247CM fotografering | Kristine Thomason
247CM fotografering | 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 ikke blir lettere.
Hvis Tracy Anderson-metoden (aka TAM) høres kjent ut, det er sannsynligvis fordi videoer av studioet – med sine livlige, motstandsfulle tak og kjendisklientellet (Jennifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow og Tracee Ellis Ross er alle lojale) — kan ha dukket opp på den sosiale feeden din.
Treningsmetoden, som nå har studioer i New York, Los Angeles, Madrid, London og Hamptons, ble skapt av Anderson for over 25 år siden, og ble raskt populær på begynnelsen av 2000-tallet etter at Anderson slo seg sammen med Gwyneth Paltrow.
I kjernen handler treningsmodaliteten om å skape balanse i hele kroppen, som inkluderer ditt mentale, emosjonelle, fysiske og åndelige selv, sier 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.
Selv om TAM har eksistert en stund, har det blitt litt ekstra hype i det siste, med en ny generasjon som oppdaget metoden (takk, sosiale medier). Så vi måtte naturligvis sjekke det ut selv.
Hvordan er Tracy Anderson-metoden?
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 mye ) av treningstimer, så jeg føler meg ganske trygg – men jeg innser raskt at dette er en veldig unik treningsøkt.
Jeg finner et sted midt på gulvet, utstyrt med matten min, et håndkle, små håndvekter, ankelvekter , og . . . en stor metallstang med en krok i enden. Det tar meg pinlig lang tid å innse at nevnte stang er der for å hjelpe meg med å trekke motstandsbåndene ned fra der de er strukket over taket, for å bruke dem (vennligst lær av forvirringen min).
247CM fotografering | 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.'
Til å begynne med føler jeg meg klønete med å manøvrere bandene - og riktignok litt som om jeg er en marionett i NSYNC 'Bye Bye Bye' musikkvideo (IYKYK). Men snart innser jeg at for å føle meg i kontroll, må jeg virkelig fokusere på å engasjere kjernen min og stabiliserer bagasjerommet mitt . Og ifølge Elias er det hele poenget.
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, dryppende ) 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 treningsklær .
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.
Deretter tar vi på vår ankelvekter 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.
Når det er sagt, er det viktig å merke seg at uansett hvor lenge du har tatt TAM-kurs, vil du ikke være i stand til å gå gjennom rutinen uten problemer. Programmeringen endres på ukentlig basis, så sinnet og kroppen blir både konstant stimulert og utfordret, sier Elias. Tracy liker å bruke så mange muskler som mulig, til enhver tid, hver dag - og det gjelder også hjernen vår.
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.
Virker Tracy Anderson-metoden virkelig?
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.
«Husk at det var første gang for alle en gang,» sier Elias. Så jeg anbefaler å hoppe inn med åpenhet, nysgjerrighet og omfavne det faktum at innholdet er i konstant endring.
Kristine Thomason er en livsstilskribent og redaktør basert i Sør-California. Tidligere var hun helse- og treningsdirektør i Mindbodygreen og fitness- og velværeredaktør i Women's Health. Kristines arbeid har også dukket opp i blant annet 247CM, Travel Leisure, Men's Health, Health og Refinery29.
