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 bliver lettere.
Hvis Tracy Andersons metode (aka TAM) lyder bekendt, det er sandsynligvis fordi videoer fra studiet - med dets livlige, modstands-båndforede lofter og celeb-kundekredse (Jennifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow og Tracee Ellis Ross er alle loyalister) — kan være dukket op på dit sociale feed.
Fitnessmetoden, som nu har studier i New York, Los Angeles, Madrid, London og Hamptons, blev skabt af Anderson for over 25 år siden, og blev hurtigt populær i begyndelsen af 2000'erne, efter Anderson slog sig sammen med Gwyneth Paltrow.
I sin kerne handler fitness-modaliteten om at 'skabe balance i hele kroppen, som inkluderer dit mentale, følelsesmæssige, fysiske og spirituelle selv', siger 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.
Selvom TAM har eksisteret i et stykke tid, har det fået noget ekstra hype på det seneste, hvor en ny generation har opdaget metoden (tak, sociale medier). Så vi måtte naturligvis selv tjekke det ud.
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 meget ) af fitnesstimer, så jeg føler mig ret sikker - dog indser jeg hurtigt, at dette er en meget unik form for træning.
Jeg finder et sted midt på gulvet, udstyret med min måtte, et håndklæde, små håndvægte, ankelvægte , og . . . en stor metalstang med en krog for enden. Det tager mig pinligt lang tid at indse, at den nævnte stang er der for at hjælpe mig med at trække modstandsbåndene ned, hvorfra de er strakt hen over loftet, for at bruge dem (læs venligst af min forvirring).
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 at begynde med føler jeg mig klodset med at manøvrere bands - og indrømmet, lidt som om jeg er en marionette i NSYNC 'Bye Bye Bye' musikvideoen (IYKYK). Men snart indser jeg, at for at føle mig i kontrol, skal jeg virkelig fokusere på at engagere min kerne og stabiliserer min kuffert . Og ifølge Elias er det hele pointen.
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 træningstøj .
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.
Dernæst tager vi vores ankelvægte 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 vigtigt at bemærke, at uanset hvor længe du har taget TAM-klasser, vil du ikke være i stand til ubesværet at bevæge dig gennem rutinen. Programmeringen ændrer sig på ugebasis, så sind og krop både konstant stimuleres og udfordres, fortæller Elias. 'Tracy kan lide at bruge så mange muskler som muligt, til enhver tid, hver dag - og det gælder også for vores hjerne.'
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, det var alles første gang en gang, siger Elias. 'Så jeg anbefaler, at du hopper til med åbenhed, nysgerrighed og omfavner det faktum, at indholdet hele tiden ændrer sig.'
Kristine Thomason er en livsstilskribent og redaktør baseret i det sydlige Californien. Tidligere var hun sundheds- og fitnessdirektør hos Mindbodygreen og fitness- og wellnessredaktør hos Women's Health. Kristines arbejde har også optrådt i blandt andet 247CM, Travel Leisure, Men's Health, Health og Refinery29.
