You know I’m all about Wellness and treating your body with love and kindness therefore, my workout routines (like all the ones I’ve posted here) are geared towards just that! When I was first introduced to Essentrics, I was IMMEDIATELY hooked! Not only is this a great workout for anyone, no matter your fitness level, you immediately feel the impact and see the results, all without the use of equipment!
Take it from Lauren Finkelstein, a passionate Level 4 Essentrics instructor and Nutritionist based in Toronto, Canada, who has been growing and sharing her love of Essentrics throughout the city and beyond. Her teaching style immediately makes you feel comfortable, relaxed, and she even incorporates an awesome playlist to her routines! If you’re reading this wondering ‘What the hec is Essentrics?’ well we’re here to give you the 101! Created by Canadian fitness trainer Miranda Esmonde-White, Essentrics is a dynamic stretching and strengthening workout specifically created to target every muscle in our bodies.
I’m so excited to have partnered up with Lauren to further delve into the world of Essentrics, spread the word on this awesome workout routine, and how it can truly benefit you. Read on for our Essentrics 101 session with Lauren Finkelstein.
Essentrics 101 with Lauren Finkelstein
BM: How would you define Essentrics?
LF: Essentrics is a truly intelligent fitness program. It’s a completely original workout that draws on the flowing movements of Tai Chi, promoting health and balance; the strengthening theories behind ballet, creating long, lean, flexible muscles; and the healing principles of physiotherapy, resulting in a pain free body.
BM: What does a typical Essentrics workout involve?
LF: A typical workout is about 45-60 minutes in length and involves a combination of standing and floor work, and occasionally Barre exercises. Each class completes a full-body workout. We focus on smaller muscle groups as well as the major ones. The workout is set to a beautifully curated playlist which helps in the flow of the class, provides motivation to get through movements, and leaves you feeling relaxed and calm at the end.
BM: Who would be the best target audience for Essentrics?
LF: There are several demographics that are targeted by Essentrics and the program can be tailored to each group. My largest client base are women between the ages of 40-75. Since Essentrics does not use any equipment and is mainly a standing workout, it a gentle enough for any fitness level. Essentrics is also great for prenatal women with minor modifications in each class. On a personal note, I’ve been doing Essentrics since I was 17 and it allowed me to move without restrictions, I feel confident trying out most activities without the fear of injury, my muscles feel lean and toned, and I don’t experience common aches and pains like many people I know. It’s also a great program for those working at a desk throughout the whole day. Sitting at a desk for most of your day can lead to poor posture which causes lots of back pain. Regardless, it’s hard for many people to avoid. Essentrics can help relieve the consequences of the typical office environment by improving posture, increasing energy levels and relieving pain.
BM: How can someone incorporate Essentrics into their workout routine?
LF: There are a few options for doing Essentrics. You can stream workouts directly from Essentrics TV, which is something I love to do when I travel! You could purchase some DVD’s (a bit archaic but still a good option!), or you can go to a live class. Teachers are hard to come by in some cities, but it’s best to check the website to see if any teachers are in your area.
Once you’ve made the decision to do Essentrics, I recommend doing it at least 2-3 times a week to see FAST results. It’s a wonderful fitness program that compliments other forms of activities. If you love to run, spin, swim, hike, dance, or play sports, then Essentrics would be the perfect addition to improve your form, speed, agility and, most importantly, protect you from injury. If you’re not really into other fitness routines, Essentrics is perfectly fine on its own. It’s basically been my main workout for the past 10 years and it achieves all of my fitness goals.
BM: What are three Essentrics movements you would recommend to someone new to this program?
LF: In Essentrics, everything is a sequence of flowing movements. The 3 sequences I would introduce to everyone would be as follows:
1) Shoulder Blast – good for posture, core strength, and back strength;
2) Side Lunges – good for rib cage mobility, breathing and core toning (defines the waist);
3) Calf Sequence – rebalances all the muscles in your lower body, helps with back pain relief, walking, and hip mobility.
BM: What are the benefits of Essentrics workouts?
LF: There are too many to name! It rebalances the body, improves posture immediately, strengthens and stretches all 650 muscles, improves mobility, unlocks tight joints, protects body from injury, improves balance, helps with rehabilitation from injury, and improves circulation.
BM: How soon can you see/feel results from Essentrics workouts?
LF: You will feel results immediately. To maintain results, it depends on how often you do Essentrics. If you do Essentrics 3 times a week, you will see the difference. When I work with clients, I see big changes in their bodies after 6-8 sessions.
BM: What led you to becoming an Essentrics instructor?
LF: I was obsessed with Essentrics when I started going to the creator’s classes in Montreal. Essentrics resonated with me because of the music element and the influence of dance. I loved how I felt and I saw how my body transformed. When it came to the point where I was taking classes 5 days a week, I decided to get into the teacher training so that I could begin to train myself. I never intended to be a full-time instructor, but my passion grew as I studied the foundation of the program. I knew I had to share it with others.
BM: What does Essentrics mean to you?
LF: On a literal note, the name Essentrics comes from eccentric contractions. When I think about the Essentrics techniques, I literally think about how we are strengthening muscles in an elongated position. This helps me to visualize what the workout is going to do to one’s body – it leans out muscles, creating flexibility and strength simultaneously.
When I think about the program as a whole, I think about a holistic workout that impacts every movement our body makes. I think about injury prevention and long-term health. I’ll never stop doing this workout because I think it’s essential to aging in a youthful way. (Side note: the creator of Essentrics has written two books: 1) Aging Backwards, 2) Forever Painless. Aging Backwards explains why Essentrics is something everyone should be doing, and why it essentially reverses the aging process. It discusses what the aging process is and how muscles can deteriorate. What we do in Essentrics counteracts/slows down that process).
BM: As an Essentrics instructor, what is your ultimate mission?
LF: My mission is to expose as many people as possible to Essentrics. It’s to improve people’s quality of life at any age, and it’s to educate people about the importance of movement and how to move safely. My motto is ‘be active now to be active later’ and I think the Essentrics method is designed to do just that.
If you’re based in the Toronto area, be sure to drop into one of Lauren’s classes at MisfitStudio (Queen Street location) and check out her website and blog for more on Essentrics, her class schedule, and healthy recipes!
