As of 2010, Gyrotonic training is found primarily in specialized mind-body studios in the United States, while Pilates training is available in community centers across the nation. Both fitness methods have their roots in rehabilitation exercise with a heavy focus on breath work and alignment principles, yet the two workout methods have many differences.
History
Gyrotonic hit the exercise market in the 1980s, while Pilates got its start during World War I. Juliu Horvath combined principles from yoga and dance training when he developed the Gyrotonic training method and the Pulley Tower as part of his recovery from a dance injury, according to the website for IDEA Health & Fitness Association. Joseph Pilates incorporated principles from yoga, martial arts and Indian club training when he took apart the beds in an internment camp and invented workout machines as a method to rehabilitate injured soldiers, according to the Pilates Association of Canada.
Legalities
As of 2010, neither Pilates nor Gyrotonic teachers require a professional license in the United States. Because the term Gyrotonic is trademarked by Horvath, he sets the standard -- 800 hours of training -- for teachers using the Gyrotonic name, according to Gyrotonic.com. In 2000, the Federal Court in Manhattan declared the word Pilates to mean an exercise method, not a trademarked brand name. This means that gyms, trainers, certification companies and equipment manufacturers are free to use the word Pilates without adhering to any specific standard, according to Pilates.com.
Basics
Both methods offer a style of training that does not require machines. Gyrokinesis students perform spirals and undulating movements while seated on a short stool or stack of mats, according to a 2001 article in The Washington Post. Pilates students use a padded mat for supine, seated and standing calisthenic exercises. Gyrokinesis students work in multiple planes of movement and increasingly larger ranges of motion in each exercise, while Pilates students focus on smaller, precise movements that remain within one movement plane.
Equipment
Gyrotonic trainers use large machines, each about the size of a queen bed, called the Pulley Tower, the Archway, the Leg Extension Unit and the Jump Stretching Board to assist their clients in achieving comfortable movement patterns and wider range of motion. Pilates trainers use the Reformer and Cadillac, each about the size of a twin bed, as well as the smaller Electric Chair, Wunda Chair, Spine Corrector and Ladder Barrel. The larger machines for both methods are priced at several thousand dollars each, and are usually found only in special training studios, while the smaller pieces are more affordable and can be used in a home setting. Home-use versions of each machine are available from infomercial TV programs.
Considerations
Because Gyrotonic training works with large movement patterns, some health experts, such as physical therapist Beth Lepkowski, advise proceeding with caution if you have hyper-mobile joint, according The Washington Post article. When seeking a Pilates teacher with extensive training, consider asking whether your teacher carries a third-party certification from the Pilates Method Alliance, an organization that sets high education standards for Pilates teachers. Discuss any new exercise ideas with your doctor before beginning a new program.
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