Ronnie Gardiner Method USA
"Move your brain"
Introducing the RGM to the USA
The Ronnie Gardiner Method®, (RGM), is an innovative and rhythmic approach to cognitive and motor rehabilitation, ingeniously merging the worlds of music, rhythm, and movement. Developed by drummer Ronnie Gardiner in the 1990s, this method introduces a unique system of color, word and sound symbols coupled specific body movements in rhythm with music. It's designed primarily to benefit individuals with neurological conditions, such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and traumatic brain injuries.
However, its utility doesn't stop there. Beyond the neurologically impaired, RGM has also been embraced by a broader demographic including elderly individuals aiming to maintain cognitive and motor agility, children with developmental challenges, ADHD and Dyslexia, and even healthy adults seeking a novel approach to mental and physical stimulation.
The RGM is a distinctive rehabilitation that interweaves rhythm, music, and movement to enhance cognitive and motor skills. Created by drummer Ronnie Gardiner in the 1990s, this method employs a set of musical notations paired with specific body movements and vocal sounds. Participants engage with these notations, integrating auditory, visual, and motor faculties to perform synchronized actions to a rhythmic pulse. Initially designed to assist individuals with neurological conditions like Parkinson's disease and stroke, RGM has proven beneficial in promoting motor control, coordination, memory, and attention, all within a lively and uplifting framework..... and it is FUN!
The basic elements of the method are rhythm, music, movement and language, which activate several senses simultaneously in a playful way. The execution of the exercises is reminiscent of a kind of body percussion, in which the whole body is involved. Symbols specially developed for the method stand for various movements that are linguistically accompanied by fixed sound names (“sound codes”). The degree of difficulty can be individually tailored to the skills of the participants and gradually increased.
The goal of the Ronnie Gardiner method is better cooperation between the right and left hemispheres of the brain and the development of new neural pathways in the brain. The method makes use of the so-called neuroplasticity of the brain: injured or disturbed processes are resumed through intensive stimulation.
The RGM training can be used by a certified practitioner both individually (e.g. as part of the regular 1:1 therapy session) and in a group. The latter offers the advantage of group dynamics and has a positive impact on well-being.
Through the various elements, the Ronnie Gardiner method stimulates coordination, concentration, reading and speaking, as well as a sense of rhythm, self-confidence, balance, memory and motor skills. In Sweden, the Ronnie Gardiner method has already grown into a widely practiced training method and has historically been used by music therapists, physiotherapists and speech therapists in (university) clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and practices.
Our vision in the USA is for schools to implement the Method in classrooms and after school settings as it would greatly benefit all children with their brain development for efficient learning and specifically increase attention and inter-hemispheric transfer for those with ADHD and Dyslexia.
