Gyrotonic, also known as the Gyrotonic Expansion System, is a system of exercise that was developed by Juliu Horvath in the 1980s.[1][2] It is centered around enhancing spinal movement in three dimensions, which not only focuses on increasing the functional mobility of the spine but also building the strength and flexibility of the muscles surrounding it.[3] It focuses on using spiral and circular patterns to move the body in all three planes: frontal (coronal or vertical), sagittal, and horizontal. The system consists of two complementary exercise methods - the Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis Methods.[4]
Gyrotonic training focuses on exercises that stretch, strengthen, and elongate muscles while nurturing the connective tissue around joints to improve balance, coordination, strength, and flexibility.[4][5] Gyrotonic is used for exercise, physical therapy, and rehabilitation.[4][6][7][8] Besides the focus on exercise of various muscle groups, and on rotational movements, the Gyrotonic technique also focuses on breathing and rhythm.[9][5]