The Art of Expansion
JOCELYN NUGENT’S PHILOSOPHY about fitness is best described as “balance within the body.” Balance between tension and release, effort and ease, movement and control—all through a holistic approach and positive environment that makes exercise more enjoyable.
A former dancer, Jocelyn opened Praxis Balanced Body Studio in 1996. It was the first East-of-the-Cooper studio to offer Pilates, the unique exercise form that uses special equipment to help you stretch and strengthen the body through a series of full body movements that lead to greater body awareness, strength, and flexibility.
Pilates was created by the German, Joseph Pilates, who, after turning down the nod from Hitler to train his troops, fled to the U.S. to open a studio next door to the New York City Ballet. He quickly developed a reputation for helping injured dancers rehabilitate without losing their fitness level. His method became increasingly popular and Pilates studios spread like wildfire.
Now there’s an even more cutting-edge method of exercise called the Gyrotonic Expansion System™, and Jocelyn’s studio is the first to offer it in the Charleston area. Gyrotonic® uses a wooden apparatus (it looks like a postmodern sculpture) that includes pulleys, weights, a bench, and a tower. Created in the 80s by Juliu Horvath, a former Romanian ballet dancer, the apparatus allows for literally hundreds of movements that work wonders for articulating your joints, strengthening your core (the area around your trunk and pelvis), and opening parts of the body that are not always easy to isolate. Listen to Jocelyn explain Gyrotonic® as she demonstrates the apparatus:
As a 17-year Pilates devotee myself, I consider Gyrotonic® a step beyond Pilates. There is more dimension to the movements and a wonderful circular quality to the sequences and breath—as if the rhythm of the body is accentuated by the mechanics of the machine. After just a few sessions, the tightness in my dancer’s back eased and my body felt improved. The workouts wake up neurons in your brain that are usually on autopilot during exercise. Afterwards you are buzzing with a newly tuned body.
Jocelyn Nugent
There are some similarities between Gyrotonic® and Pilates. For example, both build abdominal core strength and flexibility, and both provide the benefits of individual instruction. But overall, Gyrotonic® opens up the body more with its unique, three-dimensional workout that yields powerful results. Anyone can benefit from it, and it is particularly advantageous for athletes, people with osteoporosis, and those recovering from injury.
Click here to check out Jocelyn’s website or call 881-6933. Better yet, stop by 1233 Ben Sawyer Blvd., Suite 100 in Mt. Pleasant and see for yourself why this unique form of exercise is so fabulous and why Jocelyn is so qualified to introduce you to it. •
Super presentation! I wonder if my old body could stand it.
What an inviting article. Jocelyn and the staff at PraXis are so knowledgeable and caring; I can hardly wait until my shoulder heals to come back and try the Gyrotonic machine. I know it will help with giving me back my body’s full range of motion—not just my shoulder!
I have been doing gyrotonics for years and it has brought me great benefits to this very aging body. Jocelyn and the staff at her studio are very knowledgeable and caring as they work with each of us.
What a fascinating look into the world of building body health. Yoga has been my process for moving from too much focus on the mind to more emphasis on the body. You have converted me, Jocelyn. I am ready for
a Gyrotonic workout in Davis California to increase my range of motion.
Very cool video, Joc! I’ve only had a few sessions before but I’m now inspired to get back into it. It truly is an amazing workout for the body, mind, and spirit. I feel so energized when I’m done!
Nice glimpse into this relatively new form of exercise. I hope more people give this work a try.
I have been doing Gyrotonics for about 3 years & just LOVE it. It opens my upper body in a wonderful way since I am a desk worker & the leg work is such a treat to my very tight hip flexors. Pam & Jocelyn are wonderful, hands-on instructors. I have cried and laughed from the release this workout gives me but ALWAYS feel FANTASTIC when I am done (which is always too soon!). I recommend it to everyone.