Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Essentrics® Aging Backwards?
  Essentrics® Aging Backwards is an age reversing full body workout. It restores movement in your joints, flexibility in your muscles, relieves pain, stimulates your cells to increase energy, and boosts your immune system.
  

• Who created Essentrics® Aging Backwards?
  Miranda Esmonde-White, the New York Times best-selling author of Aging Backwards and Forever Painless and the host of the award-winning special Aging Backwards and long-running PBS TV series Classical Stretch.
  

• Who can benefit from Essentrics®? The workouts are for men and women of any fitness level. The routines are perfect to supplement a rigorous workout schedule and ideal for a beginner who’s just getting started as well.
  

• I am a runner / athlete. Will this technique improve my athletic performance?
  The Essentrics® technique is the perfect compliment to any type of physical activity. Essentrics® has been the workout of choice for professional athletes over the last 20 years. Including the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens and popular among numerous professional athletes and Olympians. It has become a staple fitness program within many sports industries, including running, hockey, football, golf, basketball, skiing, figure skating, swimming, diving, squash, and more! The technique is often used in conjunction with an athlete’s pre-existing training program to help strengthen, stretch and rebalance the full muscular structure, as well as increase flexibility and range of motion. Essentrics® prepares the muscles and tendons to both withstand the maximum demands of one’s sport and to rebound injury-free from unexpected twists, turns and stresses.
  

• I’m recovering from an injury / surgery… Can I still do this workout?
  If you’re suffering from an injury, are in rehabilitation due to surgery, or suffer from chronic pain or an illness—it’s important to check with your physician before starting any new exercise regimen. We have many clients who suffer from a variety of health issues who do our technique on a daily basis and who have been helped by practicing the Essentrics technique for 23-30 minutes each day. To heal an injury, it is necessary to increase the flow of blood into the injured area in order to deliver the healing properties of blood while removing the poison. Stretching is one of the fastest and most effective methods of delivering blood to specific regions, which is why it is so effective in injury healing. Healing also requires rebalancing and protection of the injured area. This technique strengthens the muscles around an injury such that these muscles can then take up the slack of the ones around the injured muscle, giving relief and time for the injured area to heal.
  

• I’ve never exercised a day in my life…Can I still do this workout?
  If you’ve been sedentary for some time and wish to incorporate some form of exercise into your daily routine, you’re in the right place! The Essentrics® Aging Backwards technique is gentle and safe. It’s best to start this workout slow and gentle “loose like a ragdoll,” as this will allow you to gradually condition your body at your own pace. As you begin to increase the strength in your muscles and increase flexibility, you will be able to stretch and tone more deeply.
  

• Is Essentrics® similar to Yoga?
  No, Essentrics® is very different from Yoga. The Essentrics® technique uses “eccentric” muscle contractions to simultaneously strengthen and stretch every muscle in the body. An Essentrics® workout consists of dynamic movement—which means that you’ll never stop moving during the workout. Although we don’t focus on meditation or spirituality, Essentrics® is still a complementary workout to Yoga, as it helps to rebalance the full body, increase flexibility and mobility.
  

• Is Essentrics® similar to Tai Chi?
  Not really. Essentrics® is mildly influenced by the flowing movements of tai chi, in which both techniques use smooth, simultaneous “unbroken” movements to rebalance the musculature of the body, improve balance and increase flexibility. Tai chi also incorporates meditation, martial arts, and self-defense.
  

• Is Essentrics® similar to Ballet?
  Not really. Ballet is a form of performance dance—Essentrics® is not. The founder of the Essentrics® technique, Miranda Esmonde-White, was a professional ballerina in her past and used the strengthening theories behind ballet to develop the program over 15 years ago. The goal was to create a therapeutic and healing program that would produce long, lean muscles and a dancer’s body.
  

• Can I hurt myself doing Essentrics® exercises?
  Very unlikely. Essentrics® is a gentle, safe, low impact workout that is respectful to the body; no weights or equipment are used. It is recommended for men and women of all ages and fitness levels who are looking to strengthen and stretch their entire body. With that said—if you are suffering from chronic pain, an injury or illness—it’s important to check with your physician before starting any new exercise regimen. We have many clients who suffer from a variety of health issues who do the Essentrics® technique. With any type of exercise, it is vital to listen to your own body and move at your own capacity. If you’re new to the technique, have been sedentary for a while or suffer from any health issues—we do recommend you do our workout “loose like a ragdoll” until you begin to build strength in your muscles. If a movement ever feels painful or uncomfortable, it’s best to stop that particular movement. It may be that you are pushing yourself too deep in that exercise. Try again another time more “loosely and gently” to see if this helps. Depending on your health issue (speak to Charo before class starts), there will be certain exercises that Charo will give a variation during the workout until you begin to heal any existing pain or injury.
  

• I’m already in great shape, what will this workout do for me?
  If you have muscles and tendons, you will benefit from the Essentrics® technique! Essentrics® works the entire body—all 650 muscles in one workout: toning and slenderizing, improving posture, increasing flexibility, mobility and range of motion, rebalancing the body, relieving any pain and reducing any existing scar tissue in joints and muscles—all the while promoting a healthy cardiovascular system. Incorporating Essentrics® into your daily routine will allow you to continue to do the physical activities that you love to do. No matter your age, for the rest of your life. Reason being that this type of full-body movement will prevent muscle atrophy and cell death, and help slow down and reverse the aging process. It is a great complimentary or stand alone workout, that helps to improve overall performance in other activities or sports.