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In this article, John Gasston, GYROTONIC® instructor at Healthhaus, shares his story of discovering this method of training and how it has supported his fitness and wellbeing through his 60s and70s.
Many people believe that back problems are an inevitable symptom of ageing and accept the grumbling aches and pains that increase with each decade. But that’s not the case. And who better to demonstrate this than John Gasston who guides, teaches and inspires his GYROTONIC® clients each week with a wealth of knowledge and experience.
To start John’s story, we’ll go back to the early 2000s to the moment he first heard about GYROTONIC®: a method of pulley straps, wheels and resistance weights to exercise the entire body.
“I’d finished playing football and was still doing long distance running and occasional marathons, and I had trouble with my back, which wasn’t a new thing but treatment with chiropractors and physiotherapists never really cured the problem. And then I saw an article in the National Press about GYROTONIC®. I didn’t know what it was but, in my usual style, I looked deeper into it, did some research and ended up in London to test it out and was really impressed with what it could do. As no-one was teaching GYROTONIC® in Jersey at the time, I decided to invest in a machine to use at home.”
Undertaking GYROTONIC® instructor training tookJohn first to London and then to the USA and Germany before opening his own studio in St Brelade.
“I first had to complete two pre-training courses in London before being able to take the GYROTONIC® Foundation course in theUSA (the Foundation course wasn’t available in the UK at that time). After taking the two week intensive course in the USA, I had to come back and do a minimum number of hours with clients for three months to get ‘Apprentice’ status.After about a year, I took the final course in Germany before being fully qualified. Just as with most fitness qualifications, I had to do refresher courses(CPD) every two years and maintain my annual registration with GYROTONIC®. I continued teaching for a a few years before taking a break due to shoulder surgery.”
A twist of fate reunited John with his GYROTONIC®equipment a few years later when Nathalie, Managing Director of Healthhaus, reached out to him with her plans to set up a Pilates studio.
“It was just before the pandemic when Nathalie reached out to me to ask if I was still teaching GYROTONIC® and shared her plans for the studio. Suddenly I was on a refresher course and teaching again!”
Of course, John’s journey as a GYROTONIC®instructor is just a small part of the bigger story; one where elderly clients in particular feel a significant increase in their mobility, flexibility and confidence which leads to a huge improvement in overall quality of life.
GYROTONIC® training especially benefits those who have back, neck or shoulder problems, arthritis or sports injuries as well as those who have mobility issues. The natural movement of the exercises works around the muscles rather than against them which makes it an excellent choice for rehabilitation for those with hip and knee joint replacements as well as shoulder injuries and spinal fusion.
The GYROTONIC® training system incorporates movement principles from yoga, swimming, dance, gymnastics and TaiChi and began as a way of supporting dancers, but the system can transform anyone’s wellbeing, regardless of age, activity level and ability.
As an instructor, John brings decades of experience from participating in and coaching different sports. Being born in the 1940s meant that John’s childhood was very active. He played football, athletics, cricket and tennis, competed for the Island in tennis and football, and went on to play for the Old Victorians football team before later moving into football coaching and setting up Gasston’s Sports Shop with his brother in Les Quennevais precinct in 1970.
“First, I was working on the counter in Barclays Bank in Les Quennevais precinct and holidaymakers would frequently come in and ask where they could buy a football or other types of sports equipment which gave me the idea to set up a sports shop to serve both the local community and those travelling to Jersey on holiday. We later opened a shop in town but in 1988, I could see what was happening in the world with technology and the internet and decided to return to the finance industry instead of staying in retail until retirement."
Have you heard of GYROTONIC® before today?
Despite the rising popularity of Pilates, if you asked a hundred people today if they know anything about GYROTONIC®,the majority would almost certainly say no. Considering its breadth of applications and importance for rehabilitation, it’s a vastly underused system of body training that could benefit so many people’s lives.
“That’s why I always offer a free taster session at Healthhaus because we really need to educate people and show them its potential.”
At 80 years young, John is not just an excellent instructor, but also a great role model for the benefits of daily movement.
In the over 50s, the most common benefit to GYROTONIC® training is the freedom of movement in the joints which leads to pain relief, improved mobility, increased strength and the ability to do daily movements with more ease.
For rehabilitation after hip replacement surgery, traditional gym exercises use very few circular movements to open up the hip joint and promote better movement. With GYROTONIC®, the circular movement patterns help clients to extend the muscles rather than shortening them. It’s afull range of motion that’s highly beneficial for recovery.
One famous athlete who used GYROTONIC®after surgery on his back in 2013 is tennis player Andy Murray. Golfer Tiger Woods, diver Tom Daley and singer/actress Lady Gaga have also used the GYROTONIC® method.
John has led a very active life, playing various sports and taking up yoga and Pilates at 50, but how has that benefitted other areas of his life? And what are his secrets to wellness and vibrant health at 80?
“I have noticed that as I’ve got older, it’s important to stay active and move my body every day. IfI feel I’ve overdone it one day, I’ll take it easy the next day, but I always need to move in some way every day.”
If you’d like to try GYROTONIC®,either pop into the club to speak to John in person, or send an email to john@healthhaus.co.uk to find out more.
