates aims to restructure and re-educate the musculo-skeletal system through a series of controlled exercises which differentiate ‘stability’ muscles and ‘movement’ muscles. Stability occurs by activating core muscles. Pilates training is a system focused on muscles and clinical alignment.

GYROTONIC ® is predominantly a multi-directional technique and works the whole body at all times. It focuses on teaching the body to work efficiently, enlisting all of the muscles, even the ones we do not tend to use in our everyday linear life, like our fingers and toes! Stability is found not only by activating muscles, but by reaching out in opposition to create contrast. This gives your movement a sense of strength and depth, or light and shade. Lessons begin on a one to one (1:1) basis, allowing you to work on a program designed specifically to your needs and enables you to enjoy maximum benefit.

This method is universal and beneficial to all ages, body types, fitness and well being goals. GYROTONIC® is used world-wide in spinal rehabilitation hospitals, Olympic training facilities, leading dance companies and sports institutes. Internationally, many Pilates studios offer GYROTONIC® to compliment the benefits generated by Pilates.

GYROKINESIS® (a floor class) is the essence of GYROTONIC®. These floor classes are taught in smaller groups of no more than 8 people and are 75 minutes in duration. These exercises are done without equipment so you can regularly do them at home to further maximise your benefits from GYROTONIC® Clifton Hill.

Your GYROKINESIS® class will use mats and begins on stools. Get in touch with your body by stimulating the senses and organs with tactile and breathing exercises. The class will move to the mat where different exercises are performed to hips, strengthen and mobilize the spine, challenge the abdominals and release joints. These movements are more like a dance than static poses and ultimately this is to invigorate the senses to the body and link each body part and movement into the energy centre.

This method focuses on the body’s internal energy and draws special attention to clearing any blockages along your energetic or meridian system.