Eccentrics combines ballet, Tai Chi, Pilates and more
POLLY KOLSTAD 10:09 p.m. MT March 14, 2017
(Photo: TRIBUNE PHOTO/RION SANDERS)
Kimberly Woodring moved north from Albuquerque last June and brought Eccentrics with her. Eccentrics is a form of fitness that stretches muscles dynamically, incorporating ballet, tai chi, Pilates, physical therapy, and chiropractic therapeutics.
“We use imagery tasks as examples and work on 650 muscles, the joints, the neuromuscular system,” said Woodring, who started with just a few clients and now has 20 to 3 people, as young as 12 and as old as 90.
Eccentrics is part of athletes lives: National Hockey League, pro golfers, divers, squash players, and many performance athletes. Eccentrics is designed to help every person.
Eccentrics involves intensive training in order to teach. There are 1000 instructors worldwide. It takes four years to be fully certified.
Kimberly defines Eccentrics as a scientific technique of which she is a “stretch specialist.”
Question: How long have you been doing Eccentrics?
Answer: I have been doing Eccentrics for five years and teaching for four years. I am now a mentor and have 1,000 hours of practice.
Q: Why did you start doing Eccentrics? How did you get started?
A: I was really sick and quit my job. I couldn’t sleep. I had severe balance issues and my weight had dropped to 89 pounds. I looked on TV to see what I could do. I found Miranda White on PBS. I saw the benefits.
Q: What is your weekly training routine?
A: I spend two days a week, two hours a day practicing and standing with doctors and instructors. I spend a lot of time practicing what I want to teach like rehabing a shoulder, choreographing what the client needs. We do everything in a pumping motion, but keep the heart rate low (120 -130, like Tai Chi) slow controlled motion. I also teach spring board classes, resistant training and stretching classes.
Q: What other activities do you do?
A: I used to be a special education teacher. I like to fish, boat, hike. My husband is military. We just retired here. We have a houseful of animals.
Q: What keeps you motivated?
A: My clients: every single day they hug, cry, saying “you have no idea what it is like to have no pain.”
Q: Have you faced any setbacks or had any injuries with Eccentrics?
A: I have not had any injuries or setbacks.
Q: What tips do you have for someone who wants to get started with Eccentrics?
A: Eccentrics is designed as a healing form. There are no prerequisites. You can come to my classes. Eccentrics can help every person. Eccentrics is part of athletes lives: National Hockey League, pro golfers, divers, squash players, many performance athletes take Eccentrics classes. It involves intensive training in order to teach. There are 1,000 instructors worldwide. It takes four years to be fully certified.
You can do a lot online. Miranda White’s class is the No. 1 fitness show on PBS. You can also check out White’s books: Aging Backwards, and Forever Pain Free. There is a massive online college at Estes Park and Cancun, Mexico. Come to class. Don’t be bashful; come in and see it is a feel good exercise; two way stretches teach you so you are not going too far. You will feel amazing afterward.
Q: What health benefits have you seen since you started doing Eccentrics?
A: I am super flexible; it has made me stronger; I have lengthened my muscles; I look like I have lost weight; my balance is much better. My range of motion has improved. Overall, I feel healthy.
Q: Do you have any warm-up or cool down exercises for Eccentrics?
A: I always warm-up for three to four minutes to loosen and relax. Relaxing is the only way to go deeper into a stretch. I have to teach people how to relax; how to loosen the entire body. For the cool down: I do some floor work, some barre work, and some standing work. This is all good for hips and ham strings. Everybody lies down. You must become aware of your body, which can be tight or stiff. We do a lot with connective tissues.
Q: How do you incorporate nutrition into the practice of Eccentrics?
A: For me I use Isogenics, one shake a day because I’m working out in the gym. I am healthy as possible. I have Celiac disease, so I have to cut out all grains. I don’t eat much sugar. I get natural sugar from fruit.
Eccentrics classes at Access Fitness
Monday: 6:30 - 7 a.m.
Tuesday: 10:35 - 11:35 a.m.
Wednesday: 6:30 - 7 a.m.; 6 - 7 p.m.
Thursday: 10:35 - 11:35 a.m.
Friday: 10 - 11 a.m.
Classes are free with Access Fitness membership or $6 per class.
Private training with Woodring is $35 per hour or package of 10 for $250.
Other classes are taught in Montana in Bozeman and Billings.