247CM Fotografia | Kristine Thomason
247CM Fotografia | Kristine Thomason
'I don't think I've ever sweat this much in my life,' I think as I watch beads of perspiration rain down on the wood floor in front of my mat. I'm in the middle of the second Tracy Anderson Method class I've taken in a week, and let me tell you, it is no cada cop més fàcil.
Si el Mètode Tracy Anderson (també conegut com TAM) sona familiar, és probable que els vídeos de l'estudi, amb els seus sostres vibrants i resistents amb bandes i una clientela de celebritats (Jennifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow i Tracee Ellis Ross tots són lleialistes) — és possible que hagi aparegut al vostre canal social.
El mètode de fitness, que ara té estudis a Nova York, Los Angeles, Madrid, Londres i els Hamptons, va ser creat per Anderson fa més de 25 anys i es va popularitzar ràpidament a principis dels anys 2000 després que Anderson es va unir amb Gwyneth Paltrow.
En el seu nucli, la modalitat de fitness es tracta de crear equilibri a tot el cos, que inclou el vostre jo mental, emocional, físic i espiritual, diu. Olivia Elias , instructor and training manager at Tracy Anderson Method Studio City. It centers around low-weight, high-rep exercises, and each class is designed to strengthen the whole body. The mission, Elias adds, is to help people continue to feel good while moving their bodies, throughout every stage of life.
Tot i que TAM fa temps que existeix, darrerament s'està fent una mica d'excitació addicional, amb una nova generació descobrint el mètode (gràcies, xarxes socials). Així que, naturalment, vam haver de comprovar-ho nosaltres mateixos.
Com és el mètode Tracy Anderson?
When I walk into my first class at TAM Studio City, it feels like I've somehow teleported from winter in Los Angeles to mid-August in New York City — that is to say, it's wildly hot and humid. And no, the AC wasn't broken. The mugginess is by design. 'Our studio environment is a little bit different than other spaces,' Elias says. 'We have heat and humidity to make the body feel more flexible , more mobile, and encouraged to move.'
I'm here to take the MultiTAsk Band class, and the studio manager explains to me that all I need to do is follow along with the instructor, ideally using the same color/level of resistance bands as her. As a longtime health and fitness writer, I've taken a lot (and I mean molt ) de les classes de fitness, així que em sento bastant segur; tanmateix, ràpidament m'adono que aquest és un tipus d'entrenament molt únic.
Trobo un lloc al mig del terra, equipat amb la meva estora, una tovallola, petits pesos de mà, peses del turmell , i . . . una gran vareta metàl·lica amb un ganxo a l'extrem. Em triga una quantitat de temps vergonyós adonar-me que aquesta vareta està allà per ajudar-me a tirar les bandes de resistència cap avall des d'on estan esteses pel sostre, per utilitzar-les (si us plau, apreneu de la meva confusió).
247CM Fotografia | Kristine Thomason
The instructor cranks the music and, without saying a word , begins moving through a series of movements with the resistance bands pulled to her sides. Everyone in the class follows suit, mimicking her every move. 'We call it tracking the movement,' Elias says. This taps into our natural instincts, she says, because 'as babies we learn by tracking or mimicking.'
Al principi, em sento maldestre maniobrant les bandes, i, és cert, una mica com si fos una marioneta al vídeo musical de NSYNC 'Bye Bye Bye' (IYKYK). Però aviat m'adono que per sentir-me en control, necessito centrar-me realment a implicar el meu nucli i estabilitzant el meu tronc . I, segons Elias, aquesta és la qüestió.
Once I get the hang of the bands, the class is actually a lot of fun. It reminds me a lot of a dance class (which, admittedly, is not my forte), but it definitely forces me to engage my brain just as much as my body. By the end of this class, I am dripping (truly, degotant ) in sweat — so much so that my light-blue activewear set is now an entire shade darker and I realize why most of the women in class are decked out in all-black roba d'entrenament .
So, when I return to the studio to try out their Intermediate Muscular Design class a few days later, I come prepared in an all-black ensemble (seemingly the unofficial uniform of TAM members).
This class skips the bands entirely and instead begins with a dance warmup sequence, which they call the 'arm-opening ceremony' at TAM, Elias says, 'because it introduces the dialogue with your body, so you can check in with how you're feeling that day.' This sequence begins with bodyweight only, and then we add small free weights to the mix for a little extra arm challenge.
A continuació, ens posem el nostre peses del turmell and move down to the mat. This is where, for me, things feel a bit more tricky. Similar to the band class, there are no verbal cues or instruction, and I find it's challenging to keep up with the choreography while maintaining proper form. That's especially true for the moves on all-fours, since I need to crane my neck in order to watch the instructor.
For other TAM beginners like me, Elias recommends first trying the online 30-minute beginner class, which is guided with verbal and visual instructions, similar to a more traditional fitness class. This class serves as an introduction to the types of movements you'll do in class, which can help build a bit of base knowledge and confidence before jumping into the more challenging routines. 'Once that 30-minute zone feels good and manageable for your body, then moving to the intermediate muscular design class online is going to be the best place,' Elias says.
Dit això, és important tenir en compte que no importa quant de temps hagueu pres classes de TAM, no podreu seguir la rutina sense esforç. La programació canvia setmanalment, de manera que la ment i el cos estan constantment estimulats i desafiats, diu Elias. A Tracy li agrada utilitzar tants músculs com sigui possible, en tot moment, cada dia, i això també val per al nostre cervell.
After a challenging lower-body- and core-focused sequence on the mat, the class wraps the way we started: with a lively dance sesh. At this point, I am (yet again) drenched in sweat and thoroughly exhausted — but I also feel really proud of myself for sticking it out through the tough spots and giving it my best effort.
Funciona realment el mètode Tracy Anderson?
I won't sugarcoat it, this workout class did feel a bit intimidating during my first (and second) try, but I genuinely felt supported and welcomed by the instructors and TAM community.
It's also important to keep in mind that even if you feel awkward or silly as you acclimate to the movements, no one else in the class is noticing you, because everyone is just as focused on learning the moves.
Recordeu que va ser la primera vegada de tothom una vegada, diu l'Elias. Així que us recomano entrar amb obertura, curiositat i acceptar el fet que el contingut canvia constantment.
Kristine Thomason és una escriptora i editora d'estil de vida amb seu al sud de Califòrnia. Anteriorment, va ser directora de salut i fitness a Mindbodygreen i editora de fitness i benestar a Women's Health. El treball de Kristine també ha aparegut a 247CM, Travel Leisure, Men's Health, Health i Refinery29, entre d'altres.
