What if I told you that an Essentrics Plié sequence could increase your energy at the same time it promotes your brain health? Interested? Intrigued? Then please read on and I’ll explain. First, though, we’ll back up to the microscopic level and have a little biology refresher. Our Cells
Mitochondria - no, it’s not an infectious virus! - are one of these organelles. So what do mitochondria do? I’m glad you asked. Mitochondria are often called the powerhouses or power plants of the cells. They convert fuel, the carbs and fat from the food we eat, into energy for the cells. Every cell in your body contains mitochondria, but the exact number varies by cell type. (2) Your muscle cells contain 95% of the mitochondria in your body. It makes sense when you consider that the role of your muscles is to move your body. Our muscles were created to be strong and our bodies want to move. The only difference between a strong person and a weaker person is what they demand of their muscles. (3) Exercise: The Fountain of YouthWhen we exercise, it not only activates the existing mitochondria in our muscle cells, it also creates new mitochondria. This is called mitochondrial biogenesis. Research has shown that “the greater mitochondrial density in a cell, the greater its vitality.” (4) Vitality - aka youthfulness, or the fountain of youth - isn’t that what most people are craving? Having youthful muscles means lots of mitochondria and a mixture of slow-twitch and fast twitch muscle fibres. (5)
Energy Source & Brain Health: More Mitochondria
So, let’s talk about Essentrics Pliés and how they can help you with your energy levels as well as boost brain activity. Think about your waist-to-knee region: it holds the largest muscles in your body. Your gluteus maximus (aka, your butt) is the largest muscle. The sartorius is the longest muscle - it starts on the outside of the hip, runs across your thigh and wraps around the inside of your knee (aka, the ‘turnout’ muscle). Your hip flexors and extensors are considered “prime movers” because the have the greatest influence on locomotion/ambulation. Essentrics Pliés works the agonist/antagonist muscle groups around the hips. And they give you tons of energy. They feel tough but they work - they will increase energy, strengthen knees and hips, reduce hip and knee pain, increase speed in movement, unlock tight hips, train correct knee alignment, tone the butt/hamstrings/quads, and increase flexibility in the hips. Not to mention create mitochondria in those precious brain cells. Watch this video to learn more about mitochondria and how to do Essentrics Pliés correctly. Here are some guidelines for maximum benefit:
Now, go enjoy yourself during this incredibly busy time of year. And don't forget, if you need a quick boost of energy or you've forgotten where you put your car keys - do a quick Essentrics Plié sequence and all will be good. Happy holidays and Happy New Year! References1.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zafJKbMPA8 - Parts of the Cell Rap
2. http://www.britannica.com/science/mitochondrion 3. Miranda Esmonde-White (2014). Aging Backwards: 10 Years Younger and 10 Years Lighter in 30 Minutes a Day. Random House Canada 4. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/28/how-exercise-can-strengthen-the-brain/?smid=fb-nytimes&WT.mc_id=TE-SM-E-FB-SM-LIN-LBA-092611-NYT-NA&WT.mc_ev=click&_r=4 5. http://www.prevention.com/health/health-concerns/are-aging-muscles-why-youre-tired-all-time-and-gaining-weight?cid=soc_Prevention+Magazine+-+preventionmagazine_FBPAGE_Prevention__ 6. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/stronger-legs-linked-to-better-brain-power-study/article27633067/ 7. https://youtu.be/yWGnjokZDsQ : Essentrics with Amanda on Rogers TV’s Daytime Ottawa, Dec 9, 2015 - Essentrics Pliés for Energy
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In Essentrics, we sculpt the muscles and stress the bones but also condition the joints. One distinctive feature about Essentrics is the large, continuous, circular movements throughout the routine. They have roots in tai chi, ballet, and physiotherapy. We feel natural, pleasant, and incredibly good doing them because they work our joints the way the joints should work. Our bones are connected through movable and immovable joints. The joints in our skull, for example, are rigid and immovable. In Essentrics, we are concerned with movable, synovial joints. These joints are filled with fluid to reduce friction, much like oiled engine parts, and defined for specific motions. A typical example is the ball-and-socket joint. It is the most important and powerful type of joint because of its range of motion. Try making a fist with one hand and cup it with the other. The fisted hand can rotate with a great degree of mobility. Our arms and legs connect to the skeleton through ball-and-socket joints, and therefore enjoy a greater range of motion. The top end of the arm bone or humerus, for example, is a ball shape that inserts into the cavity in the scapula, or shoulder blade. We can swing our arms and legs in circles. If we don’t use these ball-and-socket joints to their full capability, if we don’t rotate them sufficiently, deposits will build up and the joints will become rigid. The muscles around the joints work together to make those large, circular motions and will also become stiff from fascia build up. Fascia is the film-like connective tissue that can harden from lack of movement. Joints and mobility are a classic case of “use it or lose it. This explains why those circular movements in Essentrics feel so natural and pleasant. We are moving those joints and the surrounding muscles the way they can and should move. In one of our popular trademark movements “Caribbean Spine,” we rotate the arms and the entire shoulder joint. When we lift our elbows to shoulder height and pull forward we are also stretching and lengthening the upper back muscles such as the trapezius and the rhomboids. When we open and rotate the shoulder backwards we work the pectorals. The motion therefore not only conditions the joints but also improves our posture by increasing flexibility in the upper back and chest. This is the beauty of Essentrics’ economy and efficiency.
When we do the “Clock Kicks” with our legs, we keep the body steady, then isolate, kick and travel one leg around from front to back and vice versa. This is also a simple, powerful, and effective move. Many people find this circular motion challenging because they can’t isolate and lift their legs at all angles. While most have no trouble lifting the leg forward and up, for example, doing so on the side and to the back can cause many to wobble and lose balance. The motion reveals the weakest muscles in the hip and leg areas as well as rebalances them. When we unclog this ball-and-socket joint connecting the legs, we are also improving mobility and enhancing our balance. This is why static stretches and holding poses do relatively little to condition our joints, which need movement. Traditional weight lifting, involving rigid, mechanical motion, stresses bones but doesn’t work the ball-and-socket joints to their full range. Pushups and tricep dips can build and tone muscles quickly but can overload the wrists. Similarly, holding poses such as the downward dog position in yoga can stretch the latissimus dorsi in the lower back as well as the hamstrings in the legs, but can put too much pressure on the compressed wrists. Then there is the question of impact. Certain sports such as tennis and volleyball involve full rotation of the one arm, but not both. Yet the movements also involve hitting a target which impacts the joint.
It’s tIme for another Essentrics with Amanda “Back to Basics” post. This month, let’s talk about working the quad/psoas muscle grouping correctly. Let’s start with the quads. The quadriceps femoris is in fact a group of 4 muscles that are responsible for extending the knee and leg: rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis. Of these, the rectus femoris also flexes the hip joint.
What is commonly called the psoas is actually the iliopsoas. It is comprised of two muscles - the iliacus and the psoas major - that flex the hip joint and the lumbar vertebrae, aka, the lower back.
Weak quad muscles can result in knee pain, while a weak iliopsoas plays a role in low back pain. (1) Check out these descriptions from The Anatomy Coloring Book: “the tendons of iliacus and psoas major converge to a single insertion (iliopsoas). Iliopsoas, a strong flexor of the hip joint, is a powerful flexor of the lumbar vertebrae; a weak psoas may contribute to low back pain.” (p. 42) “Rectus femoris is a strong hip joint flexor, and is the only member of quadriceps to cross that joint. Quadriceps femoris is the only knee extensor. The significance of its role becomes crystal clear to those having experienced a knee injury; the muscles tend to atrophy and weaken rapidly with disuse, and “quad” exercises are essential to maintain structural stability of the joint.” (p. 56) The quad and psoas are important muscles to walking and running, which is why it is vital to maintain their flexibility and strength. While you may not be a runner, you are most certainly in need of these muscles for walking. (2) Many participants have difficulty with the Essentrics standing quad/psoas sequence. I will often hear someone chime in, “I don’t feel anything,” or, “I’m not feeling it there, I’m feeling it in my calf.” When they demonstrate the movement for me after class, I see the problem immediately - incorrect alignment. Body awareness and alignment are fundamental principles of Essentrics that are inextricably linked: “A major part of injury prevention is awareness, the link between the mind and the body. Awareness in ESSENTRICS is the conscious and deliberate alignment of all joints: knees, hips, and spine. Awareness is being sensitive to when a movement feels wrong, feels awkward or is putting an unhealthy strain on muscles. The more aware you are, the better any movement is performed, and the better the results will be.” (3) Take a moment to watch this video about the quad/psoas sequence. Then replay the video while you try it yourself. Try to position yourself in front of a mirror and watch for “popping up” in your body. Do you feel the difference? If not, watch the video again. Trust me - once you feel the difference in your body, you will have an easier time with alignment during class.
Let's make sure you avoid back and knee pain and potential injuries by stretching the proper muscles - i.e., the quad and psoas muscle groups. You'll thank me later. References:
“Like most young girls I did dancing (tap and jazz) at an early age. I completed the exams as far as I could. In New Zealand at that time, there was not much you could do with dancing, so I decided to become an aerobics instructor. I became a certified aerobics instructor at the age of 19. Although it was not dancing, it gave me the chance to be creative with warm up routines. I ended up teaching at Club Physical Gym, where I still am today. As an aerobics instructor, I learnt anything new that came about. I taught Step, Circuit classes, Tai Bo (kickboxing), did full-on Boxing as well (fully trained), New Body (movement with small hand weights), Flex or Pump (weight class with barbells), Sculpt (toning with hand weights), Slide (like step but using a slippery surface where you slide from side to side), Spin (on bikes), Pilates – pretty much everything that was available, I learnt it. I taught at the Gym part time and taught all types of classes, right up till my first child, at the age of 39. I had a bit of a break to look after my baby and started to get back into teaching about 6 months after giving birth. I noticed that I was getting more injuries from weight-bearing classes. Even though my form was good, my body was telling me that it didn’t like it. I didn’t listen to my body and continued with most of these classes. I did start to cut down on more high impact classes, but stuck with the weight-bearing ones, until my second child, at the age of 42.
After teaching Essentrics for 3 months, people would come up to me and say ‘you have lost so much weight’. I was shocked as I still weighed the same, BUT what had changed was the shape of my body. Yes, I was still the typical pear-shaped Kiwi, but I was standing taller and gave the illusion of lost weight. Plus, the type of eccentric training means the muscles are elongated, again making you appear thinner. I continued to teach Essentrics, along with a few barbell classes, when in 2013, I started to have major issues with my knee. I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis - from many years of doing weight-bearing exercises. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease, so it’s from ‘wear and tear’. I was told from the specialist to stop all weight-bearing classes and that I would be certainly looking at a knee replacement within the next few years. This led me to give up all classes apart from Essentrics. I was and still am determined NOT to have a knee replacement. The more I taught Essentrics, the more levels I did, the more exams I passed, the more I wanted to learn. In all my years of instructing, and previous examinations, I have learnt more about the anatomy through Essentrics. To this day, 4 years later, I still find myself learning more about the muscles in movement. I have learnt the more you move, the less pain your body is in. I have learnt that even when my knee is painful with the osteoarthritis, if I don’t keep moving and using it, it gets worse. So many people, as soon as they have a diagnosis, give up, they stop moving, when this is the worst thing they could do. I understand that my knee is likely to get worse, but I believe that through Essentrics I can avoid this operation.
Did you know that April is foot health awareness month? So let’s talk about your feet. It’s been a long winter. Your feet have been locked in stiff winter boots, skates, ski boots, etc., for long enough. But before you slip into sandals or flip flops, you’ll need to unlock stiff joints, and stretch and strengthen the hundreds of muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your feet and ankles. The feet and ankles also contain one-quarter of the bones in the human body, dozens of joints, and a network of blood vessels, nerves, skin, and soft tissue. “These components work together to provide the body with support, balance, and mobility…The human foot combines mechanical complexity and structural strength. The ankle serves as foundation, shock absorber and propulsion engine.” (1) Try this simple exercise: take off your shoes and walk around with “stiff” ankles - i.e., lock your ankles so they can’t flex your feet as you take each step. How does it make the rest of your body feel? Can you walk quickly? When your ankles lose mobility, as is wont to occur when your feet are constantly encased in footwear, it slows down your walking speed. As you slow down to account for ankle stiffness, it changes the alignment of your weight-bearing joints and impacts your posture. All of a sudden, muscles aren’t being used the way they should be - i.e., for the job they were designed to do. This shift in muscular roles can lead to pain and injury in other parts of the body. When your feet and ankles lack stability and balance, the muscles, tendons, and ligaments lack strength or flexibility, or both. Tendons and ligaments are connective tissue; tendons connect the muscles to bones, while ligaments connect bones to other bones. Connective tissue has less “give” - i.e., potential flexibility - than muscles. If you over-stretch tendons and ligaments, you risk injury and a lengthy healing process. “Once a muscle has reached its absolute maximum length, attempting to stretch the muscle further only serves to stretch the ligaments and put undue stress on the tendons…ligaments will tear when stretched more than 6% of their normal length. Tendons are not even supposed to be able to lengthen. Even when stretched ligaments and tendons do not tear, loose joints and/or a decrease in the joint’s stability can occur (thus vastly increasing your risk of injury).” (2) Earlier this year, my son injured his foot playing basketball. What we originally thought was a broken bone was actually a partial lateral ligament tear. Good news and bad news: the good news was that it wasn’t a complete ligament tear, while the bad news was a slow recovery time and an increased risk of re-injury for the next 1 to 2 years. Six weeks that included crutches, two types of foot braces, multiple appointments, and daily rehab exercises got him to a 90% return of strength and mobility in his foot. And he’s 13 years old. The older you are, the longer the recovery time after an injury.
Exercises for Your Feet and AnklesAt least once a day, you should lose the shoes and love your feet. Your entire body will thank you for it. And you’ll thank me later.
References: 1. http://www.healthcommunities.com/foot-anatomy/foot-anatomy-overview.shtml 2. http://web.mit.edu/tkd/stretch/stretching_3.html Essentrics is a techniques-based fitness program and, as such, it’s important to understand and master the basics. Proper form during the exercises ensures you’re working the right muscles, and not overworking one area of your body at the expense of another area. For example, exercises executed with a bent arm target different muscles than exercises executed with a straight arm. If you keep your arm bent when it should be straight during a sequence, you’re missing out on the full-body rebalancing benefits that make Essentrics such an effective and feel-good workout. Same goes for spinal positioning during the Essentrics Trademark sequences. Understanding and correctly executing neutral C, neutral elongation, and the continuous shift between these two basic positions will relieve back pain as well as improve your posture. Neutral C is just that: trying to form your torso into the letter C. Many Essentrics participants have difficulty with neutral C - either as a result of a stiff lower back or lack of body awareness in transitioning through the positions. Try this at home: Start by bending your knees, tuck your bum under, round your shoulders and push your lower spine - also known as your lumbar spine - backwards. You should look like you’re hugging a large beachball. Your shoulders should line up with your hips. If you’re too far forward with your shoulders, you’ll risk lower back pain, as the load of your body is pushing into your lumbar spine. Click here to see Essentrics creator Miranda Esmonde-White explain Neutral C ("February Newsletter"). As you’ll see, Miranda stands beside a pipe to demonstrate correct hip and shoulder alignment. To check your alignment in neutral C, stand beside any vertical point and ask someone to take your picture. Mastery of neutral C will enhance your Essentrics practice and allow you to achieve the desired results. For more information on spinal anatomy, visit this website. What do your bed-ridden Aunt Gladys and astronauts on the International Space Station have in common? It's not a trick question - the answer is “no gravity”. Being horizontal for extended periods of time impacts bodily functions, so much so that NASA paid test subjects $18,000 to lie in bed for 70 days while being poked, prodded, and monitored. And then they asked them to try standing up for 15 minutes. It sounds easy enough; but it wasn’t. Here’s how test subject Andrew Iwanicki described the experience: “As soon as the bed was tilted to the vertical position, my legs felt heavier than ever before. My heart started to beat at 150 BPMs. My skin became itchy; I was covered in sweat. Blood rushed into my legs, expanding the veins that had become increasingly elastic throughout the past several months of bed rest. I felt like I was going to faint. I was fighting to remain standing from the start, and it only became more difficult. Around the eight-minute mark, my pulse dropped from 150 down to 70. My body was about to collapse. As my vision started to go black, the staff saw my numbers drop on the machines and promptly returned the bed to the horizontal position. It was only later that they told me that none of the NASA bed-rest subjects have lasted the full 15 minutes.” (1)
Your body doesn’t like to be sedentary for so long, the organs and systems start to decay - this can include a decrease in blood volume, a reduction in bone density, loss of muscle strength, disappearance of fine and gross motor skills, and vanishing balance and mobility. Your heart has to pump harder to move your blood throughout your body, bed sores can develop on the skin, and your emotional well-being also takes a hit. (2) The NASA study was an effort to determine the physiological impact of extended space travel to Mars, but, as with many NASA initiatives, the results have real-world implications on Earth right now. How can an older adult with physical limitations and mobility issues maintain independence when their body is fighting the effects of no gravity from extended bed time? Once your Aunt Gladys finally does return to the vertical position, can she balance on one leg? Japanese researchers have found that postural instability - as measured by the ability to stand on one leg for 20 seconds - may indicate stroke risk. (3) Mobility in older adults is critical for maintaining independence and keeping costly, long-term care and health services to a minimum. A 6-month delay in admittance to a nursing home can reduce health care costs by millions, say researchers in the United States. (4) These same researchers are working to identify older adults at risk of disability and create customized exercise programs to prevent an inevitable downward slide. Balance and mobility are key to independence, and for seniors with a disability, “the most common hurdle is serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.” So, how do we keep older adults active and independent? Core strength and leg speed: “a strong core and the ability to walk quickly can mean the difference between an elder being able to walk across the street before a traffic light changes, and being homebound, relying on someone else to run errands.” (4) The Essentrics Alphabet sequence is a great full-body exercise that will improve core strength, balance, and leg speed. And it’s easy to try it at home on your own: use your entire leg to trace the letters of the alphabet, trying to stay balanced on your standing leg as long as possible. Here’s the link: http://youtu.be/dPEvL0hfbmo. Mini workouts are a great way to introduce exercise to a previously sedentary individual. And some doctors agree that advice on exercise guidelines may be unrealistic for older, immobile adults. (5) Researchers in the UK argue that “doctors should sometimes advise small increases in activity…with greater emphasis on making inactive people move more.” Remember Andrew Iwanicki from the NASA study? Here’s his description of his first walk: “With a staff member on each side…I sat up on the stretcher and stepped down onto the ground. My feet tingled like they were sluggish and short as I dragged my feet across the ground and kicked my ankles. I lacked all the fine coordination skills that I hadn’t used for months. I felt sharp pains in my ankles and feet as I pivoted through the obstacle course, and I certainly couldn’t walk a straight line well.” It didn’t last, though: “Within a few days of casual strolling and formal reconditioning exercise, my balance returned and my endurance began to recover.” Bottom line, go see your Aunt Gladys and stand beside her while you help her out of her bed. Let gravity work on her body, and slowly increase her movement and activity every day. It’s not too late, and she’ll thank you for it. References: 1. http://www.vice.com/read/nasa-patient-8179-200?utm_source=vicefbus 2. http://www.ehow.com/info_8096268_effects-immobility-body-systems.html 3. http://m.medicalxpress.com/news/2014-12-ability-leg-brain-health.html 4. http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/01/24/researchers-redouble-efforts-understand-and-improve-elders-mobility-problems/HoU5skivE2wvsGvT1H38ZO/story.html?event=event25 5. http://www.bbc.com/news/health-30915437 Are you the ham in an intergenerational sandwich? Stress amongst the sandwich generation is mounting, and mental health experts are ringing the alarm bells. “When you’re caring for a loved one, it’s easy to forget about your own needs, putting you at serious risk of burnout.”(1) You’re trying to be all things to all people, and your physical and emotional well-being can get pushed to the back of the line. But, let’s face it: you’re no good to anyone if you’re constantly getting sick, taking too long to recover, stressed and anxious, not getting enough sleep. And if you’re physically unfit, it’s a safety issue for both you and your elderly parent: if you’re not strong enough to help your limited-mobility mother get in and out of the car safely/climb up and down the stairs/etc, you’re both at risk for injury. Not only will regular exercise keep your body well, it is also a great way to relieve stress: “Force yourself to get moving. Exercise is the best stress reliever. Not only will you feel better right away, the surge of endorphins that exercise triggers lifts your mood, clears your head and helps you sleep better at night.”(2)
Exercise is one form of self-care to help you manage sandwich generation stress. Other techniques include:
References: 1 & 2: http://www.aarp.org/relationships/caregiving-resource-center/info-12-2011/caregiver-burnout.html 3. http://blog.ca.care.com/2014/07/28/8-ways-manage-sandwich-generation-stress/ 4. http://breakingmuscle.com/sports-psychology/prioritizing-your-fitness-isnt-selfish-its-necessary Image source: pixabay.com Last fall, I was fortunate enough to meet Angela Sutcliffe when she registered for the fall session of Essentrics classes. After one month of classes, she posted the following status update on Facebook: "Today I stubbed my toe ... and it hurt, oh how it hurt ... and after I finished hopping around the house screaming words they didn't teach me at the convent I paused and realized OMG, IT HURT. What you don't know about me (although you may now) is that I can be the Queen of Denial, so for the past three years or so I hadn't wanted to admit to myself or anyone else (especially NOT a medical professional) was that I couldn't actually feel my feet ... they were sort of numb-ish with a bit of tingling. Oh my GP had sent me for all the typical tests ... for diabetes etc. and they had always come out negative ... but still I had a nagging little question about why don't my feet feel right ... why do they feel like they're in a very tight plastic bag? So today, when I felt pain in my foot, it confirmed what I had thought was happening, that feeling was coming back to my feet ...I noticed they were no longer freezing but they were actually warm to the touch. And when I went to my Essentrics with Amanda - Ottawa class and we were doing our stretching I finally understood... the problem with my feet wasn't "organic" in the sense of diabetes, it was tight beyond belief muscles right down to the tips of my toes, and thanks to stretching, moving, lengthening my muscles, my tendons, my fascia ... everything is coming alive again and, for today anyhow, that pain was my body saying "I'm waking up". The reason I'm telling you this is that for a long time I thought health was about diet alone ... about "when I get to a certain weight" ... if I eat right ... but now I have incontrovertible evidence that health is about eating but it is also about moving because no matter how much - or how little - you weigh, tight muscles will slowly take away your quality of life. Whoohoo. Sometimes pain is a good thing! Feelings ... (I'm on the right track!)" Thanks Angela! I'm so glad you've discovered the power of Essentrics. Enjoy this A to Z list of ESSENTRICS; you just might learn something you never knew.*
A is for Awareness: Awareness in ESSENTRICS is the conscious and deliberate alignment of all joints: ankles, knees, hips, and spine. B is for Balance: ESSENTRICS improves balance for young and old; an important consideration, since your balance reflexes start to go as young as the age of 26. C is for Cardiovascular System: The constant stretching and strengthening (pumping) dynamics of ESSENTRICS stimulates blood flow throughout the body, thus contributing to cardiovascular health. D is for Dynamic: ESSENTRICS is the ultimate dynamic stretching program, by rebalancing your muscular structure in continuous rotational movements. E is for Energy: ESSENTRICS increases your energy level. F is for Feet: ESSENTRICS specifically takes off the shoes to rebuild and awaken the weakened feet muscles. G is for Golgi Tendon Reflex: The Golgi tendon reflex relaxes the muscle, while the myotatic reflex contracts the muscle. The various techniques used in ESSENTRICS seek to harmonize muscle movement with reflex intelligence. H is for Happy: At the end of an ESSENTRICS workout, participants often say they feel relaxed and contented - i.e., happy! - even though they have just finished a rigorous workout. I is for Intensity: You can change the intensity of an ESSENTRICS workout, so anyone can do it. J is for Joints: ESSENTRICS improves joint mobility by increasing the range of motion of every joint. K is for Keep Moving: ESSENTRICS is a full-body nonstop workout; the muscles don’t have a chance to cool down because we keep them moving the entire time. L is for Love: You will love how you feel in your body with ESSENTRICS. M is for Muscle Chains: The movements in ESSENTRICS are designed to deliberately follow the natural chains of the muscles. N is for Nervous System: ESSENTRICS training is smooth and slow as it makes conscious, deliberate use of the nervous system to rapidly develop enduring strong and lean muscles. O is for Opposing Muscles: ESSENTRICS works opposing muscle groups, leaving your body rebalanced and stronger everywhere. P is for Posture: Strength and flexibility are essential to achieving posture improvement. Q is for Quads: ESSENTRICS will slenderize your quads and thighs. R is for Rebalance: ESSENTRICS completely rebalances all muscles and joints. S is for Strength: The goal of an ESSENTRICS Workout is maximum strength and flexibility for every muscle in your body. T is for Target: ESSENTRICS will target and firm every muscle in your body. U is for Unlock: ESSENTRICS will unlock what is tight. V is for Victory: ESSENTRICS enhances athletic performance to improve speed and agility, which translates into victory in your chosen sport. W is for Weak: ESSENTRICS will strengthen what is weak. X is for eXercise: ESSENTRICS is such a feel-good workout that you don’t even realize you’ve been exercising your body. Y is for Youthful: ESSENTRICS is an age-defying workout that creates a youthful-feeling body. Z is for ZZZZ: Regular physical activity - like ESSENTRICS - helps you get a good night’s sleep. *Thanks to Jeanne Wright, Certified Essentrics Instructor in Auckland, New Zealand, for her input on this post. |
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AuthorAmanda Sterczyk is an international author, Certified Personal Trainer (ACSM), an Exercise is Medicine Canada (EIMC) Fitness Professional, and a Certified Essentrics® Instructor. |