14 legendary exercises - aerobics for the skin and facial muscles from Carol Maggio

To stay young and beautiful, women are ready to undergo any procedures and pay a lot of money for them.

However, not only with the help of cosmetology you can achieve amazing success in rejuvenation. Regular gymnastics for the face, or rather unusual gymnastics for the face by Carol Maggio, has many followers and adherents around the world, because it works, and the results are stunning.

To use it, you will not need money, but time, patience and consistency. Well, and of course, mastery of technology.

How the technique came about

Back in the first half of the 20th century, German plastic surgeon Reinhold Benz began to talk about the benefits of physical activity for facial muscles and proposed a set of exercises to help keep them in good shape, a kind of aerobics.

Several decades later, Facebook was given a second wind by the American Carol Maggio.

She, approaching the 40-year mark, began to notice age-related changes in her skin and decided to actively fight them.

Carol approached the process professionally - she was trained as a cosmetologist, actively communicated with specialists in the field of aesthetics, and ultimately made a statement for herself: various injections do not solve the problem, they bring an instant result, which disappears after a couple of months, and the skin continues to age.

A talented woman reviewed Benz’s works, systematized them and proposed her own aerobics complex for the face, which solves age-related skin changes.

Carol organized a course for everyone, “Aerobics for the skin and facial muscles,” where she taught her students to perform a set of exercises, and then wrote an illustrated book, which became a bestseller.

This gymnastics was instantly appreciated by women; it gained popularity for its simplicity and quick results.

It was from this period that a new page began in the biography of Carol Maggio; she became famous and recognizable.

Contraindications for implementation

The safety of Carol Maggio’s technique was officially recognized by doctors from Europe and the USA. Facial gymnastics affects muscle fibers, lymph flow, the circulatory system and the nervous system. If a person is normal and does not experience any health problems, physical and mental stress will most likely be beneficial.

The Carol Maggio system helps correct facial asymmetry and get rid of wrinkles, but only in the absence of contraindications

There are few restrictions on performing facial gymnastics, but they exist:

• recently undergone facial surgery (a month before the start of classes and later);
• beauty injections if you did them 2 weeks before you started doing gymnastics and later. The load on the facial muscles neutralizes the effect of solutions injected under the skin;
• any damage to the facial nerve (inflammation, injury, paralysis);
• mechanical damage to the skin of the face (wounds, scars, ulcers).

Relative contraindications:

• exacerbation of bacterial and viral diseases;
• elevated temperature;
• unstable pressure.

Carol Maggio's book for prolonging female beauty

K. Maggio’s first book, “Aerobics for the skin and muscles of the face,” was published in 1995. In it, she described in detail all the facial muscles, their location, as well as the processes occurring in them during aging.

According to Carol's findings, the following changes occur in the face:

• eyebrows droop;
• cheeks become flabby;
• eyelids droop;
• the nose lengthens a little;
• lips become thinner and wrinkled;
• the skin of the neck withers;
• a double chin appears.

It is on solving these problems that the cosmetologist suggests focusing on in his gymnastics. Developed by her, the complex consists of a basic level, including 14 exercises for beginners and 9 exercises for advanced experts.

To date, she has written four more books, in which she talks about how you can professionally work with facial muscles at all stages of aging.

It’s easier to start getting acquainted with Facebook building with the book “Aerobics for the skin and muscles of the face.”

What is Carol Maggio's facial gymnastics?

In addition to intense stress on the muscles, the Maggio system involves working with energy flows: it calls for mentally visualizing them and directing them to problem areas. To master a course in facial gymnastics, you need to master at least basic understanding of the human bioinformational field and energy charging skills. Without them, it will be unclear how to do individual exercises.

In the translation of her work, there is an instruction to perform all exercises by touching your fingers, which means that physical contact with the skin and muscles will be minimal. This is already at odds with the principles of face-building, with the help of which it is proposed to pump up the face. You do exercises, achieve a flow of lymph to the face and visible growth of muscle mass. How simple and clear everything is, and the result is obvious.

In Carol Maggio's system, physical activity is offered only to help the so-called mental work with energy flows. Simply copying the exercises offered in her book will not achieve results; you need to be aware of how each muscle works. Carol's book talks about this, you just need to delve into it and learn it. It would be easier to master the Maggio technique with a video course, but it is limited in distribution.

There is only one face-building trainer in Russia personally certified by Maggio - Muscovite Anastasia Burdyug.

Anastasia Burdyug received the certificate personally from Carol, now she is the only licensed face-building trainer in Russia

Why do you need gymnastics?

Facial muscles cannot be pumped. At one end they are attached to the bones, at the other - to the skin or woven into neighboring muscles. Constant exercise will result in temporary improvement, but the aging process is inevitable. Over time, the spasmed muscles will begin to pull the skin along with them, first sagging areas will appear on the face, and then wrinkles. Carol's technique does not involve any force on the facial muscles and gives results for years to come.

Carol's recommendations help:

• tighten the skin and achieve a pronounced lifting effect;
• sculpture the oval of the face;
• give yourself the right facial features, a beautiful lip contour, a nose shape;
• get rid of wrinkles on the neck and double chin;
• remove jowls and sagging cheeks;
• smooth out age and facial wrinkles;
• strengthen the muscles of the orbital region and open your eyes;
• strengthen the lower eyelids and get rid of swelling and bruises under the eyes.

With the help of facial gymnastics, you can remove a double chin and correct the shape of your face

Advice from Carol Maggio: before you start exercising, take a profile and full-face photograph so that you can later evaluate the benefits of gymnastics.

Making apple cheeks

This exercise not only helps to straighten your cheeks, but also remove circles under your eyes.

1. You need to round your mouth into a large O, then wrap your lips around your teeth, as if pulling them inward.
2. This will cause slight tension in the cheek muscles.
3. With your index fingers you need to fix the position at the highest point - on the cheekbones.
4. Next, you need to smile without changing the position of your lips, just stretch the corners.
5. Fix your face in this position for a few seconds, then relax.
6. Repeat 10 times.

Course Descriptions

The basic gymnastics complex for beginners includes 14 simple exercises, for advanced ones - 9 exercises for training different facial zones. It is convenient to perform gymnastics in front of a mirror - this makes it easier to track how accurately and according to the instructions you are doing it.

Exercise to enlarge your eyes

The basic level exercise is performed as follows:

1. Take your starting position - sit or lie down.
2. Fix your fingers: the middle fingers should be on the bridge of the nose, the index fingers should be on the outer corners of the eyes.
3. Squint your eyes, feel how your eyelids tense.
4. Feel the muscles pulsate and slowly close your eyelids. Count to 40.
5. Open your eyes and repeat the exercise.
6. Do this 10 times in one approach.

A set of exercises to enlarge the eyes strengthens the orbicularis eyelid muscle.
From the advanced level:

1. Take the starting position - the exercise is best done while sitting.
2. Place your middle and index fingers at your temples.
3. Lightly pull the skin upward with them, feel how it stretches.
4. Look straight ahead, fixing your gaze on one point.
5. Without taking your eyes off the chosen object, raise your eyes upward, count to 10. Look forward, count to 10 again.
6. Lower your eyes and mentally count to 10 too.

Make sure that your eyebrows do not move; when they move, this means you are pumping your forehead muscles.

Lower eyelid strengthening exercise

A simplified version of the lower eyelid exercise:

1. Place your index fingers on the outer corners of your eyes.
2. Close your eyelids tightly and count to 40.
3. Open your eyes.
4. Move your fingers to the inner corners of the eyes, fix.
5. Close your eyelids tightly again and count to 30.
6. Relax your muscles.

An exercise for the lower eyelids helps remove bags and bruises under the eyes.
For an advanced level, there is a complex exercise that helps remove swelling, strengthen the upper and lower eyelids, and slightly lift the corners of the eyes.

How to do:

1. Place your index fingers on the outer corners of your eyes, move your thumbs down, and cover your nose with the remaining three, like a “house.” The middle fingers are located between the eyebrows, the index fingers lightly press on the dimple at the inner corners of the eyes.
2. Look up, hold your gaze.
3. Squint your eyes, trying to pull your lower eyelid as high as possible.
4. Remove your hands from your face and close your eyelids tightly.
5. Count to 40.
6. Relax your muscles.
7. Repeat 15 times.

Nose shortening exercise

Carol Maggio says that the nose continues to grow with age, so it gradually becomes wider and droops. To avoid this, you need to constantly train your nasal muscle. The same exercise helps to correct the shape of the nose and reduce its size.

How to do:

1. Place your index finger on the tip of your nose and pull it up.
2. Lower the nostrils as much as possible, feel how the wings of the nose tense.
3. Stay in this position for 10 seconds, then you can relax.
4. Repeat the exercise 35 times.

Carol Maggio's exercise helps tighten the nasal muscle, which gets stretched over the years.
For an advanced level, the exercise is modified:

1. With one finger, you move the tip of your nose upward, but in doing so you strain not the wings of your nose, but your upper lip - you need to pull it back. Use your finger to continue pressing on the tip of your nose.
2. Repeat the exercise 45 times.

Jaw strengthening exercise

The exercise is performed like this:

1. Open your mouth slightly, press your upper lip to the upper row of teeth.
2. Place your lower lip behind your lower row of teeth.
3. Press your index finger to the middle of your chin.
4. Open your mouth, then close it, without moving your jaw joints if possible. Feel the muscles at the corners of your lips tighten.
5. Do this until you feel a burning sensation in your muscles.

Exercise strengthens the jaw muscles and orbicularis oris muscle

Gymnastics to strengthen the neck

The exercise helps strengthen the neck muscles, remove wrinkles and tighten the skin in this problem area.

How to do it:

1. Take the starting position lying down, it is better to do it on the floor.
2. Place your middle fingers on the side of your neck and press them lightly.
3. Slowly raise your head from the floor 4–5 cm.
4. Hold the position for 5 seconds.
5. Also slowly return to the starting position, relax.
6. Repeat 20 times.

The exercise can be done without arms - they are extended along the torso. The rest of the execution procedure is the same. Repeat 35 times. While in position, turn your head to one side and then to the other so that your body remains motionless. Make 45 turns.

The exercise helps strengthen the neck muscles, remove wrinkles and tighten the skin in this problem area.

Another exercise is designed for advanced people:

1. Take your starting position while sitting.
2. Cup your hands, pressing your wrists together.
3. Place your wrists under your chin and clasp your neck with your palms on both sides.
4. Try to pull your chin forward as far as possible, and use your hands to pull the skin back.
5. Do 30 reps.

Double chin exercise

The following basic level will help you get rid of a double chin and at the same time strengthen your neck muscles:

1. Take your starting position while sitting.
2. Raise your chin as high as possible.
3. Purse your lips and stretch them into a smile (do not expose your teeth!).
4. Place your hand at the base of your neck and pull the skin down.
5. Turn your head to the left, fix the position and count to 10.
6. Now turn to the right and stay in this position for 10 seconds.
7. Then raise your head up and do not move until you count to 10. Feel how your neck muscles tense.
8. Relax your muscles.
9. Do 40 reps.

The double chin exercise helps correct the oval of the face and remove wrinkles on the neck.
For the pros, Carol Maggio suggests another exercise:

1. Sit down, straighten your back and relax.
2. Open and close your mouth several times, while carefully monitoring which facial muscles are working.
3. Now open your mouth again.
4. Tighten the corners of your lips and try to close your mouth only with their help, without using your lower jaw.

We wash the nasolabial

In the book gymnastics for the face by Carol Maggio, this exercise is given an important place, because nasolabial folds greatly spoil the face, adding age.

1. To perform the exercise, you need to make a large O with your mouth and hug your teeth with your lips.
2. Place your index fingers on the sides of your mouth and move them from the corners of your mouth to the wings of your nose until a slight burning sensation appears.
3. Then speed up the movement and repeat for a few more seconds.
4. Relax, do 5 repetitions.

Recommendations for implementation

When mastering the technique, it is better to start with a cosmetologist who is familiar with the technique and is ready to show how to perform the exercises correctly. But if this is not possible, it is better to watch a video with facial gymnastics by Carol Maggio.

Also, for the first time you will need a mirror to see your own movements; later, when the whole process is brought to automaticity, you can do the complex without it.

Before starting the class, hands and face should be washed, wiped with micellar water, a little massage oil, serum or nourishing cream can be applied to the face to enhance the effect.

Carol Maggio's facial gymnastics will only be effective if you perform it regularly. The author recommends doing this 2 times a day. It doesn’t matter whether a woman is sitting or standing, but her body should be relaxed, her back straight, her muscles not tense. Breathing should be smooth, without tension.

It is recommended to pull in your stomach and tighten your buttocks to tune the body to work and concentrate. During the process of Facebook building, it is advisable to relax and get distracted, and let go of negative thoughts. It is better to focus on the movement of the muscles and imagine which of them are working at a given moment.

If a burning sensation appears during exercise, it means that your actions are correct. However, there should be no pain, only slight tension. After doing the exercises, you need to relax your muscles by taking air into your mouth and blowing it out through pursed lips, feeling the vibration of your lips and cheeks.

Gymnastics technique for the face Carol Maggio

Facial aerobics according to the Maggio system activates all 57 facial muscles. Not everyone is constantly involved, and those who are inactive need to be stimulated - this is why finger gymnastics was developed. While performing it, it is important to focus on the muscles that are working at the moment and monitor your breathing. At the same time, keep in mind a slide picture of what your new face will be like. After each exercise, Carol advises relaxing: inhale deeply through your nose and exhale sharply through tightly closed lips. The posture during aerobics should be collected: the stomach is pulled in, the muscles of the hips and buttocks are tense - just don’t strain all the muscles on the body. Carol recommends doing gymnastics every other day, alternating exercises with facial massage. Moreover, it should be conducted in full courses. The results will be noticeable in 1.5–2 months.

The entire exercise is divided into three blocks:

• gymnastics for beginners;
• gymnastics for experienced;
• Carol's separate development is a short course for business women who cannot afford a lot of time for classes.

Video: gymnastics for beginners

Start with any exercise from the basic course and work it every day for 20 minutes. The basic block is designed for 6-7 weeks of training, then you can move on to the advanced level. It is better not to break the sequence of blocks.

Video: gymnastics for experienced

For skin care, choose suitable cosmetics, master different facial massage techniques (lymphatic drainage, vacuum, spoon massage, honey), adjust your diet and go in for sports.

Contraindications

Massage and facial gymnastics by Carol Maggio is a safe procedure, but there are also contraindications for it:

• the presence of plastic surgery, braces or any injections;
• inflammation of the facial nerves;
• high blood pressure;
• the presence of injuries, suppuration or inflammation of the skin.

In these cases, gymnastics will not help, but will only worsen the situation.

Only regular exercise and dedication will allow you to maintain the tone of your facial muscles, slow down the changes that occur with age, and restore radiance and youth to your skin.

What is the role of exercises in a facelift?

Regular gymnastics of the facial muscles leads to the same results as plastic surgery. Only wrinkles are smoothed out not due to tissue tightening, but because the volume of the facial muscles increases. In fact, face building causes muscle spasm - from constant tension, they look something like after a botulinum toxin injection. Meanwhile, the load on the tissues should not be constant; most of the time they are in a passive state, and this is normal. Overexertion causes side effects, facial expressions are distorted, and nervousness appears. Women who oppose Maggio's exercise system say they have noticed involuntary, slightly nervous facial expressions on Carol herself.

Facial gymnastics helps remove facial and age wrinkles, but only temporarily