Tracee Ellis Ross works out hard, whether she’s using the combat ropes like a pro or cracking jokes while struggling with side planks (really relevant content!). She doesn’t appear to have a problem trying something new for fitness, and happily, she’s frequently willing to share it with her more than 11 million Instagram followers.
The Black-ish alum adds in the caption of an recent post that she is feeling “long, strong, and connected” as a result of a new fitness regimen. Her enigma? She has been practicing the Tracy Anderson Method for MyMode .
A step platform, various weights, a wooden staff, bands, disks, and a landing pad are just a few of the main equipment pieces used in the recently introduced modality. The storage box containing all the accoutrements doubles as a balance tool, as Ellis Ross shows in her video. The creator of Pattern Beauty also demonstrates how to use the MyMode staff, a long, straight pole that resembles a walking stick and is connected to a multidirectional socket at the base to aid in flexible and dynamic movement.
Although it may seem extremely difficult, Ellis Ross demonstrates that the technique appears to be a wonderful way to include compound, low-impact techniques into your routine without taking up a lot of room. The actress trains her lower body and core in the video while utilizing the MyMode box for stability and balance and the wooden staff to challenge both.
The glutes, hamstrings, and core are all targeted by Tracee’s standing straight-leg kickbacks and some standing knee-tuck-to-leg kickbacks, according to NASM-certified personal trainer Susane Pata , C.P.T. who watched the films in Ellis Ross’ most recent Instagram post. “The benefit of employing an aid (such a pole or wooden box) is that it allows the user to go through a wider range of motion, effectively engaging the muscles described above. The “help” provides a safe and secure approach for the user to explore the wider range of motion.”
“Training on one leg, like Tracee, is a great method to learn balance,” Pata continues. Even if the pole and the box provide some aid, she adds, “there is still some balance requirement.” For “optimal muscle recruitment and synchronized movement,” she advises adding balance workouts. Additionally, Pata claims that the combination exercises she performs, such as side step lunges and leg kickbacks followed by squats, “help engage the glutes even harder by adding to the coordination, muscle activation, and balancing challenge.” (See: Why Balance Is Important at Any Age and 6 Exercises to Improve It.)
ICYDK, Ellis Ross has been working on the Tracy Anderson Method for years , thus Tracy and Tracee have a long-standing relationship. It is a whole-body strengthening technique that was developed as a result of the founder’s lifelong passion for developing the tiny muscles needed for dance. But Ellis Ross isn’t the only well-known supporter of the approach. Shakira , Gwyneth Paltrow , Jennifer Lopez , Tia Mowry, and other famous people have worked with Anderson throughout the years, reportedly like how she uses low weights and infinite repetitions to target microscopic muscles that are sometimes ignored by conventional movement techniques.
Fortunately, you don’t need to be a major celebrity (or have $4,500 lying around to spend on the MyMode equipment and digital subscription) to mimic some of Ellis Ross’ new moves. For example, while performing single-leg kickbacks, jump boxes or a kitchen chair can provide stability, and a resistance band placed carefully can provide you with some of the dynamic stability of the MyMode crew.