Kinetic Chain in the GYROTONIC® Method

Written by - Emi Komatsuzaki

Kinetic Chain in the GYROTONIC® Method.

If you go to the gym, you will see people doing biceps curls or leg extensions with/without weights. Those exercises are called "Open Kinetic Chain" exercise. Whereas squats or push ups are called "Closed Kinetic Chain" exercise.

So, what about the GYROTONIC® Method?

Steven Lowe, DPT, explains that open kinetic chain exercises are performed where the hand or foot is free to move. In these exercises typically only the muscles associated with one joint are involved, such as leg extensions and hamstring curls for lower body, and biceps curls and triceps extensions for upper body. "Open kinetic chain exercises are best for isolating and strengthening specific areas of the body," says Lowe.

In contrast, closed Kinetic Chain exercises are where feet or hands are fixed against the ground or machine, and the body is moved against it, such as squats and lunge for lower body, and pull-ups and handstand pushups for upper body, according to Lowe. Closed kinetic chain exercises are typically compound movements, which involve multiple segments. More muscles contract at the same time in order to stabilize and control movement across multiple joints.

The GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® has both aspects. It teaches how to isolate the body and strengthen the muscles as well as uses a lot of compound movements to increase stability and mobility. In Hamstring and Upper body series, legs and arms are free to move, whereas arch and curl series are more compound movements where hands and feet are fixed and the spine is moved. But in order to isolate the body we have to stabilize the other parts. In order to move the spine with the fixed positions, we have to stabilize the core and connect the joints, especially in standing positions. The GYROTONIC® Method teaches those, and we feel all the segments, joints and muscles are interrelated, which is the Kinetic Chain.

Therefore the GYROTONIC® Method is a very unique method in comparison with other forms of exercise, which makes us more interested and fascinated to learn and feel the interrelationships in our body.

- Emi Komatsuzaki