TENNIS ace Andy Murray begins his bid to retain his Wimbledon title today after turning to an exercise regime favoured by ballet dancers.

Murray has been spending up to two hours a day on Gyrotonic training.

It involves the use of a machine fitted with weighted pulleys to strengthen the muscles.

The Gyrotonic system, developed in the US, combines exercise principles from ballet, yoga, gymnastics and t’ai chi.

Former ballerina Franziska Rosenzweig, now a Gyrotonic instructor in east London, said: “It has a lot to do with bending and extending the spine.

“It changes your muscle tone and you become long and lean.

“For Andy Murray it is probably very revitalising and realigns the symmetry of the body in a sport where you are using one side of your body more than the other.” 

It is popular with many ballet dancers as well as golfer Tiger Woods, 38, and rock star Sting, 62.

Murray, who takes on Belgium’s David Goffin on Centre Court today, started using the technique during training in Miami. Matt Aversa, vice president of Gyrotonic, said: “Andy was curious at first but gradually grew to really like it.”

[Excerpted from an article in the Daily Star by Ed Riley, published June 23, 2014.  "Wimbledon 2014: Andy Murray chases title number tutu as his ballet secrets are revealed"]

What do super model Gisele Bündchen and Master Trainer Miriam Barbosa have in common?  Aside from beauty? They are both Brazilian and they both love the GYROTONIC® method!

The striking photo above, of Gyrotonic® Master Trainer Miriam Barbosa, was recently featured in an article in Boston Magazine.  The same article also mentions that Gisele Bundchen can sometimes be seen practicing Gyrotonic: 

"Stop by Charles River Gyrotonic, in Allston, and you might glimpse Gisele Bündchen among the participants performing circular movements on a Pulley Tower machine, which looks a bit like a medieval torture device."

In spite of the reference to the "rack', the article explains that in addition to producing long, lean bodies, Gyrotonic may reduce the need for surgery.

 

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Rachel Ray - Part 2 (of 2)