The Tracy Anderson Lie
Most of you have probably heard of celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson, especially if you read Tony Gentilcore’s Blog. She is the asshat who trains such luminaries Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna, clearly the ideal female specimens (note heavy sarcasm).
looks more like Skeletor to me
In a recent article in People magazine, here are some of Anderson’s brilliant training tips for women.
When you reach your 20’s:
According to Anderson your hips and thighs start to change and you can shape them with some truly challenging exercises. Plies for 80-100 reps and the brilliant and difficult butt pulse for another 80-100 reps. Wow, what genius. What a caloric burn this must be causing.
When you reach your 30’s:
“The abs naturally start to separate” - WHAT?!? Clearly this woman has an advanced degree in human physiology.
To fight this she recommends an exercise called the Double-attitude lift. Badass. It is basically a crunch with a leg lift, slight isometric hold and controlled eccentric. Again in that often-ignored 80-100 rep range. Are you kidding me? This is ridiculous.
She also recommends pikes, not just any pikes mind you, but pikes while holding a dumbbell. Her favorite rep range again, 80-100. I’m irritated just typing it again.
When you reach your 40’s:
According to Anderson, as your muscles weaken, you need to target your arms. Huh? As my body weakens I should target my arms? That large muscle group to help me build more muscle and burn more fat, clearly.
Her arm exercises are actually my favorite. She recommends ARM CIRCLES! Arm circles. 40 forwards and 40 backwards. Genius. She also wants arm lifts, where you lay on your stomach with arms perpendicular to body. You then lift your arms as high as possible for another 80-100 reps. I don’t even know what to say. This is the most obnoxious training bullshit I have ever heard.
gotta love that Kate Moss look
This “trainer” is a bullshit scam artist. She has absolutely no understanding of human anatomy, physiology or biomechanics. She is not making people healthier. Her clients get thin because she puts them on sub 1,000 calorie diets. I’m serious, check it out here. This is not a recipe for glowing health. It really pisses me off how shit like this is perpetually recommended to women who actually need real help.
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130 Responses to “The Tracy Anderson Lie”
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About Me
Brian St. Pierre is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Certified Sports Nutritionist (CISSN). He received his degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition with a focus in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Maine. With his contagious passion and enthusiasm, Brian is a young and exciting new face in the industry. -
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[...] fitness: tips on finding a great trainer (and what NOT to do), with the job goes the insurance, emergency rooms on the [...]
How wonderful that Tracy Anderson has made a career of teaching women how to become anorexic. Bravo Tracy! (note my sarcasm)Are your clients aware of the costs to your strict regime such as depression, early menopause and electrolyte imbalances that can cause lethal cardiac arrythmias? Shameful! This is a good example of what not to look out for when searching for a personal trainer. My recommendation is to run in the opposite diretion and run fast!!
Lots of women would buy anything that promises to make them thin…especially when advertised by celebrities. I do understand your being pissed off.
I am a 30-year old woman and mainly work out with kettlebells (not the little pink ones!)and perform compound exercises (pull-ups, squats, deadlifts)- instead of hundreds of useless leg lifts…well,I have never been stronger and more defined in my life.
I am tired of hearing old-fashioned myths like “If you train with heavy weights, you’ll bulk up” and “You need to perform lots of repetitions with light weights to build long lean muscles”…
This woman has her clients to do one hour of her “mat workout” plus one hour of her “cardio dance” every day and recommends working out in a hot room. Combined with a starvation diet it is
strange how people CANNOT lose weight…mainly water and muscle, though!
I am a registered dietician and I think her “diet” is an invitation to develop an eating disorder…no oils and fats? Ever heard of something called “essential fatty acids”? Since when spices “bloat and upset your digestive system, which causes you to store fat”? I could go on for hours…but what pisses me off even more is that this kind of crap is on Oprah and US Magazine, accessible to millions of women who’ll be Tracy’s next victims.
I think there are some good tips to get in shape. I will try them out
Tracy Anderson is a bitch and makes me upset with humankind. Do you find it strange how some women actually want to look like Madonna and Nicole Ritchie and… Skeletor?
Sounds like quite a bit on envy being spewed about here. Tracy worked hard to get the body she has and deserves only credit for wanting to share what she has learned to help others… We need more people like Tracy to help us all get active and overcome the obesity epidemic!
Although I do not follow her very restrictive food plan, I do feel, for me, her workout has validity. I am a body type that tends to bulk up quickly, leading to a squat, puffy look. Tracy
uses body weight and light weights for resistance.That works for me, i look leaner, not bulkier. Also, her ab work is different that any other I’ve done, and we know how important it is to challenge muscles in different ways. Like anything else, one program does not fit all—you
need to find one that works for you!
James,
I honestly hope that you aren’t serious. If you haven’t heard the stories by now about how she abandoned clients in Indiana, read this: http://www.tmz.com/2007/07/21/fitness-guru-in-hometown-hot-water/. She is a fraud. Her claims are NOT true. They are just unsubstantiated bullshit. This isn’t rhetoric, this is fact. I do not envy her, I do not abandon clients. If I wanted to try and train movie stars, I would be in Hollywood, not Hudson, MA.
Promoting starvation diets does nothing to help curb the obesity epidemic. Teaching people proper eating habits and food choices, and improving people’s relationships with food is what we need. Read more about her, and maybe you might not like what you find out.
JJ,
You might be in that small percentage of women who tend to hypertrophy more easily. That being said, lifting some heavy weights would still be beneficial for you in terms of increasing bone density and muscular strength.
I applaud the fact that you recognize that her dietary plans are atrocious and you do not follow them.
Her ab work is, in my opinion, garbage. Women especially would do better to minimize flexion work and focus more on stability, anti-rotation and anti-flexion work. Examples would be plank variations, pallof presses and ab wheels. For more info, read up on Dr. Stuart McGill’s low back research on why lumbar flexion sucks.
I have been doing Tracy Anderson’s workouts for 7 weeks now — the dvds. I have done weights, triathlons, marathons, etc. my entire adult life, so I hear what you are saying about weights not causing bulk etc. I am 37 years old and have had 2 children. The thing is, I have lost 2 1/2 inches off my waist and 2 more off my hips and my belly button area–2 more inches. I have not altered my diet one single bit and I haven’t lost but 2 pounds. So, you can say what you want, but it’s working. I may not be peeling off the pounds, but The Method is working for me. Plus, she has good music which is hard to find in the dvd world. so, I am just saying.. .
Had a similar experience to Lisa…
I was very skeptical of Tracy’s DVD’s — especially when I read her ~500 calorie diet plan & her 2 hour per day recommendations. I’ve been very fit my whole life. In my 30s I realized that I needed to change things up. I bought the mat DVD on a whim, and have to say it is really effective. I, too, have very muscular tendencies and get over-developed (for my taste) even with step aerobics. I wanted to not like her because it seemed so shallow (I train Gwenyth!), but I’ve seen results in 2 weeks. I don’t do her cardio DVD, just the mat DVD 4x week and have not changed my diet. Even though I know it may not be ’scientifically sound’ it seems to work where most other things made me look bulky….
Lisa & Colette,
I am glad you guys have seen success with it. Results are the name of the game. I just feel that for the majority of the population her tips are not only useless, but her dietary recommendations are dangerous. She just continues to perpetuate stereotypes in our industry. As much as I clearly don’t like her, I still want to see people succeed. So if it works for you, then have it!
I’ll admit I was tempted, for about 30 seconds, to try one of her DVDs. But then I read about the lawsuits against her, the way she treated her non-celebrity clients, and took a good, long look at Madonna and Gwyneth. Do I really want to look like them?
No.
I like isometric moves. But I like Tracy Effinger’s “Squeeze” versions better. And telling women to “never” do this or “never” do that is a huge red light for me.
(BTW, both of these women have kids. Whom they pick up and hold. I’m guessing those kids weigh more than 3 pounds. And if they ever carry they’re own groceries, those bags probably weigh more than 3 pounds, as well.)
I bulk so easily. I have gone to regular trainer promoting heavy weights and I could have given Mary Lou Retten a run for her money. Yes, i can look like a gymnast. I started doing her DVD 2 weeks ago, not diets and I have lost two inches on my upper thigh and my stomach. My arms are starting to shape to…so Ballet dancers dont lift heavy weights do they? I love her workout and diversity is need in the fitness world.
I’ve been working with the mat video for about 6 weeks now and have seen the most change in all the years I’ve been working out. I don’t want to lift any more than 3 pounds anyway, so that’s a relief in itself. As far as what she’s done in the past, don’t care about it. I love the workout and will continue with it until the next one comes out. BTW who cares what GP and Madge look like - this work is for personal satisfaction not for a celebrity lookalike.
Hey enough with the tomato and egg throwing here. Like some women, I was on a weight training regime and instead of losing weight, I bulked which is really not what I wanted, but I’ve been doing some basic toning exercises following Tracy’s method for the last 8 weeks and I’ve noticed myself becoming leaner. However, I don’t subscribe to her diet though coz I love to eat. It’s really at the end of the day, up to the individual to take the best of every new workout and eat a healthy, balanced diet to maintain health and weight.
The ultimate reason why one should be exercising is not to look hot and get a great bod but to have health. I repeat, health.
Please visit http://www.tracyandersonmethod.com and read Tracy’s letter to clients to fully understand this post. Please then google “Do you realize Tracy Anderson” if the full letter to Gwyneth and Madonna does not appear below.
Regards to all,
Glynn Barber
Realizations:
Hello Gwyneth and Madonna,
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson’s Hybrid Body Reformer was actually designed and built by an Indiana based engineer and does not belong to Tracy Anderson? Do you realize that my company Qualtech Tool & Engineering was hired by Tracy Anderson representing herself and EoLA to design and build these machines? Do you realize Tracy Anderson never paid for the design or the build? Would you like to speak with the designer and builder of this equipment?
Do you realize that the 12 original HBR machines designed and built for the EoLA Indianapolis Indiana Studio and the Studio City studio, by me, were never paid for by Tracy Anderson? Do you realize that Tracy Anderson asked me to get involved with EoLA when she couldn’t pay for the machines blaming her MBA business partner in EoLA? Those machines are still in use today and have never been paid for.
Do you realize that you are having my proprietary equipment built and put into your New York Studio without my permission Gwyneth?
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson’s outlandish lies about me such as my locking her in our broom closet for 3 days in our Noblesville IN home with no food and no water are merely an attempt to cover up her con of an Indiana businessman and his 4 children?
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson lied to me and all of her clients about working with the New York Knicks trainers and doctors performing research for her “Method”? Do you realize Eric Anderson confirmed that these were all lies fabricated by Tracy Anderson? Ask the trainers and team doctors that were with the Knicks during Eric Anderson’s playing tenure.
Do you realize you could do what I did and ask Tracy Anderson for confirmation and valid research on the muscle biopsies and other research she claimed to have done and had done?
Do you realize you may ask for a meeting with these researchers and Doctors? On second thought, don’t do that, Tracy Anderson will view it as a threat to her survival and try her best to negate any business dealings with you. Also she will fabricate terrible stories and you would be surprised because she is such a natural actress, all levels of education want to believe her every word.
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson has never performed any research what so ever on her “method”. She has only charted a few clients progress with an excel program. Do you realize that I personally paid the college student from Noblesville IN, to do that for her? Actually I can only verify that no research had been attempted through June of 07’. You may have helped her do research since then that I am unaware of.
Do you realize that any reputable fitness organization or publication may ask for this research? It would be interesting to see exactly what would be presented, wouldn’t it?
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson’s sister is the same size as Tracy Anderson, and it is genetics? Tracy Anderson’s brother is built the same. Again, genetics. Tracy Anderson’s mother is over the age of 60 and a beautiful thin woman. Genetics.
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson’s method is nothing more than a 1,000 calorie a day diet and anaerobic exercise? She has the client, i.e.… you, perform 80 - 100 reps of 8-12 exercises, normal studio time, 1 hour on a reformer with spring resistance and an hour of cardio. You obviously understand the principles behind any exercise.
Do you realize that anyone determined to lose weight or get into their best possible physical shape will do so with proper mindset and motivation. A sensible diet and an hour of cardio on top of your hour of anaerobic exercise and presto, the magic formula is revealed. Remember, I own Tracy Anderson Studios, LLC and I know this to be fact!
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson is very charismatic and very much a motivator. Of course you do!
Do you realize Tracy Anderson is a scam artist and has bilked thousands from many small business men and women? Do you realize that Tracy Anderson must be held accountable to those many small business persons?
Do you realize you need to go no further than the Hamilton County Courthouse in Noblesville Indiana to seek the truth about Tracy Anderson?
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson was arrested in late 06’ for contempt of court for failing to pay a $274 judgment and failing to show up to court about the matter for years? Do you realize that judgment was for a fireplace repair at Tracy and Eric Anderson’s home located at 18017 Kinder Oak Drive, Noblesville IN 46062? Do you realize she has plagiarized this to be a wrongful arrest because of a bad debt of her business partner? Do you realize that this arrest reasoning is public record? Would you like to speak with the repairman whom sued Tracy Anderson?
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson was sued by Shutters in Santa Monica CA because she left them with an $18,000 catering bill that Tracy Anderson refused to pay after one of her EoLA boot camps? I paid Tracy Anderson’s half of the settlement on this suit for her. Do you realize that this too is public record?
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson was going to be sued by the contractors in LA during the Studio City CA studio build out, for lack of payment? Would you like to speak with these gentlemen? Do you realize that I paid for the build out of the studio ($80,000 plus).
Do you realize Tracy Anderson was going to be sued by both the Indiana Studio and Studio City, CA studio landlords? I personally paid current, from 4 months of no pay, the lease payments for Indianapolis and Studio City leases in December of 05’? Do you realize that was a total of $50,000 plus invested into EoLA when they owed me over $100,000?
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson lied to everyone claiming that her and Eric Anderson we’re divorced? Do you realize this was in the winter of 05’- 06’? Her clients, her employees, her family! Do you realize that Tracy told all of her family, friends, and her client’s that Eric was an abusive alcoholic and that was the reasoning for their divorce? You could ask one or all of them.
Do you realize in March of 06’ Tracy Anderson asked one of her clients if a few million dollars was a lot of money. The client responded “absolutely, why”? Do you know that rascal Tracy Anderson replied “Because GB has a few million dollars that I know of.“ Would you like to speak with this individual?
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson and I started flirting in February of 06’ and developed a personal relationship in May of 2006 during the filming of Tracy Anderson’s DANCE AEROBICS DVD? Do you realize that I personally produced that video? That entire project was paid for by my personal check. I have a copy if you would like to see it? Do you realize that Tracy Anderson unlawfully negotiated the distribution of this video and kept all but $9,000 of the proceeds?
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson and I bought a home in Noblesville IN in August of 06’?
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson threw a huge fit in late August of 06′ because I hadn’t proposed to her, literally forcing me to buy her an engagement ring at Rock Star jewelry in Malibu CA ($14,000) the last week of August 06’? Ask the folks there. It is a beautiful store and I’m sure they would love to have you visit them if you haven’t already.
Do you realize I had a conversation with Tracy Anderson’s sister about this forced engagement and her sister was well aware of my apprehensions? Do you realize Tracy Anderson is notorious for throwing completely irrational temper tantrums? Do you realize that Tracy Anderson threw this engagement tantrum in front of our Indianapolis Studio general manager?
Do you realize I proposed to Tracy Anderson on Sept 5th, 2006 at the Four Seasons in Santa Monica CA, the day that ring was picked up from Rock Star after being sized. Do you realize Tracy Anderson accepted my proposal? Kind of strange since Tracy Anderson and Eric Anderson weren’t even legally separated. Do you realize this looks like a “PIMP MY WIFE FOR MONEY” sitcom except it isn’t a comedy at all?
Do you realize when I found out that Tracy Anderson wasn’t divorced I escorted her, at her request, to an attorney to file for divorce? I paid that attorney, at Tracy’s request, for the divorce filing. Would you like to talk with that attorney? She is a family law attorney in Muncie Indiana.
Do you realize Tracy Anderson continued the lie claiming she had filed for divorce from Eric Anderson for several months thereafter when in reality; she had repeatedly refused the attorneys requests to sign and return the necessary documents to allow divorce filing? Do you realize Tracy Anderson’s sister and brother in law called the state of Indiana were the ones responsible for calling Tracy Anderson out on the lack of filing for divorce?
Do you realize Eric Anderson also went along with Tracy Anderson’s lie for monetary gain?
Do you realize that I gave Tracy Anderson and Eric Anderson no less than $20,000, completely traceable, to pay off their joint overdrawn Merchants National Bank checking account in May of 06’? Do you realize that I paid Eric Anderson thousands of dollars monthly for 3 months because of “Tracy Anderson’s” incurred past personal financial obligations while the couple was “married”.
Do you realize the question of the day, January 22nd, 2009, is this? Is “The most married, unmarried couple” as quoted in Gotham magazine by Tracy Anderson, really divorced? Interesting to say the least.
Do you realize that I founded Tracy Anderson Studios, LLC, an Indiana company and the California counterpart? Do you realize the corporate documents were drawn up with Tracy Anderson owning 51% and she refused to sign the documents on April 24th, 2006, the day Tracy Anderson Studios, LLC was a legal entity. Do you realize my attorney then had to redraft the documents with me owning 100% until Tracy was “comfortable” owning any part of the studios? Would you like to talk to this attorney?
Do you realize I gave Tracy Anderson’s attorney, Jack Hittle in Noblesville IN, the original documents showing Tracy as 51% owner in January of 07’ immediately following Tracy’s request for me to do so?
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson and I sat in Mr. Hittle’s office that very day and signed the documents? Do you realize that to this day, those papers have never been filed with the States of Indiana or California? Do you realize what this means? I do.
Do you realize Tracy Anderson told me that you Gwyneth, wanted to partner with she and I in Tracy Anderson Studios, LLC in May of 07’ while you were hosting us in the Hampton’s? You would be interested to know how I came to be “ousted” from my own business on false promises and forgery.
Do you realize Tracy Anderson blamed her EoLA business partner for all of her financial woes and back taxes and I believed Tracy Anderson? Obviously now, according to her website, she is blaming yet another party. See Gwyneth, you and Madonna are in good company. Many good people such as us have been railroaded by Tracy Anderson.
Do you realize it was Tracy Anderson that actually kept over drafting EoLA business accounts using them as her personal accounts? This is all easily accessible for proof.
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson, representing EoLA sold almost $300,000 worth of “prepaid” sessions in Indianapolis in 2004 and 2005? Do you realize that some clients of EoLA bought over 4 years of sessions up front and at a discount ($19 per session)?
Do you realize Tracy Anderson Studios, LLC was in no way connected with EoLA yet I honored Tracy Anderson’s EoLA client’s sessions?
Do you realize that the first course of action I took with Tracy Anderson Studios, LLC was to set up a monthly billing plan for new clients at Tracy Anderson Studio’s, LLC, thus giving a monthly cash flow allowing the company to establish a budget. Do you realize I discouraged any client from paying in full for a year at a time and encouraged a monthly credit card or checking account draft?
Do you realize that when Tracy Anderson dismantled the Indianapolis studio in May of 07’, that I reimbursed $17,000 to the clients of Tracy Anderson Studios, LLC in June of 07’?
Do you realize that I had always stated, in front of attorneys, that neither Tracy Anderson Studios, LLC nor I personally had any connection to EoLA? Do you realize what I am implicating?
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson representing EoLA was responsible for collecting and spending the monies that the long standing Indianapolis clients, EoLA clients, were upset about and wanting refunded when Tracy Anderson abruptly shut down the Indianapolis Studio? Would you like to see the books of from April of 06’ through Jan 07’ for Tracy Anderson Studios, LLC? Would you like to talk with one or all of these EoLA clients?
Tracy Anderson spent this money long before she asked me to invest in EoLA. Do you realize this is why she couldn’t pay me either?
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson also repeatedly over drafted Tracy Anderson Studio’s LLC business accounts, regularly forcing me to inject monies from my personal savings? I am more than happy to provide all financials to you.
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson forged my signature on some of my personal checks? I have them if you would like to see them.
Do you realize that I couldn’t file my 07’ taxes because Tracy Anderson wouldn’t pay her accounting bill with the accounting firm she handpicked after she gained a 51% ownership of Tracy Anderson Studios, LLC in January of 07’? To this day, I have no financial information from 07’ for Tracy Anderson Studios, LLC. Do you realize I have had several failed attempts to acquire this information?
Do you realize I asked Tracy Anderson in September of 07’ to pay off a $12,000 Tracy Anderson Studios, LLC payroll loan with Old National Bank in Portland IN that I had personally guaranteed? Do you realize that Tracy Anderson then emptied the company payroll account the monthly payment was being drafted out of? Do you realize when I confronted Tracy Anderson about this that Tracy Anderson handed the phone to Eric Anderson and then both instructed me to file bankruptcy?
Do you realize Eric Anderson stated he was in Chapter 13, yet again admitting it was only a ploy he and his attorney started to prolong the Sheriffs sale of Tracy and Eric Anderson’s home located in Noblesville IN and prolong the repossession of Eric Andersons Navigator truck. Do you realize that Eric Anderson stated the filing was to buy time for the Anderson’s since they had filed bankruptcy only a couple of years earlier? Would you like to talk to my banker? Would you like to talk to the Anderson’s home owners association or the Sheriff of Hamilton County IN?
Do you realize that Tracy Anderson never opened any of her mail by her choice? Not because of a controlling business partner, husband, or lover, rather because she wasn’t responsible enough to do so. Do you realize this has been a long standing issue with Tracy Anderson according to both of her parents, both of her siblings, and all of her employees before April 24th, 2006?
Do you realize I found my manufacturing companies unopened invoices for the original 12 machines I designed and built for EoLA, in Tracy Anderson’s and my garage, when I was cleaning it after the notice of coming foreclosure of our home. Do you realize the envelopes, several of them containing statements and invoices, were in a box full of unopened mail addressed to Young Artists and Athletes, HardCore Pilates, EoLA and Tracy and Eric Anderson dating back 3 – 4 years? A simple credit report will substantiate this.
Do you realize that Young Artists and Athletes, Hardcore Pilates and EoLA are all bankrupt companies once owned by the Andersons? Do you realize there are more?
Do you realize that my children’s college fund is what ultimately set up your New York Studio Gwyneth? Do you realize that my children are the most important people in the world to me and your business associate and “partner” has much to answer for? Do you realize that you are involved with blood money stolen from 4 children and a community of 6,700?
Do you realize that the Indianapolis employees of Tracy Anderson Studio’s, LLC prior to June of 07’ would negate any claims by Tracy Anderson that anyone was in control of Tracy Anderson or the chaotic studios other than Tracy Anderson herself?
I have the complete employee listing and contact information if you care to decipher the facts of Tracy Anderson’s uncanny ability to project her worst into the lives of others. Case in point; her ridiculous “Letter to Clients” on her website. That letter personifies the real Tracy Blythe Anderson, and is nothing more than a textbook psychological projection of her fears, wrong doings and pain imposed upon others.
Do you realize that I wrote and initiated a business plan for Tracy Anderson Studios, LLC in the spring of 06’? Do you realize it involved several studios opening around the world, several DVD’s, a clothing and shoe line, equipment and book sales? Sound familiar? Do you realize I supplied my bank and my accountant a copy of this business plan in 2006? Do you realize what this means? Would you like a copy of the business plan, partner?
Do you realize that I am about to prove, beyond the shadow of a doubt, in a Hamilton County Indiana Courtroom, that Tracy Anderson, Tracy Anderson Method and any other business entity or partnership Tracy Anderson has set up or been involved with since January of 07’ is nothing more than a crude attempt to deny yet another businessman/business partner his or her investment and returns. My $800,000 investment is anything but forgotten.
Do you realize because of my trusting in Tracy Anderson, not only have I lost several million dollars personally, an entire community, Portland IN, lost a vital economic project. This project would have generated millions for an economically depressed East Central Indiana. My profits from Tracy Anderson Studios, LLC were going to be dispersed to finish building Xplex-llc, the worlds largest Extreme Sports and Motorsports Park. Do you realize that you can verify this at http://www.xplexpark.com? Would you like to talk to the Governor or Lieutenant Governor of Indiana about me and my Xplex Project?
Gwyneth, you and I met on several occasions. You and Chris genuinely welcomed and accepted me into your home. My daughter played with your children. So who am I? I am the man Tracy and Eric Anderson conned. I am the man Tracy Anderson was raving about until the minute you mentioned involving yourself in Tracy Anderson Studios, LLC. I believe you to be a good woman, a good mother and a good wife. It is interesting however as to whether the definition of a good person includes doing proper due diligence on one before you defame and try to assassinate their character. Does this mean anything to you?
Madonna, we also met on several occasions. I find it both humorous and redeeming, not in a negative fashion, that you, once voted the 3rd most powerful woman in the world, are in the same position I was in until June of 07’. You are completely suckered and stuck with Tracy Anderson and her “method”. You of all people are smarter than this.
It is quite interesting that both of you, Gwyneth and Madonna, have endorsed Tracy Anderson as a product and neither of you, with all of your resources, did any due diligence before doing so. I hope at the very least that this gets the attention of a few fact finders and attorneys within your organizations, before someone gets hurt and demands the studies and research materials trying to prove negligence.
I do not want either of you to suffer any significant loss or repercussions stemming from your association with Tracy and Eric Anderson.
I encourage anyone, everyone, to investigate these facts and the Realization’s I have provided and attempt to discredit even one.
Do you realize the real story here is sad? A young woman, so warped, so insecure of her abilities and inabilities, that she resorts to trying to ruin the lives of philanthropic and caring human beings for the benefit of only herself.
Do you realize I promote the success of others as a way of life and I wish you Gwyneth, you Madonna and even Tracy Anderson, success attained legally and honestly and with integrity.
This isn’t the place to go into detail about my journey while I’ve been associated with Tracy Anderson. This is a brief reality of a day in the life of one of Tracy and Eric Anderson’s many victims.
My name is Glynn Barber. I can be reached via email, glynnbar@hotmail.com
Now I feel a little sick about being so gung ho about TA. My god, Glynn Barber, thank you for writing this.
Even I feel just a bit ripped off after paying such a large amount for DVD’s and shipping and COD’s. I’m supporting someone with no scruples and a lack of integrity. I will be so very careful with anything associated with TA in the future. Also, I don’t get why Paltrow and Madge would endorse someone without knowing the dishonest background. I hope that you are refunded some of the money (I’m sure she’s making alot now) and that this can be put to rest for you, eventually.
this is such great information. thanks for the insight.
Oh my goodness!
Shame on the those involved in this article. Those photos have clearly been altered to make the subjects look disgusting. I would like very much to look like Gwyneth Paltrow.
If you have basic facts to support your judgements then fair enough but that is bad form. It really is.
Mr Barber, have some self-respect. Please deal with your issues in private.
I’m annoyed by people who are so stupid that they have to “note their sarcasm”… ha!
Brian
First, great website and just found it by accidents! Saw a Tracy Anderson advertisement and was curious so decided to investigate and viola!
Appreciated all the comments about her method and agree if you do anything consistently for x amount of times, results will happen (whether it is excerising or eating!!).
2 questions - is there a place on your website thaat reviews your recommendations for best abs/core strengthing exercises. Second question - the videos that I previewed had men performing the different excercises - any differences for women?
Am a 62 year old female who began weighting training 2 and a half years ago. It has changed my life and lifestyle. My goal is to promote flexibility and stregth training that supports the aging process. Keep up the good work!
WOW! What can I say people can be so mean about others. Whether her way of training is right or wrong surely it’s up to her clients - Madonna/Gwyneth - to make their own minds up.
I do not agree with Tracey’s diet I think it is crazy to encourage such a low calore diet especially as your body needs energy to function properly. However in some cases and approved by your doctor, low calories diets can be considered ok for a short period of time. Everyone’s body responds differently to exercise and there are so many contributing factors as to how quickly or slowly you will change your body shape. I do however agree high endurance work, such as pilates, callanetics and Tracey’s exercises do work. But it is important not to forget to include some weight strengthening in to your weekly exercise routine. Otherwise the hormone cortisol will increase and testorone levels will decrease, muscle tissue will be break down resulting in the effects of over training.
I do not know about Tracey’s credentials, but if you study the human body and know how it works then you should be able to train efficiently. If you don’t then find yourself a Personal Trainer, have a consultation to see if you get a long with them.
Lifes too short to bitch about others and lets just remember we all make mistakes in life and without knowing the full facts we should never assume we know the full story!
Rachel
Personal Trainer
I feel I have to agree with Rachel. For years i have struggled with weight loss and trying to keep fit. All the DVD,s out there i get bored with within a few weeks. I am now 7 weeks into it I have not dieted at all but the difference is amazing. I have had to buy all new clothes as the others hang off me. Tracey may have made mistakes as we all have and she may not feel proud of what she has done in the past. I think hand on heart we can all say that. My point is I would like to thank her for giving me back my life. I only work out three times a week with her Dance video but the I have lost inches every where. I feel good have more energy. So for people like me who have struggled I just feel grateful to her and with all the nastiness going on the site you could put off very real people like myself from trying her work outs. its a free world and i for one am not going to judge. I think the proof is in the pudding.
love and light to everyone
kimmy
Wow, Tracy Anderson is opening a studio in Manhattan (source: http://www.fitsugar.com/2792149)…the monthly membership is only an affordable 900$!
Let’s see, what else could I do with 900$?
I could get Craig Ballantyne’s Turbulence Training for 39.95$, work out 1 hour x 3 times a week and lose fat;
I could get Alwyn Cosgrove’s Afterburn for 59.99$ and get a ripped body;
I could get Robert dos Remedios’ “Power Training” for as little as 10.85$ on Amazon and become lean and muscular…
I’d still have enough money left for a vacation to enjoy the body of my dreams - obtained working out 3 times a week instead of 2 hours a day like Tracy Anderson advocates. I’d have stronger bones, a higher resting metabolic rate and would be able to move heavy stuff around without crying for help.
The authors I mentioned are world-renowned fitness authorities (they train athletes) that apply the laws of human physiology to their workouts instead of making them up (Quoting from Tracy Anderson’s Mat Workout DVD: “You never wanna go over 3 lbs, because you’ll bulk. And bulk is gonna create space for loose skin”)
For those doubting what Brian and Glenn have said, as a resident of Noblesville, in Hamilton County Indiana, all is true. I have known the family for years. Check her credits. She’s never been on Broadway, never starred in a movie/tv show. She doesn’t have degrees or special training in training/sports physiology. I’m sorry Glenn you went through all of that. We who knew her as a teen knew she was a GREAT actress with little substance. She conned her high school friends…..just as she is conning her clients. Good luck to you.
First, I will say that I whole-heartedly agree that the diet TA is pushing is very unhealthy and does not equate to a wholesome, healthful, well-rounded diet. BUT let’s be real. I can name ATLEAST five major trainers/companies with workout dvd’s that push the SAME kind of restrictive diet to encourage “fast” weight loss. So her “diet” is not really unique to TA. Second, I am not investing in Tracy Anderson, I am investing in MY life and MY health. Do we REALLY want to begin listing politicians, presidents, trainers, celebrities, musicians, lawyers, etc. et.c that are unscrupulous and law breakers? I don’t see people rushing to boycott or picket these individuals. I seriously wish people would stop idolizing famous/infamous/well known people as these superior moral individuals. Give me a break. They are human beings just like you and I. They may be charismatic, great actors/actresses, great singers, fit individuals etc. but that means you should respect their trade not looking to them as some sort of God-like figure. I open to discussing the rhetoric of TA training method but not listening to one-sided complaints about a situation I have ZERO clue about. Third, I feel sorry for you GB as it sounds like you are a shafted lover. If your claims are indeed true, then justice will prevail in the courts. There is no payment or gratitude for you in the court of public opinion. Finally, I began using TA mat workout a few weeks ago. It has done wonders for my body. I have a naturally “thick” frame. At 5′5 and 155 pds I wear a size 6/8. Further I have lost 90 pounds in the last 9 months by doing various workouts. At the end of the day as long as you keep moving more days a week than not and eat a relatively healthy diet YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT. Is there some “secret” to her method? I don’t know, but I like incorporating it into my workout routines and it defintely gives me a good workout. Do what works for you.
I think you need to be less angry and read get informed more and workout more. Probably if you stop being so narrow minded and actually try some suggestions and incorporate them into your workout you will probably get some results. Instead of giving an opinion based on ignorance and anger.
I bought the mat video a litte over three weeks ago. I can completely see the difference already in my body. My arms, my shoulders, my butt, my waist everywhere has changed.
The dance/cardio workout is a little too complicated for me but I switched this for P90x Ken Po… I love the workout by Tracy Anderson the diet I am not following..
After reading all of the above and comments on various other websites, I have to say that Tracy sounds like a very mixed up and sad person. However, I bought her Dance cardio DVD recently and I absolutely love it. Ok, so there is no cueing and no safety pointers, and this was such an important part of my training - but, you know what? it works. I love this workout, the moves, the music, everything. So,in the midst of all this negativity, there is a positive.
Thanks, Debbiex
[...] You can read more about her awesomeness here, here or here. [...]
I am a young woman, aged 24 and I agree with Brian St. Pierre that this ‘trainer’ is basically a scam and a fraud who is comparable to those people selling such fads as the ‘lemon detox diet’.
Women will say that they get ‘results’ from this diet and exercise plan but I wonder how sustainable the results are? I have friends who have fasted for a week and have lost 10lbs or more. Guess how long it takes for the weight to come back? That’s right, about two weeks, maybe a month.
To achieve an all round tightened figure all one has to do is perform a mixture of exercises, not just one modality. For example weights one day, yoga the next, as well as plenty (but not excessive) cardio. Its not a stroke of genius, its science.
Furthermore to maintain metabolism, a person must eat healthy foods, all of the time. Restricting calories to such an extent as this woman advises is only going to create muscle catabolism, slowing the metabolism, creating a weaker, more frail and less attractive woman.
i’ve been using her post-pregnancy dvd and i think its great. i’ve noticed she is not scientifically articulate, but other than that, why do you knock her so much? its working on my body. do you have a better alternative?
Author,
Look at your venomous, bile-spitting outburst and feel ashamed of yourself. Then look at her photos and the way she’s moulded her body (whatever her methods, everyone is FREE to decide if they want to put themselves through them). And last but not least, let’s have a photo of YOU just to compare your heavenly physique with that of the “conartist”. You’re disgusting and jealous, and all you have left is talking trash about someone who made it big, and who still helps those who want to be helped to regain their looks and well-being.
Glynn, get over it. You are in no position to call anyone a cheater and a liar.
The real story is that no one held a gun to your head and told you to cheat on and like to your wife and kids, and frankly you deserve every single bad break you’ve gotten for breaking a vow you made to God in front of others to keep yourself true to one woman.
Grow up, get a backbone and stop being such a whiner. Instead of stalking Tracy Anderson through cyberspace in a pathetic attempt to get everyone to feel sorry for you, act like a man and start figuring out how you can make this up to your own family.
PS - if you had any real legal claim, a competent attorney would have already handled your business and none of us would be burdened with your tired rants.
Thanks, Brian, for exposing this scam artist and the crap she tries to pass off as training science.
I wish more women could find the time to read your post with an unbiased mind instead of rushing to buy everything advertised on the idiot box.
Looks like other people are talking about her…
http://www.asiseefit.ca/2009/01/13/oprah-gwyneth-tracy-anderson-the-demise-of-fitness/
http://www.fitnessfixation.com/?p=837
http://thefitcast.com/?p=994
http://thefitcast.com/?p=894
http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/entertainment/step_up/index.php/2008/10/02/no-woman-should-lift-more-than-3-lbs-in-other-news-boston-based-strength-coachtrainer-just-went-postal/
http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=gwyneth_buys_into_bulking_up_myth
I have all Tracy’s DVDs and she never even mentioned this diet during these videos. So, she doesn’t think that is essential to be fit.
Obviously, different things will work for different people. What I think is unfair and misguided is that people can’t seem to separate this woman’s personal life from the services she offers to her clients. I have worked with Tracy on two separate occasions (for 6 months in 2006 and presently)–and BOTH times I have seen significant results, despite a massive evolution her method over the last few years. In 2006, I worked with her Hybrid Body Reformer machine, did NO cardio with her at all and did NOT follow her diets. And I still lost 29 inches overall in 6 months. It’s fun, it’s motivating, it’s tangible, it changes every 5-10 sessions depending on your program, it’s a nice environment to work out in (clean, bright, friendly, where a woman doesn’t have to feel uncomfortable). And I have been waiting with baited breath for the last 2 and half years for her to make it to NY. So naturally, I am excited to be back in training with her method again. And this time around I’ve lost 8.5 pounds and come down a dress size in a month–mind you after being in the WORST shape of my life.
Let me make a few things clear: she does NOT require you to work out 12 hours a week–I don’t–(in fact if you watch her cardio DVD she recommends FOUR times per week and routine is 45 MINS), she does NOT require you to starve yourself (the menus are OPTIONAL–and they are closer to 1500 calories per day than 1000), she does NOT require you to pay for a full year up front, she will NOT force you to do the same routines or eat the same menus as the person standing next to you because she WILL customize your workouts to be most suitable to you and the results you would like to achieve.
Say what you will about her allegedly messy personal life…I never had a single problem at the LA studio and I have no problems no. And regardless–it works. I have never been skinny, but I always been active (was a dancer for 14 years, played soccer, etc.) and have tried a ton of different things (up to and including boxing) and NOTHING has ever had the results that Tracy’s method does–especially on my super problem areas.
People are always entitled to their opinions, but like I said–don’t knock it until you try it…you might be very pleasantly surprised.
I think Tracey is more into herself then doing a ‘real workout??’
another fake wannabe LA chick!!
try again…
Thank You for exposing this fraud! As for Madge and Gwynnie endorsing Ms. Anderson, that says it all for me. I would not wnat to look like any of these shrews any day. There are some among us who don’t get sucked into the vortex of what ever hot, new trend is being smoke and mirror beamed at us.
I find the strong polarity towards this woman SO interesting. There seems to be a certain group of people who think that there is one way to “train” for all body types and seem very upset when it doesn’t include massive amounts of weight.
Like others have commented on here, I have a background in gymnastics. I am short and naturally very muscular; I bulk up VERY easily and I have not come across a trainer who seems to understand that lifting 10-15lbs is not something that is flattering on my body type.
Later in life I became very active in dance, and it completely transformed my body from short and stocky to longer and leaner. Many of Tracy’s movements are centered around ballet Barre exercises, which build incredible strength and endurance.
As for her diet, I have never tried it but I glanced over one of her plans and didn’t see what the huge deal was. Minus the meat and gluten (I have Celiac Disease), and with a little more variety, that is what I eat on a daily basis and I am by no means scrawny, boney, or unhealthy by any stretch of the word. I have studied nutrition and Traditional Chinese Medicine so my claims are not uninformed.
I’m sick of people who want to get in shape but don’t want to make a diet change or actually make time to workout. The diet Tracey recommends is temporary. It is meant to jump start your change in diet to help you get to the point where you can start to eat things you want. Stop being bitter that you are fat and lazy and don’t really want to change. And as for the mulitple reps she recommneds for her workouts- it’s common sense! Every woman is told if you want to tone without bulk- use light weight with a load of reps! So to all you haters actually get off your butts and try something different!!!
I fall into Magda’s category here. I am a devoted fitness guru and studying dietetics. I have tried it all when it comes to exercise and i have to say i like Tracey ’s moves and the no -weights or body weight. I have since seen changes in my physique and for the first time i feel i am getting the results i want. Take squats for an example……Oh my did i squat down the years and my rear only got bigger. I now have switched to Tracey’s and have found for the first time my rear is shapely and not as bulbous.
My complaints are totally don’t agree with such a restricted diet and her exercise dvd’s are very poorly cued. So if you understand what she is getting at, then try to follow your own.
im a, little confused here, until yesterday i’d never heard of tracy andeson, but found last weeks daily mail(uk) magazine where tracy had given an exclusive interview with any williams, i read it and came away thinkin that this was a workout you can do and not worry too much about what you eat here is an extract:
That i have secured the chance to train with tracy seems remarkable. At our workout i have to admit that, having just returned from holiday with friends, the focus of which was food and drink, i feel a little guilty, SURELY SUCH INDULGENCES ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE TRACY ANDERSON METHOD?
“My method is about the exercising not the eatong. I mean boy can i eat. Sometimes i get out of control too” she says to my instant releif
“i have crossonts for breakfast abd burritos for lunch and two desserts and then cupcakes late.I mean please! im not saying you should be bad every meal, but if you work out you should never have to feel guiolty”
Tracey may be the kind of girl who would rather live off mcdanalds and keep exercising than forgo the work outs for a lifetime of green salads but sureley she cant tell me that Madonna ever eats cupcakes?
“absolutaly” says tracy “especially thoses red velvet ones. And gwyneth’s buckwheat pancakes are to die for. They do eat well, i promise you. They just work hard too” Un quote
Do you see my confusion you can probably read the entire article on line at http://www.you.co.uk it was in the 3rd may 2009 edition. It makes interesting reading. i would love to loose a bit of weight and am still in two minds about the tracy anderson method.
Tracy Anderson is a genius. You (the bozo who put up this Tracy Anderson bashing piece) are truly troubled. I am embarrassed for you. Just another trainer who thinks his way is the only way. There is something to be said for traditional methods of working out–I worked out that way for 15 years. It wasn’t until I started Tracy Anderson’s method that I transformed my body. I now have tons of beautiful definition in my arms, legs, buns, and abs. I am sleek and toned and get compliments all the time on my physique. And it’s all due to TRACY. And her diet is only a ‘for starters’ diet. It’s to jumpstart your metabolism and shed some pounds from the get go. There is nothing unhealthy about not eating processed food and other crap. It is widely agreed upon that a woman who works out regularly only needs about 1300 to 1500 calories daily. That’s what wrong with so many people’s way of thinking. They think they should be able to eat crap all day just because they are exercising. Well wake up people, it doesn’t work that way. Tracy’s method is no-nonsense and tells it like it is: You have to work out hard and eat less if you want to look and feel your best.
All this hype around one woman makes me highly suspect. Her whirling dervish PR makes Dr. Atkins come to my mind. We all know what happened to him and his infamous center. Be very careful Tracey, at least Dr. Atkin’s had a medical degree.
Have you tried the exercises? They really do burn calories and tone muscle. As a professional dancer, I know that even the smaller muscle groups must be targeted in order to maintain a great fitness level. And when combining that with a cardio workout? It has wonderful results. Trust.
I don’t know enough about her “diet tips” to comment on it so I won’t.
Look, don’t knock it til you try it. Thats all I have to say.
This trainer is just mad his neck is as wide as his head. Guess what- your method isn’t the only way. Don’t hate on her just because she is making money and getting her name out there.
This is obviously a very emotive subject to some people. I come from a family of short people and on my dad’s side, very rotund people. I am 5′4″ and weigh about 115 pounds. I run three to four times a week, go on long leisurely hikes at weekends, ocassionally do the odd bout of sit ups and eat three, small healthy meals a day, that includes fatty fish, steak, bread and potatoes, have lattes and muffins at least twice a week and drink lots of beer on a weekend. I look bloody brilliant and have a fantastic sex life with a very good looking guy.
Tracey Anderson reminds me of when I was 15; borderline anorexic, obsessed with my weight; exercising compulsively and not having much of a life outside that. Don’t get me wrong I think she looks amazing, but quite frankly I don’t think her method is ‘rocket science’, she basically exercises a hell of a lot and eats very few calories, carbohydrates or fats. Big deal.
I don’t think that is good for your body in the long term and I think there is so much more to life.
At least in this photo, and many others of Madonna, she looks like her body fat is WAY too low! BUT, her muscles are bulging. A lot of muscle, and too little fat. I find it difficult to believe that Madonna can maintain that kind of muscle and actually “bulky” upper body that she has, with only 3lb weights. You can’t say Madonna is weak!
As for Tracy, I love her body overall, but her arms especially are a bit too skinny. She just doesn’t look all that strong. She does look like she has incredible stamina and endurance though, so she is more like an endurance athlete and that is what she is promoting. There is nothing wrong with that, and in fact, most endurance athletes like dancers and runners don’t want to gain too much muscle or bulk because the weight of it slows them down and is inefficient. It is all just a matter of what function you want to have and what do you want to look like. Muscle endurance is just as important and valid as muscle size and strength. There are tons of people who do nothing but running and yoga and they have incredible health and look very strong. I don’t believe that there is anything wrong with lifting heavier weights at all, but it is also known that you can get strong with no weights at all and just bodyweight exercises. It sounds like she targets different muscles and stabilizer muscles, not just the large muscle groups. Personally for myself, I think that working both is ideal. Working the large muscle groups like with squats and pushups, but also the smaller ones with something like this or with pilates or yoga etc. As far as the super high reps, you still build muscle, it is just a different process. What builds muscle is fatiguing the muscle, which can be done with very short bursts of high intensity, or longer bursts of lower intensity. It is like the debate between short high intensity cardio and long slow cardio. They will both burn calories in the end. If I can do 100 pushups, I would say I was pretty strong and building muscle!
It blows my mind. Here I am an excellent yoga teacher and can barely get students and then there is Tracy Anderson; who from what I read about her is not a very good person and people are stuffing her pockets with money. Something is very wrong with this picture. I read she has people on a 500 calorie a day food intake; that is insanity! The photo’s I have recently seen of Madonna are sad; she looks ill. I certainly don’t want my students to look like that.
Yup, her workouts do make a difference, but for all of you people, who don’t want to give more money to a scammer, or someone who does not need it, its called demonoid.com. Absolutely wonderful, completely free. Stop complaining, give it a try. By the way, I do bulk, and bulking suck, because my grand-ma bulked when she was young and now her under arms look like clothes drying on a clothes line, so yup, bulk=more space for loose skin later on. It’s common knowledge that after a certain age when you don’t workout as much or at all, that the skin becomes loose, and yes, the muscle delfates, look at pics of Arnold Shwartzenager and tell me what you think. So please, just stop criticizing everything she says, because she says is on a DVD, so if you want to use a 10 lbs weight to do the workout you can.
And yes, Madonna looks like she’s one of the starving kids in Malawi. It’s ugly.
What’s amazing about this article is how much energy is wasted on bashing a woman instead of offering positive alternatives to her method. I read the article twice and there is nothing about what one SHOULD do according to your workout gospel. So if you think TA Method is bunk, then don’t do it. I could go on and on about what I dislike, ticks me off and disapprove of (most of which ranks in the realm of world hunger and poverty, homelessness, gossip and sexual abuse of children and women) but quite frankly, I’m too busy living my happy life, drinking my green juice, doing my 80-100 reps and looking pretty fine in the process. Get with the program - your attitude is uglier than you think Madge’s bod is.
[...] The Tracy Andeson Lie [...]
I’ve been using my Tracy Anderson Method dvd for about three weeks and am seeing really good results. I have not changed my diet except that I am drinking more diet soda instead of regularly soda. I still eat cookies, drink a couple a beers on the weekend, and have fast food sporadically for lunch. My clothes fit soooo much better and my muscles do look longer and leaner. In fact, I’m getting the post pregnancy video (even though I haven’t had a baby) because I like her workouts so much. I don’t know if her technique is new or scientifically proven, b/c I am not a fitness expert. However, I do know that I’m in my thirties and because of her workout I like my body now. Her workout is fun and challenging, so it makes me want to do it at least five times a week. I love Tracy Anderson b/c her method works for me. If you don’t want a teeny weeny dancer body then don’t do her workout. It’s just not for you; I don’t see a reason to be so hateful though.
Hi,
Just wanted to say that I have been working with the TA videos for a few months(especially the post baby one) and I don’t hear her claiming that it is rocket science! What she does claim are results - and she is being honest about that! I don’t diet - ever - and I don’t have time to workout 2 hours a day (especially with a 10 month old at home) - and I am seing amazing results. I have worked out for about 15 years - I have worked with a personal trainer, I have worked with kettleballs, free weights, nautilus, cardio machines, I have played sports (basketball, track), and I did pilates for about five years. I am currently running a lot and have been for many years, yet after having my daughter and being in my thirties, I felt that I couldn’t get my body back. TA’s video’s really work - I cannot believe the change in my body - it is better than when I was in my twenties. I really can’t believe people are trashing her - if you are then you have not tried her method. It may not be complex but it has made me feel the best that I have felt about myself in a really long time - and for that I think that she is genius! And I want to note that I only do this video three times a week. I will continue to work with the videos - regardless of the claims being made against her - I can’t deny the results!
Women have a choice. I personally don’t like the way Madonna looks like but I am also not doing TA’s workouts to look like a celebrity. After 3 kids, I just want to lose weight and tone my muscles. After doing TA’s mat workout for 2 weeks (4x/wk), I am starting to see results. I lost 1kg last week alone without even dieting. How amazing is that! I also look forward to doing her workouts everyday.
I have been doing TA workouts for a few months now. I have the Mat, the Post-Preggers (even if did not have kid. I also have the three webisodes and the Cardio dvd. I do them all during the week to keep things fresh. I do get results, I believe that the extent of the results depend on how hard you work during the workout, cause like she says, you can’t just wave your arms around and think you’ll look great. Nevertheless, I like these workouts, TA’s face not so much, but whatever, its me that counts.
I first want to explain my credentials to those who are unfamiliar with the strength and conditioning world… I have my masters of science degree in Exercise Physiology and am a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. I have had numerous classes in anatomy, physiology, exercise physiology, biomechanics, laborartory and research methods dealing with studying the movement of the human body, and exercise testing and prescription methods.
Completing 80-100 consecutive repetitions is not only a contraindication to muscle and bone strength and health, but it is just dangerous. In order for the body to improve strength a person needs to complete 4-6 sets of six repetitions or less (the heavier weight that the client is able to use for these lower repetition sets improves bone density). To focus on hypertrophy (the growth of skeletal muscle) a client needs to perform 4-6 sets of 8-12 repetitions. An obvious and many times used question that is raised, mainly by females, is that they do not want to get big. Females, on average, naturally have about a tenth of the testosterone that males do so it is next to impossible for a woman to get noticeably bigger without an illegal ergogenic aid (steroids). Steroids would increase a woman’s hormone levels allowing her to put on size.
Another question that could be asked is how will I burn enough calories to lose weight if I am not doing 80-100 repetitions at a time? There are multiple answers:
1. You could superset opposing muscle groups. Do a set of 12 reps on dumbbell bench press and then immediately perform a unilateral back exercise, like a dumbbell row. Your chest and anterior deltoid are resting while your rhomboids, latissimus dorsi, and biceps are performing the row, and vise versa.
2. You could superset any exercise with a core exercise like a four-point plank or Russian twist. JUST DON’T DO CRUNCHES!
3. If you workout with a partner you are going to be resting anyway while they workout. Trust me, once you get away from doing the harmfully high repetition range you will realize that you can increase the weight you are accustomed to when you workout. The weight you picked for 100 reps of arm circles is going to be a lot different then the weight you can do for 12 reps on shoulder press.
4. Performing the 6 or less reps for increased strength or 8-12 reps for hypertrophy are functionally important. You will be able to put those boxes away in your closet without help, standing up from a chair will be easier, carrying your shopping bags after you get paid will be easier, carrying groceries into your home won’t be as exhausting, doing yard work won’t be as tiring, picking up and holding your child won’t be impossible, and the list could go on forever.
I have read several posts putting down BSP for his article. He is basing his comments on fact, her methods have no scientific background, basis, or structure. Too many personal trainers today make up their own system that has no research to support it. They just do it to get noticed… they want THEIR METHOD to make headlines, but they don’t believe that using proper and safe training protocols will be enough. These trainers make up their own system and almost all the time the clients either drop out or get injured. There is a difference between carving your own training niche by being a source of motivation, encouragement, and giving your clients workouts that have your own style attached and giving your clients uneducated, harmful workouts.
According the article I read, Tracy Anderson has a legendary appetite, is very thin, and used to be a ballerina who was chastised for having 20 ‘extra’ pounds. (Extra being entirely subjective according to rigorous and mentally ill post Balanchine ballet ideology.)
All this says to me: eating disorder.
So does her training ‘regimen.’ I agree that it sounds as if she has not a clue what she is talking about.
Tracy Anderson is a genius. Unlike many of the people who have posted their hateful comments, I HAVE ACTUALLY TRIED HER WORKOUTS!!! They are different, and certainly create a leaner look without the bulkiness that comes with moves that target mainly your larger muscles. There is a reason why dancers’ bodies look different than other athletes. I have done her workouts, and I honestly have no desire or intentions to follow any one else’ methods after trying hers. So what if the arm workout has you ‘wave’ your arms? It is a very controlled move and you can really feel your muscles toning (and hurting).
As far as criticising Ms. Anderson’s dieting advice, then don’t follow it. Eat as much as you want or feel is healthy..but your muscles will still get leaner from doing the moves. Her secret is the workout. Madonna may be too thin, but obviously she is terribly toned from the workouts-not from how much or little she eats. It would be one thing to criticize Anderson if she claimed this type of body was easy to achieve. No, it’s hard work. Those of you who posted ignorant comments..and are fitness trainers, dieticians, etc., if you want to be recognized for what you do and have YOUR own success, negatively attacking someone else’ achievements, is not the way to go.
I was able to see results from Anderson’s workouts after a matter of days (and I’ve tried many other exercise methods, and nothing is quite like it). Please stop confusing diet with exercise. The workouts work.
Tracy Anderson’s Method is amazing!!!! I DEFINITLEY RECCOMEND THE METHOD!!! TRY IT.
By the way, the Do You Realize article is absolutely disgusting.
Get over it.
What does any of that have to do with whether the workouts work?!
Please, have some shame and pride for yourself Mr. Barber. Whatever may have happened is no one else’ business but yours and Tracy’s. Keep your whining to yourself.
And writing a letter to Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow? How naive…and obviously in an ‘interesting’ state of mind I might add..
I have been using TAs method for 6 months and have seen AMAZING results. I have exercised my entire life as a swimmer, gymnast, marathon runner and gym rat and have never had results like these! I love the dance DVD and do the mat method regularly. I am toned and fit and get complemented on my arms all the time. I recently downloaded her treadmill workout and tried it 2 days ago and was extremely sore. It is fun and humorous, I got quite a few funny looks from other people in the gym but didn’t care, I have a newfound confidence and could care less what others think is a strange way of working out!
As for those who have their qualms with her….hey we are all human, we all make mistakes, sorry for those of you who got burned but I am a fan!
Wow, i was going to have a look at what Brian St Pierre is all about but after reading his rant about Tracy Anderson i won’t. It’s a bit juvenile having a grown man be so bitchy about anyone let alone a woman….anger management anyone?
I have been following Tracy Anderson’s Method for the past 6 months and have never looked better. Her sequences work wonders for the female form which you are clearly unable to relate to. Tracy’s method will change your body ladies, don’t listen to the cynics and give her a try for a month to see the results for yourselves. All that you have to lose is INCHES. Happy Training!
Well, all i can say is do what u think is best for you to achieve happiness. DO NOT BELIEVE GOSSIP that Mr. Barber creates in his bi-polar rant. That man has absolutely no experience in any field but b.s and is the guy fueling most of the lies on this woman. That guy loathes for attention and wants to be a celebrity and will mow down anyone in front of him to be a celebrity. The truth is that guy caused tas mess in nobelsville. He, like he said, OWNED all the biz. he had all the financials, BANK ACCOUNTS, and vehicles. He made that confession(stupidly) in his rant. That right there shows the story dont jive. He brags about owning her yet blames her when he didnt do his job of paying people. You see, mr barber has a past of not paying people he hires. His xplex venture(park was founded by ideas of 5 people but stolen by barber) ended in in a swamp of lawsuits cause he took monies loaned to the park(1.2million +/-)and threw it at tracey based on the fact that he cld meet celebrities and make lots of money off of rich women around indy and L.A. In Portland, Indiana the man owes an excavation company almost 1 million, stone quarry 25k, had property forclosed, crashed his new vette and took the insurance money and let gmac repo it. This man stole from the company that was majority owned by his then wife and when later discovered in financials, gave large sums of money to girlfriends or poential ones including the start up money for tas in indiana and LA. Now im not saying ta is innocent of prior problems before barber. From overhearing convos in the past, it sounds like she was very nieve and was lacking alot of maturity (still some it sounds) in how a biz runs and admits it. Now you put that under the muniplitive guy like barber, who is like that xs 1000, you end up with people getting hosed and the other running his mouth all over(google or binq glynn barber and see how many sites hes on) blaming the person who has the most to loose. His rants are purely over jealousy that she has celeb clients after him and has nothing to do with the topic of if it works for you. Now what do i think about the topic? i think ta has something that does work for some people just like other diets and excercises. But like other diets and exercises you can go too far. But thats the person on the diets fault and not the trainer. My girlfriend was on the diet for 3 months 2 yrs age and felt great after losing inches. It does work and thats the topic
I have been using her mat workout for 3 weeks and it is the bomb!! I really don’t care about her personal life or business dealings—-what the hell does that have to do with me reshaping my body?
My arms always bulk and I am already noticing that now they are starting to look smaller but defined.
So far I am a completely satisfied customer.
I’m adding my bit about TA simply because for some reason she has got a rise out of me, which is unusual and I’ve taken some time to think about why.
Here’s my first observation. Almost any woman who goes on a strict diet and does some/any exercise (yet alone two hour workhouts six days a week) to tone muscles can have Tracey’s figure. Models have been doing just that for years, no science required.
Second, is all the stuff about accessory muscles. The term is very fuzzy. We talk about primary muscles and accessory muscles relating to a particular activity or exercise. Exercises which are varied and include a full range of motion will work these muscle groups anyway.
Third, if you can’t lift more the 3 pounds then you are likely to injur yourself living life. Haven’t women been told to look weak for long enough? Me personally, I’ve started cross training and am gradually trying to do chin ups at age 40 and I’m proud of my strong arms (and thighs and butt). Sorry but I am. What’s more lots of people including my hubbie like my shape too. I would rather chop off my toes than look a bedragled chicken. Why don’t women just get strong? What’s the big problem?
Fourthly, I think this whole thing got me rattled because I admire Madonna. Being an ashtangi myself and her being yogically more advanced I always admired her. And loved how she looked when she looked strong and balanced. I now no longer admire her and I guess I feel sad about that.
Fifth, TA just has phoney written all over her. She really does. There are some really great trained and educated folks out there at the cutting edge or exercise science and she’s not one of them. Check her site. No credentials. Used to be dancer. That’s great honey so did but I’m not about to train Madonna with some half-baked theory about how to lose weight. And she looks horrible. How much botox has been injected into that face of hers. Come on ladies surely she’s not something to aspire to?
I do like TA’s take on variety though. I will credit her that. And having danced and done yoga plus just everything else I now conclude that variety is everything. It’s great not to stagnate into a routine because you lose training benefits the more you do that (check out cross fit and no I’m not a cross fit addict or publicist I do it part time but the theory is good). The more variety I do, the better I feel and look. Strength, flexibility, cardio. BALANCE. IT’s a beautiful thing. Living for the sensation of it rather than the appearance.
Amen.
I completely agree with Sass’s comments. Why do women want to look so thin that their knee caps are wider than their thighs? Because that’s Gwynnie’s “look”. Why is all the emphasis on teeny, tiny muscles (TA’s terminology, not mine). Why do women have to diminish their strength in order to be beautiful? Because that is essentially what we are doing. “Bulk” muscles - in other words your personal strength - have become a bad thing.
I train my muscles to be strong, not for a ‘look’, especially not a skinny ‘look’. I row in the summer and fall, and play lacrosse in the spring. I need all my muscles! they are not ‘accessories’, I have handbags and hats for accessories. I would finish in last place in rowing regattas, and my coach would bench me in the lacrosse season, if I starved myself down to 92 pounds and the ‘long lean’ look that TA promotes. I would kick TA’s ass in a rowing regatta or on the lacrosse field, and I’m fairly certain all the contributors to this blog who critique TA would do the same in their respective sports.
Women should aspire to be athletes - not to ‘look’ a specific way. And to finish, I’ll just say that 90% of the men I know do not like skinny girls. They want girls with curves, meat, and yes, even a little fat. A little fat is a good thing (are you listening Madonna?), it helps the endocrine system function properly, and helps the body heal after workouts.
Read today online that Madonna fired TA, so apparently all her ‘baggage’ caught up with her in the end.
I have been doing TA’s Mat Routine 5 days a week for about 5 weeks. I have not changed my diet, nor am I doing any exercise other than an hour or so of dog walking per day. This routine has helped me to redefine my muscles and build strength very quickly. My body shape has changed - my arms, legs and stomach are becoming stronger and more defined by the day.
I doubt I will ever look like Paltrow or Madonna, and that’s not my intention. This is a great and effective workout that does not require the time and money of a gym membership (not to mention transportation!)
The 3# weights are about right, because she has you do many many reps of movements that are not conducive to heavier weights. My boyfriend, who is absolutely ripped from his religious daily gym visits, could barely make it through the arm sequence with 3# weights.
All the haters out there would do well to actually try the Matt Workout for a couple of weeks - it LOOKS sissy, but it is TOUGH. And I am no wimp.
Just sayin’…
Jayne,
A woman can be strong without bulking up. If you like that look for yourself, that’s great! I particularly don’t because like the other ladies in this thread, I am short and am prone to bulking up easily. I want to look balanced for my size, be strong, but not look like i can crush your skull between my thighs.
TA, who is short herself, understands that some short women are not naturally willowy and petite and will gain mass very easily by following the majority of other trainer’s advice.
These workouts are about endurance, not how much you can lift. Its like arguing that a sprinter is in better shape than a x-country runner… they’re both amazing, they just train differently.
I have been doing her workouts for a couple of months and have to say after the first couple of weeks my body has changed. Yes I know I look goofy at the gym, skipping and sashaying on the treadmill and doing those arm circles which I do a hundred of by the way, but people always ask me if I’m a dancer at the gym because my body looks long and lean. My weight traning teacher keeps asking me when I’ll be back to her class but this is working. I even got rid of the cellulite, which got worse with the strength training classes.
Because I am absolutely not the super hero when it comes to excercise and looked for a fun way to work out, I was so chuffed when I came across the Tracey Anderson Method. Admit it, she looks stunning and very sexy.
I really do not understand why her non-fans talk the way they do. If you don’t like the method or the way she looks, then mosey on by like the owl says. We can’t all have the same opinion now can we?
I am a personal trainer and teach small group personal training and “bootcamps”.we train for one hour together, 4 days a week.mostly interval cardio and compound exercises with weights,bands and balls,but quite often only using bodyweight. as of late i have added in one day a week of “toning” which is very similar to tracey’s “method”.we do ballet-inspired moves,yoga,pilates,and basically alot of anything that will lengthen our muscles a bit…just to maintain a lean look and flexibility.this is working out for everyone AMAZINGLY, including myself.i am losing alot of the bulk that i had gained as a result of heavy weight training and lost flexibility(but that was the strong look i was happy with back then)…this “method” of tracey’s is not NEW.it is not “hers”.this style of working out has been around forever…the reason it works for so many people is because it is something completely NEW to THEM….like anything, people will even plateau with this style of working out.the key is to mix it up ALL THE TIME, keep it fresh, keep your body constantly challenged, and not get bored. we do intense interval training two days a week, kickboxing and karate-inspired moves one day, and our fourth day consists of alot of the stuff you see in tracey’s mat dvd. i do NOT agree with working out for hours every day and starving yourself.its ridiculous.but as i understand, her bootcamps are two weeks long. for someone with a few pounds to lose within a two week period, this is fine….considering they have their wits about them…but unfortunately, too many women will take what they learn in that two weeks and make it the norm, turning obsession into a disorder. the world is different today than 20 years ago. we dont HAVE to believe everything we’re told…the internet allows us to educate ourselves these days.this woman is not a fitness “guru”. these days, everyone seems to be claiming a new “method” that is the BEST for everyone. the bottom line is….people need to do their research before they fall prey to any claim that targets a “weak” audience. a woman wanting to lose weight is like a sponge.(trust me, ive BEEN THERE!-20 kilos gone!)… if someone looking the way tracey does tells them…look,…you have to do this to get to your goal FAST….then they will do it….who wouldnt???…no need to pay a “guru” for a new “method”…just sit in on a ballet class and steal some moves. i promise, in no time, you will have the long lean look that you desire…its not that hard, people….just educate yourselves…knowledge is everywhere…be smart about your bodies. be responsible.
I completely agree with Rose. I too am a personal trainer AND nutritionist, and I think Tracy’s method is fantastic.
I have a lot of clients who are shorter and stockier, and would like to have leaner muscles instead of just being smaller versions of their ’short stocky’ selves. This is where 80-100reps of dance related toning exercises comes in very handy.
In addition, it teaches women to be a little more graceful and light on their feet. It teaches them to isolate and become aware of every single muscle and how it relates to the whole body system. I mean what’s the point doing a squat or a lunge when you can’t even fire up your glutes.
When it comes to nutrition, it’s about the quality of nutrition - most of us have enough fat on us to run a small town for a day, and aside from those who suffer metabolic disorders which affect blood glucose, most of us won’t run out of energy by sitting in front of our computers typing the bosses memos. If you are eating good quality, nutrient dense foods, you can get away with any calorie level you like. Look at all the people out there who are obese, AND malnourished…and you think Tracy’s diet is bad for you.
And Brian, she’s not recommending 100 plies for a caloric burn, if you knew anything about her method, she (like most of us) focus on Cardio and toning…do you know what a plie is Brian? Try doing 100+ of some of Tracy’s moves, then come and talk to me about biomechanics. Open the hips Brian…how easy is this for you?
As trainers, it is our responsibility to be educated as much as possible on ALL forms of training, and we should be open to using all of them for the sake of our clients stickability. Its not just about getting them in the gym and smashing out a few heavy reps and then sitting on the bike while we perve around the gym.
You should really go and learn about the biomechanics of dance Brian, or did you leave all learning behind in the lecture theatre.
I downloaded Tracey’s podcast of the treadmill cardio dance routine. I really like it and it makes sense that changing it up for 45 minutes creates better results. I am doing this new cardio with my own weight training and I get such and awesome heart pumping 45 minutes in while feeling muscles I didnt even know I had. I typically would cycle 15 miles a day and run between 15-20 miles a week at my peak but I experienced burn out and serious fatigue without the results I wanted. This is new to me and I am going to continue this over the next 6 weeks. I will of course change it up and ride or run on different days. One more thing I also did the p90x routine for 4 weeks and saw awesome results but the workouts were killing my joints both in the knees and the elbows. As far as the diet goes, I think she stated to adjust it to your needs. It’s a very strict diet to drop weight quickly and I did the diet for 1 week and lost 4 pounds but found it too light for me and my needs. I do think the skeletor look is very unappealing especially with women in my age range of 40-45. Fit tone and generally healthy is my goal. It was very interesting to read these posts.
I have done everything from yoga, lifting weights pilates you name it. Tracy Anderson’s Method has changed my body faster than ANYTHING else. Did I mention how much FUN I’m having while I’m working my ass off?!?! I’ve come across some crazy routines and not once have I felt like I needed to bash them because I didn’t agree with that person’s method.
To all the men who have written nasty comments on here, zip it. I’m a woman who wants sexy definition w/o looking bulky. My husband is a personal trainer and he doesn’t want to do this routine because he’s a DUDE!!!!! However, he thinks it’s great for women like me who simply want to feel and look great.
To each his own, ya know?
I’m not going to call people out, that’s not my style. I AM however going to keep up the T.A.M. because it’s MY choice.
What do all you haters care anyway what routine people are doing in the privacy of their homes anyway??
Love ya Tracy!!
I’ve been working out 3-4 times a week with TA mat and cardio dvds for the last month or so and LOVE it!!!!!! I really don’t know what some people are on about but then what works for one person might not for another.
tracy is amazing i have been doing her method for two mouths and lost 55 pounds dont hate
Yep! In fact I can’t wait till I try her new dvd.
Bit of TA method dvd and regular walks have done wonders for my legs, arms, behind and abs and I’m not a stranger to other workout methods but so far this has been the best for me.
I have her video and she encourages healthy habits but not restricted eating (certainly nothing about 1000 calorie diets) and there aren’t any number of ridiculous reps involved at all… have had great luck with after-baby improvements. I think you need to get a grip and lose the macho superiority. I can’t help but notice that you don’t exactly have an ‘advanced degree in human physiology’ either… food science makes you more qualified apparently.
What an informative article. If you want to bitch at someone use your Twitter account. Also sarcasm is implied, not explained in brackets! You must be American. Nevermind.
I just have to say I have been using the Mat workout NO DIET for 3 weeks 3 times a week and I am starting to feel and look better, my arms have always been fat Im 5′6 and weight 145 lbs. so Im not that overweight, and I found this workout to be fun its a little hard at first but you get leaner and stronger…
IT WORKS!!!! and Im sorry for all the people out there that dont like it: instead of hating, find something else to do and face it “Tracy already made it, and I can say one more time IT WORKSSSSSS”
hmmm. after spending 10 years on “asshat” trainers, like yourself possibly, I got fed up with my increasing bulk and…ew…arm veins.
i took six months off in resignment. and then started up tracy anderson’s cardio/ mat combo for the last six month.
i have never been happier with my body. no bulk. all tone and definition. no diet.
she works, folks. sucks that certain neckless pt’s of the world are being spazzy babies about it.
If you are interested in trying the DVD, just get it. Give it a go. You either like her or you don’t. But make up your OWN mind.
For me, she works a treat. But I do follow her advice, I am doing the mat DVD 5-6 times a week and for the first time in my life I have lovely shapely arms! So I am pleased with the results. Her arm workout is hard but it works.
I even got my brother to do it. I said to him, ‘in this section she uses no weights, but I bet you cannot complete it without putting your arms down’. He scoffed but took me on. He lasted 30 seconds!
I would love to read your opinion and professional critique of the TAM; however, your tone makes it impossible. You can give solid information without snarky sarcasm and name calling. It makes you sound unprofessional and envious. Read some of the other comments that agree with this one. Next time, take the professional road–it’s a better look.
We are two converts to Tracy Anderson. Loving her style and variety. It’s such a shame that there are those that just seem to want to find the faults in others when if you look that little bit deeper you would see that like all of us at our essence we are divinely beautiful experiencing a life of contrast. Often the contrast in one persons life may not appeal to the contrast another is experiencing. what works for one may not work for the other so,in this case Tracy has helped us dramatically! we are not into the politics of Tracy, but, her style and hey,it works for us! we have seen results in just a few weeks and our self esteem has risen! we get up every morning to her dvds and we are both happy to do so because the after effects are amazing! so each to there own on their ideal fitness regimen but this is one we choose to follow! so thanks be to Tracy for her dvds and for being a part of our journey!
I too read all of the love/hate reviews of TA’s DVD’s and decided to try for myself. I bought the mat workout and after only 4 weeks have seen amazing results. I have never seen results like this from weights, yoga, treadmill, running, you name it I tried it. I have lost inches of my stomach, hips, thighs, and although I have only lost 3 pounds- I fit better into clothes now than I did when my weight was significantly lower. I have toned up and I love the DVD’s. I even got the post pregnancy workout for my abs. Don’t knock it until you try it. I alos disagree with her diet- this is for quick extreme weight loss, nothing that should be done with that amount of exercise or long-term. But her method works. I am petite and do “bulk-up” especially in my quads. If you think you have better suggestions, let me know - those of you who swear by weights how tall are you? We are all shaped differently and different techniques help different people. For me working the biceps and quads made me look stout. Now I am looking lean. The point is, maybe you disagree with everything she says, but why does the skin start to sag away from your muscle- could it be because we are trained to only work those larger muscle groups? And if I only work certain large muscles groups (which most weight machines do) how do I work those smaller muscles? And have any of you ever heard of calisthenics??? That is where a lot of her moves come from as well as Pilates. If you haven’t done the workout for weeks and see no difference, then make a comment. But I challenge you to do one of her DVD’s and not see noticable differences.
I worked out to one of Tracy’s cardio DVDs for a few months and DID NOT change my diet. I saw awesome results… you should try the workout before you trash it in my opinion. I love Tracy’s workouts!
This woman is a genious! I wouldn’t do her diet as i already eat healthy (like, really really really healthy) because i enjoy nice clean food (i can’t stand processed food. nothing from a can for me…) but honestly, i’ve done yoga, pilates, cardio, volley ball, tried weights. Nothing compared to her method. I’m 25… my arms that were always like “sausage” and flabby are beautiful now. And when i stop doing her exercises or do something else (just yoga) i see the difference. Her method is great and its for life. I’m really happy with her dvds, even though i have problems with the cardio one because im an awful dancer.
I can not comment on the diet regime, however I do like the Post-Pregnancy workout. It is a different stomach routine than I was used to and I saw results (I just had my second baby)
There are some leg movements that I don’t do because of the rotations they tend to bother my hip flexors the next day. However, I have had problems with them in the past. I have been trying to download a treadmill challenge workout webisode and was having problems after 3 attempts, the link expired. Has anyone else had problems with it?
Well, I don’t know the real reason why are you so frustrated and mad at Tracy, but I’ll tell you something now. For the last 5 years I read most fitness articles and nutrition tips, I’ve never been on diet, but I ate 5-6 times a day, all fish, tuna, chicken breasts, watched for carbs intake, worked out with heavy weights 5x a week. I finished P90x program and Chalean extreme program. Did tae bo as cardio workout. My husband never worked out that hard! I admit, I was toned and not really looking bad for a 30year old mother, but all that hard work did not get me where I want to be! Do you know what did??? Tracy Anderson method! You can spit on her if you want, but I know what she did for me! I’m pear shaped, but I have small round lifted butt now, which I never had, my shoulders are wider and my posture is better. Beside that I don’t have to force myself to workout, actually I can hardly wait cause its fun and entertaining. I look like a 22year old girl and I’m in better shape than ever! So you can talk about Tracy’s lie as long as you want, I know I’ll keep practicing her method, cause it’s doing miraculous with me!
I’ll try to be fair here and say that both sides of the argument are wrong. I have seen TA’s diet plan and it is quite extreme, but her exercises are reasonable. I have yet to buy her DVDs, but I have some clips on youtube and have tried themself, and can agree that they are effective. If I get around to it, maybe I’ll buy her DVDs. To those knocking her, you have to understand that TA is promoting a fitness routine that promotes leaner, sculpted bodies, but nothing too extreme; however…
I can’t believe the overwhelming amount of you who claim they “bulk.” I call BS! Mind you, I also have a shorter, stockier build, but when I first started weightlifting, I too assumed I was bulking. Newsflash: you are likely putting on weight, but it aint muscle, it is fat. I made the mistake of consuming too many calories when I first started lifting because I was reminded of how women tend to eat too little when training, so I overcompensated. Also, I can’t tell you how many poeple in the gym, both men and women, constantly use incorrect technique–I’d say 85% or more. I wasn’t really losing too many inches off my body, but could feel some muscle building underneath my fat. I assumed I was “bulking” until a trainer reminded me that my form and technique were wrong as well as me needing to change my dietary habits. Lo and behold, my body got better. Also FYI, even female body builders and fitness models, who many use steroids to get to their size, can’t maintain their size for very long. They are only at peak size during seasonal competitions, but often struggle to maintain and lose their size during off season. Women just dont have the hormones to put on that type of muscle. Believe me ladies, your body was doing anything but “bulking.”
This artical is sooo wrong an stupid. first off tracy anderson did not do that to madonnas arms. Madonna started see another trainer behind tracys back. the look that u see in the pic was the look madonna wanted but tracy wouldnt do it b.c it goes against her method. so therefor madonna saw another trainer. i used to b a dancer and when i stopped it was sooo hard for me to lose weight. i tryed everything. the i found Tracy adersons method and i am amazed by the results. my body is amazing. her method works! going to the gym fuck it. with tracy’s method u dont bulk at all. tracy works with ur body in different ways and if u can move your boday then do it b.c it works. I used to weigh 155lbs and now i am 119 and im still losing. get you facts people ad dot juge.
I feel the need to give my own testimony here. I had 3 children, all were high risk pregnancies. I bought her videos and did a diet under her instructions. I cut out dairy, sugars, simple carbs and fizzy drinks. I ate all the veggies and fruit I wanted, and quit when I was full. I went from my post baby weight of 220 to my pre baby weight of 110 in 8 months. Now that I am where I want to be I eat whatever I want, including junk food, and only exercise 3 times a week. I’m smoking hot, healthy and don’t look like have an eating disorder. I also have LOTS of energy and a healthy endurance level. I have a happy success story. Just thought I would put that out there.
Reading over all the different posts I feel the need to write something. I am in no way a trainer, but I do know that doing the cardio and mat have changed my life. And by change my life, they have kept me motivated and made me alter my daily routine to fit “fitness” in. In the last 4 weeks I have been able to have a lot more endurance than I have in my life. In high school I played water polo and swam , I was in great shape, once it ended the pounds packed on. I have tried many different diets, gyms, trainers, and have not been as motivated as I have now. I still swim on occasion, my body was long and lean without much cardio…. her diet, works for me in the sense… I cannot not eat dairy, I don’t follow the portions for obvious reasons but it has helped me not feel bloated and start really researching meals without dairy. I find sites like this very useful because you want to see different perspectives and really know what you are doing with your body, so thank you all for letting me have the chance to read all your thoughts… even if we don’t all agree.
Most ppl who are watching their weight are on a restricted calorie diet, nothing wrong with that. I am!!!!! and the rep range in for extreme leaness. And are you ppl crazy? Look at her, she is anything but anorexic. He looks like a fitness model, and they have leaness and muscles and are beautiful. I think her method is good. I’ve tried her exercises that ive found on youtube, and was drentched with sweat by the time i finished. Im 5′1 117lb and anything but anorexic. I eat about 1000 cal a day, but i get them from low carb heathy grains and whole wheats and a lot of green with fruits and veggies. Why dont you try some her workouts first before you knock them, and see if you can even hack it….bc i bet you cant….im just sayin!!!!
Sorry for the typos….:-)
I just started the diet, and let me tell you, I’m not happy with the drastic decrease in calories, however, I told a friend I would try it. Try being the key word. Although, I’m really curious as to what Brian would have us eating and doing as exercise.
i’ve been doing the the post pregnancie workout dvd for three months now and iv found it realy good i cant say iv been dieting or anything iv just been eating wat i always have wich is pretty healthy anyway but i do eat large amounts and waaay more calories than wats recomended…. but iv still found it really helpfull just doing the excersizes i dont look anorexic im in the healthy weight range my body looks toned and ive landed a job modeling and nobody can even tell iv had a baby i think if you are worried about not getting enuff calories everyday then maybe just do the work out or just dont cut out so many… personalize it to suit you….
Did anyone order the DVD’s directly off her webiste? I did and have not recieved them. I’m having a terrible time finding a contact number to reach someone to talk to. I’ve emailed the address on her website 4 times and have not heard back. I’ve even called the number off my credit card statment only to have the person on the other end say they get calls all the time about the DVD orders but have nothing to do with them. HELP????? Where did you all order your DVD’s from?
I finally got a response email from the website…..they apologized and said they will be sending the DVDs right away. I was glad to get the email and am looking foward to trying the DVDs.
After reading the many responses about Tracy Anderson, it is clear that the only ones worth giving credence to are the ones who are obviously trained in physical exercise..ect. It is amazing to me how many exclaim ” the change is amazing” I’m sorry but these seem a little on the fake side. They appear contrived and almost as if written by the same person. Mr. Barber.. I understand your bitterness and I am sure that a great deal of what you said is true but it came off as sour grapes. Let it go.
I think Tracy is great, I eat a Raw diet and do not agree with starving myself but I definitely agree with her workouts and outlook on exercise. You sir made yourself out to be a completely jealous, ignorant jerk and I would never want to meet YOU after what you wrote about some woman who just wants to dance around and give another option for exercise to people. Get a life man, that article was totally juvenile and I am embarrassed for you.
I’m not a plant or a TA-paid person. In the past I read all of these same-old complaints by different trainers and “experts” trying to hawk their own stuff.
I know that, technically, women aren’t supposed to bulk. I’ve read the science that says that women get faster results with larger weights, fewer reps. I’ve done pilates (one-on-one privates), yoga for years, weights with a trainer. I run. I bike. I mix it up. I have gone to different Lotte Berk, Callanetics, Physique 57 classes.
I’ve never seen such a fast change in my body. I have only been doing it for a week and I can see differences in my body.
And I don’t care what people say about women bulking. There IS a difference in how a woman who lifts weights looks and how a woman who uses yoga, pilates or the Lotte Berk/Bar Method/TA style workouts look. I don’t like knotty muscles. I am 5′7″ and I tend to build muscle quickly. I way prefer the look of the “dancier” style workouts. I go to a class and I see the women around me and I think they look more the way I want to look vs. a weight class. JUST A PREFERENCE. But, nevertheless, a real difference.
To each his or her own. And, like the others, I don’t care about her biz past. I am not going to pay $900 a month for her gym membership. But I will use her workouts.
I completely agree with the women above me. I was doing a lot of Jari Love videos until I heard of Tracy Anderson. Jari Love DOES NOT have a body I would have any desire to have. Tracy Anderson does. Tracy Anderson looks solid but petit she does not look sickly or anorexic, and for a trainer and so called nutritionist to use accusations that she want women to have a horrible mental disease is downright irresponsible.
Back to the body differences, I don’t want to look like a butch women such as Jari Love, but I still believe fitness is important. I also never diet but I always make sure to watch what I eat. It should be noted that I don’t ever eat processed foods, and this could be a good reason why I am 5 foot 7 inches and 120 pounds. I have a perfect BMI number OF 22. I also work out for maintenance.
When I started doing the Tracy Anderson method is never lost weight as I had hoped. I did lose fat around my waist and my abs are incrediblely hard with a nice womanly shape. I like the six pack look but only on my men. I love the shape my abs have really nice lines and I can thank Tracy Anderson for that. I also love my but and what Tracy Anderson did to transform it.
This is just my opinion but I don’t think you should really say anything to women who want to look like Tracy Anderson. You say that all the video is is pliers. This is completely untrue as the abs section alone involves lots of crunches combined with moving the arms and/or legs. I’m no fitness expert like you but if I was going to talk about someones fitness method I would at least watch the whole thing so I was fully informed to make my “expert” criticism of it. Also these exercises involve working many muscle groups. Isn’t that a good thing when trying to maximize calorie burning Mr. fitness expert? I should mention I did study dance and callonetics so maybe I am biast to these forms of fitness but I am pretty knowledgeable of what works and what doesn’t
It could be your personal preference to want your girls to look like Pink (the singer). I can see how some men could like that. I personally would rather look like Tracy Anderson, she does not look sickly to me just google her and look for images.
I don’t think you should be calling her stupid and her methods garbage. I think that shows an insecurity in your own abilities as a trainer perhaps lacking from your own abilities. I do appreciate what you do as a job, and feel there should be more people helping to improve the way too fat population of your United States. I just think you should consider that for women pumping iron, overly worrying about calories in calories out, and looking buff is not always what they want. At least not for this women.
Its all personal preference. I enjoy her dvd’s and really hate excercise too, so thats a real plus for me. I don’t stick to it religiously and try and do what I can. 2 hours a day 6 times a week is too excessive for me but everyone is different. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but dont be put off buying the dvd if you want to.
I have to say TA’s workouts are so much fun I look like a massive loser with a huge grin on my face as I’m dancing around my house. I have always been a slim girl with a ballet and distance running background and already eat very healthfully but TA’s workouts have made me so happy with my body! I’m 30 and have a 22″ waist. Most other forms of exercise make me look a bit boxy after a while. Also not sure about the diet aspect of things but I will say that after a huge sunday roast or yummy burger starting the next day with a glass of kale juice and quinoa porridge just feels like I’m giving myself a huge hug!!
yeah, if the picture of Madonna was even real
and the way you describe her workouts sound like you haven’t seen or tried them, because there a lot more affective the you think. Also that you believe every thing you read makes me think that your stupid.
I think this article is horrible. I use both of Tracy Anderson’s dvds and they are great. Tough but give amazing results.
Don’t criticize her method unless you’ve given it a proper try yourself!
I have no idea about the diet suggested by Tracy Andeson but I do have an idea about her routines and they are genius. I don’t know how they do what the do but they work for me. I DO bulk very easily, especially thighs and calves. Tracy does not use squats which I had been doing and although they made my legs very solid they also made them very big. I can not bike because they grow by the day. I was shown in a gym to do weighted calf raises, I looked at the trainer like he was insane for suggesting it, I know my body and how it reacts to certain exercise. This method is just genius, like I said, how it works I’m not sure but who cares, it REALLY works for me. Love it.
Well there is a lot of ‘training programmes’ out there. I bought the TA mat dvd quite a while ago but only started it today…I couldn’t even get through the whole dvd!!! But I could feel ‘lazy’ muscles starting to work. Since I had a very severe knee injury I am limited to certain exercises, but found that even being limited TA’s exercises did not strain my knees and I stopped when necessary.
I have tried so many different types of diets/workouts and and an energy ’something’ doctor - nothing worked. All I want to be is the size 9/10 I was at 23 (I am only 28 now and already a size 14). I intend on buying the TA dancing dvd as it might be closer to what I like, but I have no bad rap about the mat workout. I also love the gym but most gym exercises strain my knees and at the end of 20min I am unable to walk!!! So why not try TA - one that does NOT involve shakes, counting calories, pills (with or without caffeine_)point systems or no motivation!
Yes, I am sceptical about the things TA did in her past, but then again GB should have stopped paying for things after he did not receive his money the first time. Plus take things to court not splash it on this site. Will go read up on GB as well. So many things are not what they seem.
And Brian I have respect for personal trainers like you, but I also know that most personal trainers (since I had a few) request you to take some form of pill or shake to ‘increase’ metabolism and strength and and and…
Do what makes you happy, but always keep your health the top priority!
HeY,
Ok, so she has done a few dodgy things in the past. Who hasn’t? I’m sure If she wasn’t a women the topic of TRACEY ANDERSON being a fraud wouldn’t escalate to the extent that someone would willingly write 10 pages on her past law suits. Really! WHO GIVES A SH*T! She is a WOMAN, who is helping other WOMEN. I’m glad to see somebody is. Anyone with the ambition to help others would go to the length that she has to provide as much information as possible to women about how to get there bodies in the best possible shape without too much effort. Honestly, it doesn’t matter whether you are a celeb personal trainer or not… everyone makes mistake. What matters most is that she is still trying to assist women in gaining back their self-confidence by avoiding intimidating gyms and excercises. I’m sure anyone who would have figured out her method of training would have done the same. And no doubt the cash would be reeling in as part of all this. So leave her alone and just focus on what YOU have in mind in helping YOUR clients achieve results. Don’t go dishing out the dirt on other’s just because they are at a more advanced stage with there career. I’m sure if you were in the same position, you wouldn’t appreciate your skeletons being brought out from the closet.
Beth wrote:
“I can’t believe the overwhelming amount of you who claim they “bulk.” I call BS! Mind you, I also have a shorter, stockier build, but when I first started weightlifting, I too assumed I was bulking. Newsflash: you are likely putting on weight, but it aint muscle, it is fat.”
I agree, it is easy to over compensate the eating when working out - in fact I am skinnier when I don’t work out, as my appetite drops considerably! Plus you often swell a bit when beginning a new muscle taxing workout routine. As for TA I don’t think there is any magic to her method, the muscle definition probably comes from the fact that all that exercise combined with careful eating will lean you out. Low body fat makes your muscles more defined and many people confuse that with bigger muscles. The same way some confuse higher body fat with “bulking” caused by weight lifting.
I’ve been doing Tracy Anderson’s Mat Workout DVD (6x/week)for 5 weeks now. I haven’t changed my diet at all. In addition to the Mat DVD I walk a few kilometers every day, something that’s always been a part of my lifestyle. I’ve found the workout to be enjoyable, and have seen fast results: within 2 weeks my muscles were more defined and now, after 5 weeks, I feel and look visibly fitter and people are starting to comment. I started the workout with a “skinny-fat” physique, not overweight but flabby and without tone; after 5 weeks I’ve actually put on 2 kilos but my clothes are looser: it’s clear I am building muscle mass and losing fat. I feel stronger and more in touch with my body. In my opinion this is a good workout for anyone looking to tone up and improve strength and endurance; many people seem to be very concerned with Tracy’s business dealings and the rather extreme diet recommendations that accompany her method, but those details don’t subtract from the effectiveness of the workout itself. The fact is that any form of exercise if done regularly will improve health, and mindful eating is a requirement for healthy weight and body shape. Too many people are asking for a magic pill: no ‘personal trainer’ can change the basic rules of human fitness. I do not suppose Tracy has invented something “entirely new”, nor will I blindly follow all of her suggestions regarding diet and lifestyle, but the fact that I’ve found an at-home DVD workout that I enjoy and that kicks my butt in a way that feels right is a big success for me. Good luck to anyone willing to give it a go!
Tracy Anderson is a saint. I never felt a workout like this and it works. I didn’t change my diet at all and I’m getting great results. Bow down to Tracy’s greatness. She’s a genius and I will own every workout she’s ever done. There’s no other option.
I feel bad for the writer of this article, and can see where he is coming from. If you put aside rumors Tracy’s shady business practices and her known flighty personality, I think TA and her method does have a place in fitness; however, I think her workouts must be taken with a grain of salt. I do a variety of things, from kettlebells, to lifting, dance classes as well as owning numerous DVDs from the likes of Jari Love, Billy Blanks, Jillian Michaels, and yes, even TA.
I have been doing her Mat dvd for about 3 weeks now and have both good and bad things to say, but mostly good.
Pros: 1.) I like that Tracy is not some annoying chatty Kathy and gets down to business in her DVDs. 2.)The music and the atmosphere are really nice, and nothing cheese like other workout programs. 3.)Even though it is almost an hour long, it goes by very fast. 3.) Tracy is innovative with many of her moves, especially her chair and lying ab sequences. 4.) This is probably the first time I did a muscle conditioning workout without straining my neck, and in fact, felt really great afterwards. Some people claim to feel sore after doing it, but my muscles were actually more relaxed after doing it. 5.)It has improved my flexibility better than yoga or pilates ever did.
Cons: 1.)Tracy is not good with teaching proper form, and I sometimes worry about injury during certain sequences. 2.)This is probably my biggest con, but even with the tough arm sequences with little to no weights, I actually felt my upper body strength depleting after doing her DVD consistently for over a week. I usually lift, but I did put it on hold for a while to try TA. That was a big mistake. Some people claim TA workouts made them feel stronger, but I felt I lost my strength doing her DVD too often.
Conclusion: TA has created a fun and different kind of workout from your average DVD, but it isn’t the end all be all of exercise programs. I’m now doing her 2x week with other forms of exercise and have seen the benefits of it. Even though TA and her methods are controversial, I say give her DVDs a try. Just remember that she isn’t the only great workout out there, and btw ladies, you won’t bulk if you give lifting weights a chance. Like Beth and Johanna said, you aren’t bulking, you are likely just putting on weight. I know anaerobic exercise makes me really hungry sometimes too ;).
Scam artist is right. She puts Jell-O in her clients’ diets! Your link to that diet is not working anymore:
Anderson’s wacky diet
I wonder if it ever occurred to the moron who wrote this article that Tracy Anderson is NOT responsible for the recent curious appearance of Madonna… that would be Madge, herself… as was reported and written over and over again, (guess you missed that one, huh?), even TA commented that Madonna had gone to the dark side of ‘over-training’ and she tried to discourage her but to no avail… (sigh) … after all, why would Madonna listen to anyone??
BSP or whoever the original author is, needs to remember that ENVY is up there at the top of the list of the Seven Deadlies… take a Xanax, cancel you next client and chill-ax!!!
Namasté ~
So glad I found this!She doesnt have a clue what she is talking about at all the stuff that comes out her mouth isnt even decent! “sexy lines” as she likes to call it oh err definition!She recomends 100-150 reps the only thing your going to get out of that is sore arms!Tone no matter how people like to dress is up is essentially muscle building and you dont get that from the reps she recoomends!she looks anorexic and has no tone to her what so ever what a great personal trainer-thing is peop who train with her are naive and think just cus she trains celebs shes decent massive fail!Im a PT and I could teach what she teaches without my qualification!
I don’t much care for her drama, politics or even her method of teaching, since she can be erratic and not properly explain certain steps, etc, rush through things and change the order unexpectedly…
But I will say- my body has TOTALLY changed since I’ve been doing her workout, so I freaking love her. I do NOT look anorexic, and that has to do with what her clients eat. I eat whatever I want, am a healthy weight, and I have lines in my legs, arms and abs that i’ve never noticed before - and I’m athletic and have tried everything from strength training, boot camp, yoga, and pilates.But I never got a balanced look or lines/curves where I wanted them.
I stumbled on this article after googling some things about the TA workout. The person who wrote this article CLEARLY (can you stop using that adverb? Because the only person anything is clear to seems to be you) has some issues with anger, and I have no idea how anyone could take what he says seriously. To not know someone and call them an “asshat” and use “sarcasm” that has to be pointed out as “sarcasm” is an absolute embarrassment to himself.
Women’s bodies are different than men’s, for one - and I think perhaps maybe before bashing anything, that the person should TRY the workout for 6 weeks and then use a quantifiable and INTELLIGENT summary of it.
I mean, grow up.
I have to admit, I was really skeptical at first, but I have a tendency to bulk up from exercising, so I decided to give her workouts a chance. I ordered her dance cardio and the perfect design series. Within 4 days I saw results! I have always been very fit, doing running, boot camp, pilates and yoga, but I felt like I wasn’t getting the type of results I should have been with the amount I was working out. I am in the best shape I’ve ever been, AND my diet has actually gotten worse! I find that I can indulge a lot more and I still get results. It’s so amazing, I was getting to the point where I felt like I was eating very healthy - but if I decided to splurge here and there (or after a night of drinking) I would gain weight immediately. My stomach is the flattest its ever been (the results are far better than pilates) and I’m actually getting definition around my thigh and hip area - something i’ve never had! Basically, all of my problem areas are going away. Before you knock it, give it a chance. I’ve been telling all of my girlfriends about her. I’m a total convert!
Also, I think that people who are against TA hate on her so much because they know they just can’t compete. Just take a look at Shakira’s body in the She wolf video - totally not anorexic, but hot! She really gives you a feminine and sexy shape.
Brian, as someone in the fitness industry, you should know by now that one thing women absolutely despise is making body snark comments about what a woman should and shouldn’t look like. I don’t think you meant to come off that way, but if you wanted to dispute Tracy Anderson’s claims, you should have brushed on why her method isn’t scientifically proven. Instead you turned it into a bash-fast. I generally like your site and you should have known better.
With all that being said, it amazes how crap flys out of Tracy Anderson’s mouth and millions of women eat it up like it’s some gospel of truth. I may like her workouts, but her advice is flawed and an embarassment to fitness. From her silly low-cal and baby food diets, to the crap that women bulk and if you bulk, you create lose skin that makes flab. Last I checked, either your genetics, aging, or stuffing your face with potato chips combined with no exercise whatsoever caused flab. I didn’t think the very act that caused you to build muscle and tighten your body caused excessive skin.
Even with all the studies that prove otherwise, women still continue to believe the myth that they will bulk if they lift weights. Not only is that not true, but lifting weights is also good for bone density and prevention of osteoporosis and ostepenia. Anybody read that article about Tracy’s star pupil, Gwyneth Paltrow having osteopenia? Hmm, I wonder what caused it. The funny thing about women who think they bulk is that a majority of women I know who believed this to be true when they gave lifting a try were overweight. The first sign of muscle and they gave up. Most of the time, muscle starts to form, but yet these women still had layers of fat to banish. Instead of continuing, they freaked out because they thought they were turning into she-hulk. In reality, they were, you know…FAT.
Of couse I can’t help but think women are afraid of any sign of muscle and would just prefer to be skinny-fat than fit. I’m sure plenty of you who think they can bulk also find Jillian Michaels bulky (and what is this crap about Jari Love having a bull dyke body? Talk about homophobia). Honestly ladies, if you just want to be skinny so badly, an extremely strict diet (you know, like the one Tracy promotes) and moderate exercise like walking will get you there. Leave the working out for women who actually want to be fit.
Before anyone throw stones, I have tried Tracy’s workouts. They are fun, I’ll admit. As far the results go, Tracy’s exercises cause muscle atrophy, which gives the illusion you are getting those tiny dancer arms Tracy brags about. I’ve been told by one of her ex-clients in Fisher that they very moment you stop using her method, your body will swell and return back to its former size very quickly. Her results aren’t sustainable at all, unless you to her method for the rest of your life.
I find it funny that people are ripping into Madonna for dumping Tracy and exercising back her back when Ms. Anderson was asking for it. Madonna may known for being difficult, but she was nothing but good to Tracy and Tracy goes and bites the hand that feeds her. Many of you might have brushed over the detail that Tracy decided to up and leave Madonna during her Sweet and Sticky tour to have midnight redevous with Madonna’s then head of her Malawi charity. I don’t know about you, but I’d be pissed if two people on my payroll that I gave prestigious postions to decided to up and leave me while under contract so they can go screw like rabbits.
I also find it funny that this site is full of informative diet and exercise information, yet the most hits Brian ever got were for his rant article regarding little Miss Fitness Barbie herself. That might have been your bad, Mr. St. Pierre.
I’ve been using TA’s mat routine for a few weeks now, and I have seen amazing results. I think her diet is restrictive, and I don’t follow it, but to each their own. I have degenerative disc disease, and I’ve tried so many different workout regimens over the years with the same results–my back going out. I used to run, but can’t anymore because of my back problems. I love yoga and pilates, but after two back-to-back pregnancies, I really needed something to get my weight down, my strength up, and my flexibility back in tact. Like many who have commented, I bulk up super easily, and I also get super bored with routine. Tracy’s method is highly enjoyable for me. I like the exercises, the music, and personally, I like her. She doesn’t gab the whole time she’s working out, and she doesn’t put off this fakey persona that some may interpret as her being a b”tch. I also want to add that my back has never felt better since working out with her. Just my two cents.
I am very familiar with all kinds of diets and forms of exercise and I don’t think anyone should be knocking Tracy Anderson. In my late twenties my body did start to kind of “spread” and i tried all kinds of running, weights, pilates. I have now been on Tracy AndersonMethod for 6 weeks, thinking about what I eat but not doing the strict diet, and I have lost a couple pounds but most notably I am inches smaller in all areas. My very square short waist has a shape and my stomach is flat. My legs look incredible and my but sits higher. My boyfriend was so impressed he has started doing Tracy’s abs and arms in addition to his running routine and in a week his arms look absolutely cut. Her method is hard, tough, but I mean - I didn’t think I could shrink to these dimensions without cutting out eating. I am 5′8 and 130 lbs and eat roughly 1700 calories a day. Inspired by Tracy I just cut out a lot of the oil I was cooking with and cooled it on wine and dairy. Amazing. She’s a genius.
You are a bunch of idiots, wake up!! She Tracy Anderson is just a woman trying to show other women that heavy weight lifting is not the answer and you can have the body you want with HEALTHY CLEAN NUTRITION and some BALANCED exercise. I’m a woman that has struggled with this for years,and I’m very grateful for her method. Wake up and smell the healthy lifestyle that she does encourage, and get over yourselves.
WOW
my goodness I was hooked reading all of everyone’s comments from the very top to the very bottom.
Firstly MJ and Rhonda - I must say I had a bit of a chuckle when I read both your comments about getting the guys to try the workout. I too had my very very fit and athletic man try it out with me just so that he could understand why I didn’t finish the Mat Workout on my first go. We punched it out together but boy did he feel it and agreed with me that it was a challenge, im now looking forward to getting my brother to have a crack at it just so I can show who really has the strength in the family after I now being at the point where I have built the strength to complete the DVD.
I started the Mat DVD about 5 days ago and am aiming to complete it 6 times a week. Im looking forward to it as I can already feel that this is going to make a change for me. I also am quite short, im 28 years of age and am not at all over weight however I have gained more then 10 pounds in the past 8 months with giving up smoking and wellllllllll meeting my man and enjoying a bit of the wine and dine together.
I HATE the gym – I look up to all people who are motivated enough to go to a gym as i know that I myself turn from a woman to a cat with claws dug into a couch when my partner tries to get me to go with him. I used to go to the gym, I’ll be honest yes I had a great body back then with going to the gym but I never got the shape i was after, I wanted the lines and the tone that those of you who are using the TA method have received and are now bragging about.
Anyhoooo wish me luck everyone and I will keep you all posted in a few weeks.
Oh and Mr Barter - seriously mate, not cool what you have written. Not cool at all. I don’t want to know what you and Tracy got up to! further more I couldn’t care less who’s ‘METHOD’ it is so long as my ass is tight, my abs are shaped and my arms are well defined and Im alive and kicking at the end of it. that’s what I paid for - now its up to me to use it to get my results. Mr Barter I was taught this at a very young age and I can only offer you some assistance in saying - ‘Got an issue?? Get a tissue!!!! Don’t make a fool of yourself in front of so may. if what you say is true then your letter should read… Dear Judge ….!!! and not GP and Madge. And to the rest of you who have been in support of such a nonsense article…. Well I can only hope that every wrong that any of you have ever done gets posted up for the rest of the world to read about…… then I could see how quick you would all really be to comment.
Ok people happy working out and good health and wealth to you all
Mace
It’s a known fact that Tracy Anderson hires people to look her up on the Internet and try to hush those who don’t agree with her or her method. This is apparent by all the idiots posting here on how their bodies changed so drastically in a week or few weeks, blah blah. You fat asses can claim you bulk all you want, but it is so far from the truth that it really is quite sad. Women should not be afraid to lift heavy, so Soroya, please stfu. Weight lifting is not only a good way to burn fat and tone up, but it helps with bone density. GP was just diagnosed with osteopenia at isnt even 40 yet! Her 50s and 60s are going to be bitch for her, as well as for your lemmings who need to pick up a book about physiology before making such inane comments.