Can you sculpt your body?
New look body shape revolution
Celebrities tend to have an outrageously unfair advantage when it comes to their appearance. They have trainers, hair stylists, makeup artists, and fashion consultants at their every beck and call. Comparatively, we rarely have these types of luxuries afforded to us. For the most part, we have to be self-motivators. We see 45-year-old celebrities in 21-year-old bodies and believe that for us, such things are impossible. Celebrity culture has forced us into negative self-evaluation. We should be in shape—not for vanity’s sake, but for our health. However, we find ourselves in a silent, painful struggle to maintain an appearance that is superficial, an appearance mandated by modern Western culture that does not have our best interest in mind. When we fail to live up to such stringent requirements we feel defeated. Fad diets and exercise methods do not really work—at least not for the long haul.
This may appear to be a rather despondent assessment of our current state—but fear not. There is hope. Fitness guru Tracy Anderson has pioneered a new method of exercise. The most magnificent and revolutionary part is it actually works.
Body type
William Sheldon, an American psychologist, spent years studying the human form. Via anthropometry (a type of physical anthropology) he developed three categories of somatotypes. He posited that every human being fell into one of three categories: endomorph, mesomorph, or ectomorph. The disheartening claim Sheldon made was that these categories were firm—meaning it was impossible to change your body shape. If you are an endomorph, you will always be an endomorph, according to Sheldon at least.
Endomorphs are classified by bodies that are round and soft. They usually have round abdomens and faces, shorter limbs, and high waists. If you are curvy with weight concentrated more in your abdomen, you are an endomorph. Endomorphs are built to store fat more readily than any other body type. While weight is gained easily, it is harder to lose. Rosie O’ Donnell and Oprah Winfrey are examples of the endomorph body type.
Mesomorphs are your classic bodybuilder shapes. They have thick, well-defined muscles and bone structure and typically tan easily. They have hard bodies and have more rectangular shapes. They gain muscle easily, but they also gain fat easily. Mesomorphs tend to have broader shoulders, thicker chests, and toned legs. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jessica Simpson, and Marion Jones are examples of mesomorphs.
Ectomorphs are naturally thin. They are the body type with the highest metabolism. It is hard for ectomorphs to gain weight, but it is also very hard for them to gain muscle. Ectomorphs tend to have very long limbs. Edward Norton, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kate Moss are examples of ectomorphs.
You fit into one of these three categories. However, William Sheldon was wrong when he claimed that there was nothing to be done about your somatotype. You may be an endomorph longing to be an ectomorph. While you cannot change your height or muscle and bone structure, there are definitely ways that you can sculpt your body until you have the one you desire. In fact, Tracy Anderson claims her method works so well that you will likely see immediate results.
Determination required
Tracy Anderson’s method is revolutionary. It combines classic methods of exercise with her new approach. The results are phenomenal. She is the trainer responsible for helping 50-year-old Madonna achieve the body of a 25-year-old. She is the woman behind Gwyneth Paltrow’s stunning post-baby reemergence into mainstream blockbusters. Anderson believes that her method works, but she is not just catering to Hollywood A-listers, “My approach is not limited to an elite group of people,” Anderson says. “This is for everyone. I'm trying to be a voice that's out there saying: ‘Hey, there's a new way to do this.’” The only thing that is required from you is the determination. “It comes down to whether or not you are a hard worker and someone who puts in 100 percent. I prefer to train with the dedicated, and these women aren't afraid to work,” says Anderson.
Although you might not be able to have Anderson train you personally, her website, www.tracyandersonmethod.com, offers several workout videos that guide you through the exact workouts she puts top celebrities through. It’s the same training at a fraction of the cost.
No gym necessary
The good news is, you can ditch the gym. All of these workouts are achievable at home. If you have a mat and a 3 pound dumbbell, you can do any of the moves that she recommends (In fact, you could probably do any of the recommended moves even without a mat and dumbbell.)
According to Anderson, the thing that sabotages all well-meaning workout regimens is repetition. Think of your body as clay that you would like to mold into a new shape. Repeating the same sculpting methods over and over again will leave your clay in roughly the same shape as when you started. However, if you begin to add variety to your sculpting methods—twisting where you would fold, smoothing where you would pinch—you end up with an actual clay model that resembles what you were going after. Your body is the same way. When it gets stuck in repetitive motions, it doesn’t achieve anything new. It doesn’t change shape.
Hitting up the treadmill a few times a week won’t give you a sleeker, trimmer body. Your body adjusts to routines. Changing things up and learning new ways to bring variety into your exercise regimen is what the Tracy Anderson method is all about.
For example, instead of walking or running on the treadmill, Anderson suggests that you load up your iPod with music and then run for one song, skip for the next, gallop for yet another, and so forth. The important difference is that you are putting your body through a whole different range of motions than you would if you were simply walking idly along.
Here are some moves pioneered by Anderson:
Crunches:
1. Lie flat on back with legs straight, then bend legs and pull to chest, feeling exertion in abs (50 reps).
2. With legs at 90-degree angle, do 50 crunches.
3. Lie flat on back with legs straight and feet apart. As you slightly lift one foot, crunch straight up and down—return foot to floor and lift the other while crunching (60 reps, each side).
Toning (100 reps each side):
1. With feet shoulder-width apart, hold arms out in a T and rotate palms from facing the floor to facing the ceiling.
2. In same stance, bend one wrist and pull across body—arm straight—in a smacking motion across your body. Alternate arms.
3. With arms straight behind you, palms together, snap your wrists from side to side.
4. Hold a 3 lb weight above your head with elbow bent at a 90-degree angle. Straighten arm, lifting weight straight over head. Do all reps with one arm, then switch.
5. Weight in hand, extend one arm away from the body, forming a 90-degree angle. Maintaining this angle throughout, bend at elbow toward the face, then straighten again. Do all reps with one arm, then switch.
6. Using 3 lb weights, stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides. Slowly move arms together straight up, forming a V above your head. Elbows and wrists should be bent slightly. Gently lower your arms back down to your sides, and without pausing, go straight back up again. Work up to 100 reps.
7. Using 3 lb weights, stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides. Raise one arm above your head with your elbow slightly bent, then straighten your arm completely over your head. Pulse like that, up and down. Work up to 100 reps on one side and then the other.
8. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing out. With hands on hips and back straight, slowly bend knees until thighs are parallel to floor.
Piking:
1. Lie on the floor on your back, hold onto a couch above your head or even the legs of a chair.
2. Starting from the floor, raise your legs straight up together, up to 90 degrees and then bring down to 6 inches off the floor.
3. Never let your legs touch the floor before going up again. Legs should be straight with your toes pointed. Don’t let your upper body leave the ground.
Remember:
1. Anderson recommends that you work out with 3 lb dumbbells, but not with any weight higher than that.
2. Working out in a heated room is also very helpful. It increases blood flow to your muscles and will cause you to sweat more. Scientifically, this has been proven to help with weight loss.
3. Crunches and leg lifts should be done with legs straight and in front of you.
4. Cardio and toning are necessary for every workout. On this topic Anderson says, “Cardio workouts are essential in fitness. You have to lose some fat. My DVD is dance aerobics cardio, and it won't bulk you out at all. It is the cardio workout I use with clients.”
5. In addition to these moves, cardio should be increased 10 minutes every week. If you start out at 30 minutes the first week, you should do 40 minutes the second week, and so forth. Work all muscle groups during your routine.
6. Anderson is a big believer in working out 6 days a week. Her method requires that you “move every day.”
Most importantly, these moves should be done rapidly, yet precisely. You should be dripping with sweat and taking as few breaks as possible. Powering through this workout is beneficial (and adds bonus points to your cardio regimen). Variety, precision, and speed are the name of the game. Working out with the videos will probably help you achieve the best results. They are beautifully produced and the music played during the routines really helps keep your energy up.
If you want to sculpt and change the way your body looks, this is the method for you. Where typical diet and exercise routines have produced disappointing results, the Tracy Anderson method is shining far above and beyond the competition. It reportedly works for those who have plateaued in their weight-loss attempts (can’t get rid of those last five pounds), for those who need to lose a lot of weight, and for those who need to lose weight very quickly. If you are in search of the most effective exercise method out there, we suggest you give it a try! 
