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Principles of the
Program
By Miranda Esmonde-White
Creator of the Esmonde Technique ™ and of Essentrics ™
HEAD OFFICE
3437 STANLEY, SUITE 100
MONTREAL, QC, CANADA H3A 1S2
EMAIL [email protected]
TELEPHONE 514.989.0236
www.essentrics.com
©The Esmonde Technique retains full copyright ownership and protection in all
materials contained in this manual. You may not copy, distribute, transmit, display, or
reproduce any of the material in the booklet without prior consent of The Esmonde
Technique.
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ESSENTRICS TRAINING SERIES INSTRUCTOR MANUAL
PRINCIPLES OF THE ESSENTRICS PROGRAM
“STRENGTHENING EXERCISES”
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“ We are only as strong as our weakest link ”
Miranda Esmonde-White
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Table of content
Introduction...7
Importance
of strong muscles...9
Importance of strong muscles 9
Body shaping and slenderizing testimonials
13
The science
behind developing strong muscles...17
The body composition
18
Food: fats, carbohydrates and proteins
18
Synthesizing food 24
Turning food into fuel
27
Muscles28
The central nervous system
34
Types of muscle actions or contractions
34
Muscles Endurance and Muscle Strength
38
Choosing a strength training program 39
Various strength and endurance training programs41
Conclusion to chapter 2 45
Weight Loss...47
Weight loss and calorie burning
47
Speed up your rate of burning calories
49
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Understanding
Essentrics™...53
Essentrics™ strength training 53
Ballet and Essentrics as strength-training programs
Evaluating muscle strength
54
55
Essentrics
Techniques...57
Eccentric58
Concentric60
Isolation61
Isometric65
Movement within a joint 66
Rotation of the joint
67
PNF69
Essentrics
Exercises...73
Floor Exercises 73
Barre Exercises
94
Standing exercises
107
Annex...167
Testimonials 167
REFERENCES202
Certification
& Evaluation Process...205
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Introduction
A healthy muscular structure requires muscles to be equally strong and flexible.
In manual 4 we will cover the strengthening portion of the Essentrics™ program.
We will review techniques such as rotation within a joint, PNF, agonist/antagonist, eccentric
elongation and show how they can be used to develop strength. You will see how increased
flexibility adds length to the muscle, which translates into a greater load on those muscles,
therefore increasing the strengthening benefits. In addition, you will learn how strong muscles
are directly related to both weight loss and prevention of premature aging.
Included will be a brief overview of various strength training techniques and methods including
ballet, isometric, isotonic, eccentric and concentric.
We will also discuss the subject of weight bearing exercises and show how they can be
accomplished with and without external weights.
In addition, l explain the importance of learning body awareness and illustrate how to isolate
primary muscle groups in order to effectively strengthen them as well as how and why strong
muscles help prevent injuries and increase the rate of recovery.
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SECTION OVERVIEW
Importance
of strong muscles
Importance of strong muscles
Body shaping and slenderizing testimonials
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Importance
of strong muscles
Human beings need strong muscles for many reasons some of the most obvious
being that we want to look attractive, as well as have good posture, firm waists,
arms, hips and flat stomachs. However, our health is as important as our looks
and strong muscles are the body’s source of achieving all this and more.
Importance of strong muscles
It is a well-established anatomical fact that around the age of 25 our bodies begin the very
slow process of dying one cell at a time. The scientific community accepts a cell loss starting
very slowly in our 20s and accelerating exponentially as we age. When we are young we only
lose a fraction of our total body cells, which makes the overall loss barely noticeable. Like
any living thing the human body has a life cycle of growth and death. We fail to give it much
thought though since aging is imperceptible on a daily basis and only notice that we have
aged when we compare ourselves to what we were able to do a few years earlier. Muscle cell
loss commonly known as atrophy becomes evident by the time many people reach their 40s
when they begin to notice that they no longer have the energy or strength to do many of the
activities that they could do more easily just a few years earlier.
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Muscle loss is accumulative, often only showing up when we take ourselves out of our comfort
zone in daily life activities and into something that we are unaccustomed to doing like playing
a game of tennis, or throwing a ball with our kids. If we do not do these activities on a regular
basis our muscles get weaker and shrink to the size required to perform the regular activities
that we are actually doing. If all we do is sit on a chair or couch
and get in and out of a car then our bodies will readjust the
The less we challenge
strength according to the demand that we are requiring them to
the full body’s muscles
do. Most people will not notice a change in their strength until they
the faster we will age
reach their 40s.
prematurely as we lose our
shape, look less attractive,
The good news is that weak muscles can be strengthened rapidly
lose energy as well as
depending on the level of activity that each person is prepared
suffer from the pain related
to make. In other words permanent muscle loss is not inevitable
to atrophying muscles and
and can be prevented and reversed with correct exercise. All
uncontrollable weight gain.
movement requires strength, even if a movement is as simple as
Strength makes
lifting the remote-control to change channels or typing on the
attractive bodies
computer. With a heavier load greater strength is required. The
more people move and challenge their bodies the stronger their muscles will become. The
opposite is true in that the less people move, the weaker their muscles will become.
As a living, dynamic organism the human body is programmed to respond to its environment
and the varying demands placed on it. When no demands are required of certain muscles, the
body’s natural delete program sends a message to the cells not replicate those cells when
they wear out. If on the other hand the muscles are still being used this delete program is
overridden by a reproduce program, instructing a new cell to be created to replace the one
that has died.
It is accepted that the replica is a copy of the original and is slightly weaker than the original.
This is why adults who have exercised their entire lives may not be able to compete against
younger athletes, but they can still remain almost as strong and agile as when they were
younger. Fit seniors can easily maintain similar good posture, range of motion, tone and
energy as their 30 year old counterparts when they exercise on a regular basis and keep their
weight at a healthy balance. The secret to youthful bodies is in muscle strength, flexibility and
weight control.
We have around 600 muscles in our body, without interfering with the normal functioning of
our bodies. Therefore none of those muscles are expendable, requiring us to keep them alive,
strong and flexible. The best way to do that is with an exercise program that works them all. It
is the intention of Essentrics™ to engage and strengthen all 600 of the bodies’ muscles from
the tips of the fingers to the bottom of the toes and in-between. The more we challenge the full
body’s muscles the stronger they will become. The less we challenge the full body’s muscles
the faster we will age prematurely as we lose our shape, look less attractive, lose energy as
well as suffer from the pain related to atrophying muscles and uncontrollable weight gain.
Strength makes attractive bodies
Why do we want or need to be strong? What are the tangible benefits of having strong
muscles ? Are there some muscles that we need more than others?
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There are many answers as to why we need strong muscles. One of the easiest to accept
relates to our vanity, as most people want to look as attractive and sexy as possible and do
so by having strong muscles. Another obvious reason is for good health. Strong muscles are
essential in remaining healthy, giving us energy and vitality, preventing illness and increasing
the rate of recovery from inevitable illnesses.
It is very hard to inspire some people to exercise when they would prefer to take a pill as the
solution to all their bodies’ problems, but when it comes to the shape and look of our body no
pill can replace the need for physical activity. Being thin does not necessarily translate into an
attractive body, especially when someone takes it to the degree of looking gaunt with saggy
muscles and poor posture, which is extremely unattractive. It is not until people understand
that muscle strength is what forms a slender waist, straight back, flat abdomen, lean, firm legs
and good posture that they are interested in participating in a regular fitness program..
Strength helps in weight control
Another benefit to having strong muscles is the weight loss value that comes along with it.
Most people do not understand the connection between calories and exercise. The truth is
that calories burned while exercising are relatively low. Take for instance a 200 pound person
who does 30 minutes of low impact aerobics or Essentrics™. They would burn about 276
calories for all their effort, which are not even the total calories in one small chocolate bar or
small bag of chips. Take as another example a 160 pound person doing 30 minutes of light
weight lifting. They would burn about 120 calories and if they added 30 minutes of low impact
aerobics they would burn another 221 calories, which would be the equivalent of a very small
chicken salad and a ½ teaspoon of dressing.
These examples should show you that a calorie burning value is not enough to make the
effort of exercising seem worthwhile. However, we hear over and over again from doctors and
scientists that exercise is essential in weight loss so we have to ask ourselves what is the
principal reason why it is important to exercise if we are not burning a significant number of
calories doing the exercises.
The answer is simple; 95% of the (furnaces) mitochondria used to burn any calories are
located in the muscles, meaning the more muscles we have the more calories that can be
burned. The opposite is also true, which is equally important; the fewer muscles we have the
fewer calories that can be burned.
The mitochondria (furnaces) need a source of fuel. When we are on a diet we are depriving
the mitochondria of their normal source of fuel and requiring them to look elsewhere. We
assume that the mitochondria will take fuel from the extra fat in our body, but in reality
mitochondria burn the most accessible fuel available, which is protein found in our muscles.
However, if we exercise while dieting we force the mitochondria to search outside the muscles
for available fuel, which they will find in our fatty deposits. Keeping the muscles active during a
diet (not passive) is the main reason why exercise is essential during the diet. We need every
muscle cell alive and active in order to burn calories and maintain a healthy weight because
muscle loss means mitochondria loss and that immediately translates into uncontrollable
weight gain.
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When we do not exercise during a diet we will definitely lose pounds on the scale however
unfortunately it is lost muscle and not lost fat. The tragic part of muscle loss is the
mitochondria or the loss of calorie burning furnaces. That means when the diet ends there will
be fewer furnaces to recruit to burn calories that is why when we resume normal eating, we
almost always regain the weight rapidly and then some. That is how the yo-yo dieting cycles
happen where weight loss actually turns into greater weight gain at the end of a diet. This
happens because of a loss of mitochondria through lack of exercise.
Regardless if we are dieting or not when muscles are not used cell by cell they slowly atrophy
and disappear. The fewer muscles we have the fewer calorie burning mitochondria (furnaces)
there are available to burn fuel, which is referred to as a slow, inefficient metabolism.
Many people complain that as they age their metabolism slows down, or claim that they are
born with a slow metabolism. However, in most cases people can reverse their so called ‘slow’
metabolism by strengthening their muscles. The stronger the muscles are the healthier the
metabolism is, making weight loss easier, which alone should inspire people to strengthen
their muscles.
Muscle loss is the key to weight loss or gain. When we do not exercise we lose muscle cells
as the muscles begin the slow process of atrophy. When we do exercise we gain muscle cells
which means that we have more cells.
Health and Well Being
Another reason to encourage people to develop strong muscles is to be able to enjoy a sense
of good health and well-being. Unfortunately, people have trouble getting motivated by the
possibility that something bad might or might not happen to them. Healthy people often do not
worry about unknown health issues and instead are motivated by what is happening right now,
which make the potential health benefits of little incentive. It is not until someone has gotten
sick, injured or has lost their quality of life that they are easily motivated to exercise in order to
get back to where they felt good.
Machine versus man
For an instructor, motivating people to exercise can be frustrating as human beings are lazy by
nature and look for the easiest way to do most activities. Our domestic lives are a testament to
our laziness judging by the never ending popularity of energy appliances that flood our stores.
It seems that most people will do anything to prevent expending extra energy. Most of us will
take our car even for short distance errands rather than walking, or we will take an escalator or
elevator rather than the stairs. Most households including my own boast any number of energy
saving appliances which past generations could not have imagined. Most people couldn’t
imagine living without their washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, electric knives and lawn
mowers. We consider them as essential to modern life yet they 80 years ago they didn’t exist/
The purpose of appliance was to save us from using our muscles and expending our energy
unnecessarily. This is based on the idea that we can then use our saved energy on things that
we really enjoy doing. Unfortunately, most people don’t use their saved energy to do a physical
activity.
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In a modern household the concept of whipping egg-whites without an electric mixer would be
considered old fashioned, as would walking even short distances to the store or to a friend’s
house. Often times our outdoor recreation even revolves around machines doing most of the
activity. For example, a boating holiday rarely conjures up images of hard work and sweat as
we row or, sail or canoe instead it likely conjures up images of sun-bathing on the deck of a
motor-boat. Similarly, many popular winter and summer sports conjure up images of sitting on
a ski-doo, dirt-bike, or motorcycle.
We have organized our lives to require the least amount of energy expenditure as possible,
which virtually guarantees minimal muscle activity. In the process we have failed to notice that
our energy saving life style is leading us into a premature old age.
Body shaping and slenderizing
testimonials
The following are photos and testimonials of people who have experienced body-shaping
changes when doing Essentrics™. Testimonials and photos speak louder than any words could
because they come from real people who have no understanding about this program other
then what they learn by doing it. These testimonials will give you a good idea of the type of
results people get doing the Essentrics™ program.
Sent: November-07-09 2:11 PM
Subject: body changing experience
Hi Miranda,
So this is my third ever fan letter, all to you and the programs you developed, Essentrics and CS. If you still have the previous
letters, feel free to use them or let me know and I can resend them.
It has been about 17 months since I found you in Southern California. I have raved before on how I feel with the resolution of
my fibromyalgia pain which for me is the most amazing result. The second most fantastic result was that I went from a size 20
to a size 14 without trying. I never had really bad eating habits (except for a chocolate addiction) so with exercising every day
with you or Sarah, weight and inches have melted away. My daughters, both water polo players, tell me I have "great guns"
now, meaning my arms are great without the turkey waddle women my age (50+) develop. My 20 year old nephew who is into
body building and weight lifting complements me on the definition of my legs. I am not embarrassed to wear shorts now. I can
wear sleeveless shirts in the summer. I can go to regular stores to buy clothes. I have energy again and no pain. My family and I
thank you again for your programs.
Lots of love and best wishes to you.
Patrice M, M.D.
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Sent: November-06-09 11:46 AM
Subject: Success Story
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Hello Miranda!
I am so happy you have requested more success stories. I meant to submit one in August, but didn't take the time. I've been
feeling guilty ever since, especially because your program has become so important to my health and well-being.
I am a 39 year old Mother of three children. I have always exercised. I have done quite a bit of distance running (since my early
teens), as well as aerobics, weight-training, pilates and yoga. In June 0f 2008, I found myself in quite a bit of pain. I had started running again, and was doing some training with weights at
my gym. I had hired a Personal Trainer to design my weight-lifting routine so that I wouldn't injure myself. None of it was making
me very happy. My joints were sore all of the time. I had a constant backache. I could feel weight creeping in around my waist,
despite the workouts and the sit-ups. In desperation, I searched Amazon.ca for a stretching video. My legs and hips were so stiff and sore it hurt to walk! I found your
Essentrics Volume I, ordered it, and soon I was feeling so much better, just from doing it three times a week.
Slowly I acquired all of your other video's. I stopped running, and weight-training, and finally gave up my expensive gym
membership entirely. For over a year now I have been doing your program pretty much every single day. I am addicted to it! If I
skip a day I really miss it, simply because it makes me feel so good! I haven't lost much weight, only about three lbs, but I was not heavy to begin with. I currently weigh 122 lbs, and I am nearly 5'7"
tall. My height was a big change! After having my third baby (all of my babies were big, around 9lbs pulling on my back!) I had
shrunk down to 5'6". I got back my 3/4 of an inch! The shape of my body did change quite dramatically. I went down a full size
in clothing, two sizes around my waist. For the first time in my life my stomach is lean and muscular, quite defined. I've been
having lots of fun buying new dresses and pants this year!
My legs are also much slimmer, and stronger. Those plie's! The alphabet! Ahh, it's torture, but the results are so great..
I should also mention that I think Essentrics is a great stress-buster. Last year my 7 year old daughter was diagnosed with
childhood epilepsy. It was a very stressful time, and leaving her at school every day was a nightmare because I was so afraid she
would have a seizure. The only way I could cope was to come home and do one of your routines straight-away. The exercises are
challenging, but very calming too.
I will be turning 40 next year, but I don't mind in the slightest. I feel a hundred times better now that I did when I was 30.
I look forward to the next season coming out in 2010. I am planning to use your program well into my old age!
Thanks So Much, Miranda!
Danielle P, Guelph, Ontario
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:22:36 -0600
Subject: Body change story
Miranda,
I can't begin to tell you how Essentrics exercises have changed my shape...and my life. ESSENTRICS TRAINING SERIES INSTRUCTOR MANUAL PRINCIPLES OF THE ESSENTRICS PROGRAM “strenghtening EXERCISES”/
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Three years ago I began a rigorous weight-loss program (eventually losing 35 lbs.) and at approximately the same time started
doing Essentrics. My body became stronger, leaner, the muscles more defined, better posture, I had more energy and a more
positive outlook....the list goes on. I went from a size 12 to a size 6 and have stayed that way. I believe the exercise had as much to do or more with my success as
the eating program. There are times when my weight is still within few pounds of my lowest but my clothes are not fitting as well
and I lack energy, and it always comes when I am not regularly doing Essentrics. It never fails to get me back on track. You have
been such an inspiration. My dream is to join you at one of the resorts for an intensive program.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. (By the way, I am 61.)
Elizabeth J
Sent: November-06-09 12:35 PM
Subject: Thank you!
Dear Miranda, My name is Judy Pappas, I am a senior citizen I want to congratulate you and thank you
for your wonderful exercise programs, they are highly beneficial to me and to my daughter as well.
It is absolutely the best help anyone can have to improve their physical fitness and well being and for preventing osteoporosis.
I been doing them for years and highly recommend it to everyone, for any age and for older people especially.
I have all your Video tapes, and I also shared them with my daughter Irene, who is 40 years old. When I do your exercise my posture changes into a wonderful straight alignment, my shoulders get such a release, they become
so light and effortless, it is all like a miracle.
My upper legs got toned into a new shape, and I can hardly recognize them, and very happy seeing them in such a good changed
condition. When I walk I feel so light, I find myself walking faster and longer distances without getting tired. I love to walk, I walk
every day 1- 2 hours in my neighbourhood.
Thank you again and sending you best wishes Mrs. Judy P, St. Astoria NY
These are only of few selection of many testimonials we have received
over the years. We have includes a selection of them in the annex
section of this manuals
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SECTION OVERVIEW
The science
behind developing strong muscles
The body composition
Food: fats, carbohydrates and proteins
Synthesizing food
Turning food into fuel
Muscles
The central nervous system
Types of muscle actions or contractions
Muscle endurance and strength
Choosing a strength training program
Various strength & endurance training programs
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The science
behind developing strong
muscles
You are about to learn the fascinating journey that takes place between the dinner plate and
muscle movement. You will learn that what starts out as a delicious meal of fish, meat and
vegetables ends up supplying the body with the energy required to move our muscles. We will
also see how through the wonder of digestion, absorption, circulation and chemical reactions,
movement is finally produced. As a fitness instructor the more you understand about the
genesis of movement the more effectively you will be able to guide your clients.
This section will give you an overview of the physiology, physics and
bioenergetics of exercise.
We will start at the dinner plate and end with muscle movement by first taking a
look at the basic composition of the body and then by discussing the three basic
food groups. We will follow the metabolising of the food as it enters the digestive
and cardiovascular systems and then learn how the final bi-products of food are
turned into the fuel, which then supplies energy to our muscles. Lastly, we will
look at the different types of muscles and how to strengthen them.
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What will become clear to you as you study this manual is how our cultural addiction to
processed foods is causing havoc to our health. You will also begin to realize that in order
for the human body to be healthy and energetic, muscles need to be exercised on a daily
basis. These past decades have introduced the use of energy saving household appliances
to replace our muscles in many daily chores, leading to less exercise , weakening our muscles
indirectly, accelerating our aging process and damaging our health. It is a shame that energy
saving appliances that are intended to improve our way of life are instead, indirectly leading to
poorer health by weakening our muscles.
This section will also give you a firm understanding of why exercise is essential in maintaining
healthy weight and maximum energy. As you read this section you will conclude that the
combination of processed foods and a lack of exercise are directly related to the worldwide
obesity epidemic, and that the solution to the epidemic lies in better quality food and more
exercise.
The body composition
We know that food gets broken into chemicals and delivered to various parts of the body, but
more importantly we need understand how each component receives and treats the final food
bi-products differently. The body components listed below discuss this process.
The body composition can be broken into a three component model:
1
The lean body mass consists of muscles, nervous tissue, skin and organs. The high metabolic rate of
the lean body mass tissues makes a direct and positive contribution to the energy production of the body.
Next to water, protein is the most plentiful substance in the body. Muscles, skin, eyes, individual cells and
the immune system are just a few of our body parts comprised primarily of protein.
2
Body fat or adipose tissue is divided again into two categories of essential body fat and stored body
fat.
3
The skeletal system is made up of 206 bones in an adult body and 270 in an infant. Bones are rigid
light-weight organs that function to move, support, and protect the various organs of the body, produce
red and white blood cells and store minerals. Bone tissue which is the essence of the skeletal system is
a type of dense connective tissue that consists of several tissues including mineralized osseous tissue,
marrow, endosteum and periosteum, nerves, blood vessels and cartilage.
Food: fats, carbohydrates and proteins
When we sit down to eat a meal we will be eating food from one or all of the basic foods
groups, which are eventually broken down and used as fuel to strengthen our muscles, to
supply energy to our bodies or for growth and maintenance. Below you will be given an
overview of the purpose of each food group and what function they serve.
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All about fat
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Unsaturated fats are the fats that are good for you, especially your heart, and can be found
in plant foods and fish. Some of the best, unsaturated fats are found in olive oil, peanut oil,
canola oil, albacore tuna and salmon.
Saturated fats are the fats that are not good for you and eating too much of these can raise
blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease. These fats are found in meat
and other animal products, such as butter, cheese, milk as well as palm and coconut oils that
are often used in commercial baked goods.
Trans fats are facts that are extremely unhealthy and should be avoided. Like saturated fats,
trans fats can raise cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease. These fats are found in
margarine, snack foods, baked goods, and fried foods. Trans fats are also listed on food labels
as “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils.
Correct fats: Dietary fat is essential for a number of reasons. It helps the body grow and
develop like it should, by absorbing vitamins and fueling the body the building blocks of
hormones and acts as insulation to the nervous system tissue in the body. As you can see
fat is not the enemy, but it is important to choose the right amount and the right kind of fat to
remain healthy. We should consume most of our fat from lean meats, fish, and heart-healthy
oils. You might come across advertisements for foods that say they are “low-fat” or “fat-free,”
and assume that these foods will help you lose weight and keep you healthy. However,
nutrition experts are finding that fats are more complicated and that certain kinds of fats are
actually good for your health so eliminating all of it is not beneficial. Nutrition experts also know
that fat in food helps people feel satisfied, so inevitably when people eat correct fats they end
up eating less total calories.
Fat breaks down into fatty acids, which are used in the metabolic pathways to create ATP or
energy (the burning of calories). Excess fat is stored as adipose tissue.
Essential body fat is the amount of fat necessary for the maintenance of life; generally 3% to
5% for men and 8% to 12% for women.
Storage body fat is contained in fatty deposit pads found under the skin (subcutaneous
fat) or deep inside the body. A large amount of storage fat would be considered excess and
referred to as obesity.
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Fatty acids in dietary fats
The following table breaks down the composition of fatty acid, vitamin E and cholesterol.
Composition of Common Dietary Fats
Saturated
Monounsaturated
Polyunsaturated
Cholesterol
Vitamin E
g /100g
g /100g
g/100g
mg/100g
mg/100g
Lard
40.8
43.8
9.6
93
0.00
Duck fat
33.2
49.3
12.9
100
2.70
Butter
54.0
19.8
2.6
230
2.00
Coconut oil
85.2
6.6
1.7
0
.66
Palm oil
45.3
41.6
8.3
0
33.12
Cottonseed oil
25.5
21.3
48.1
0
42.77
Wheat germ oil
18.8
15.9
60.7
0
136.65
Soya oil
14.5
23.2
56.5
0
16.29
Olive oil
14.0
69.7
11.2
0
5.10
Corn oil
12.7
24.7
57.8
0
17.24
Sunflower oil
11.9
20.2
63.0
0
49.0 Safflower oil
10.2
12.6
72.1
0
40.68
Hemp oil
10
15
75
0
Canola/Grapeseed oil
5.3
64.3
24.8
0
Animal fats
Vegetable fats
22.21
All about carbohydrates
Carbohydrates come in several different types including simple or monosaccharides,
complex or polysaccharides and starchy. Carbohydrates or saccharides, are sugars and
starches, which are used in the metabolic pathways to create ATP or energy (the burning of
calories).
Simple carbohydrates foods: Some healthy examples include fruits and vegetables.
Simple carbohydrates we want to avoid are ones that have no nutritional value such as
processed foods, sugar, honey, candy, sodas, fruit juices and white breads.
Simple carbohydrates are more easily digested than complex carbohydrates. During
digestions these carbohydrates are quickly broken down into sugar, flowing into the blood
stream and causing blood sugar levels to rise and drop rapidly. Maybe you have felt that “after
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