About RGM

The Method

A cheerful, structured, multisensory exercise method for the brain — and so much more than rehabilitation.

What is RGM?

The Ronnie Gardiner Method

The Ronnie Gardiner Method — RGM — was developed in Sweden in 1993 and has since spread to England, Israel, the USA, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Germany, Barcelona and beyond. It is a training and rehabilitation method that simultaneously activates several sensory pathways, stimulating different parts of the brain at the same time.

The method was originally developed for people with traumatic brain injury and injuries to the central nervous system as a result of stroke or Parkinson's disease. RGM is also used when working with children and adults with learning and concentration problems such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and ADHD, and with people experiencing burnout or depression.

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, accompanied by fixed sound names known as sound codes. The degree of difficulty can be individually tailored and gradually increased.

Train in the RGM About Ronnie Gardiner
Ronnie Gardiner teaching
Ronnie Gardiner teaching
The Goal

Building new neural pathways

The goal of the RGM is to improve cooperation between the right and left hemispheres of the brain and to build new neural pathways. The method makes use of the widely recognised neuroplasticity of the brain — injured or disturbed processes are resumed through intensive multisensory stimulation.

The Elements

Four elements, one method

RGM simultaneously engages four sensory pathways to drive neuroplasticity and whole-brain activation. This combination is what makes it uniquely powerful.

Audio

Rhythm and Music

Rhythmic music patterns engage the auditory cortex and motor systems simultaneously. The beat provides a neurological scaffold for movement, coordination and timing — anchoring the entire session.

Visual

Symbol Codes

Symbols specially developed for RGM activate visual processing and inter-hemispheric communication, training the brain to read and respond rapidly to visual information.

Tactile

Body Percussion

Physical body percussion reinforces sensorimotor integration and spatial awareness, engaging the whole body and building proprioceptive awareness alongside motor coordination.

Kinetic

Movement

Movement codes coordinate bilateral brain activation, balance and motor control, building new neural pathways through repetitive, progressive and increasingly complex sequences.

What RGM Stimulates

Through its elements, RGM stimulates

Research has demonstrated improvement across a wide range of cognitive, physical and social outcomes for participants of all ages and conditions.

Coordination
Concentration
Reading and speaking
Sense of rhythm
Self-confidence
Balance and mobility
Memory
Motor skills
Mobility
Body image
Social skills
Bilateral integration
Multitasking
Timing and sequencing
Self-esteem
Wellbeing
Train in the RGM View research
Watch RGM

RGM on video

Watch the method in practice, hear from Ronnie Gardiner himself, and see the science explained by leading researchers.

RGM in 1 Minute
A quick introduction to the Ronnie Gardiner Method — the movements, the music and the method explained in one minute.
Rhythm is Life
Ronnie Gardiner demonstrates how the coordination of a drummer became the foundation of the method.
Stroke Rehabilitation
Stroke patients share their experience of recovery with the Ronnie Gardiner Method.
Petra Pohl — The Research
Researcher Petra Pohl presents RGM as an innovative music-based intervention in neurological rehabilitation.
RGM and Stroke Recovery
How RGM supports recovery and quality of life for stroke survivors.
RGM in Ireland
RGM practitioner Mary Gleeson demonstrates the method with Jennifer Rice.
Executive Function and Attention
Jill Stowell explains RGM for building social connection, executive function and attention in younger adults.