Omigod! I saw Gwyneth was on Oprah, talking about you, Tracy Anderson, her very own personal trainer. And you train Madonna too. That’s so awesome. You know, I’m a personal trainer as well. We should totally get together and braid each other’s hair and share exercise tips, doncha think? It would be so cuuuute. Why, since we are both trainers, I bet we have lots in common. I mean, we probably both follow all those studies about how women don’t lift heavy enough weights at the gym to really see the benefits of strength training, and how that’s such a problem, and instead most women are just wasting time dicking around instead of getting strong and lean. And well, with two high-profile clients like Lady M and G-dawg, you have this amazing forum to spread the gospel of real, meaningful strength training to the ladies at home. Yay!
Anyhow, keep it up! Love, K…
Hey Tracy,
Um, I don’t mean to be a pest here, but I just looked a little closer at Gwyneth’s interview. It’s great that she credits exercise with helping her come out of postpartum depression, and yay for some nice, varied dance cardio. That’s super. But, er, I’m confused. First off, there’s some tag line asking if I want a body like Gwyneth’s. That seems a little silly, doesn’t it? I mean, the woman has been rail-thin her whole life. Her legs are about the size of the average person’s arms. That’s cool, it’s her build, but if we want to emulate hard-to-achieve greatness, I guess I’d look more at a Dara Torres or some of those amay-zing Olympic track and field athletes. Those bodies are just gorgeous, aren’t they, with all that muscle definition? And Madonna, I mean, she doesn’t eat much and she got serious muscle definition from yoga, for fuck’s sake. You aren’t really saying your program is gonna make the rest of us look like Madonna, are you? You wouldn’t take credit for what is so clearly accomplished primarily by a combination of a cardio touring lifestyle and some serious dieting and genetics? And maybe some knifey-injectiony stuff on the side? Please advise.
Signed, Confused K…
Oh Tracy,
Wow. I just saw the quote of yours: “Only 3-pound weights…No woman should lift more than 3 pounds.” That has to be a joke, right? You are kidding? Tell me you aren’t serious. You really think Gwyneth—teensy little Gwyneth—is gonna bulk out by doing something like, say, one-arm rows with maybe twenty pounds? And worse, you actually went on television and said no woman should do more than 3 mother loving pound weight training? Somebody please tell me I’m just having a bad dream…
BTW, lean muscle crap aside, there are other reasons to lift weights. Um, there’s a reason we call it strength training. Because it can, well, build strength, and by that I’m talking about the ability to pick up more than 3 pounds (even if you do do it for 40 thousand times, yo.) Sometimes we also call it weight training, by which we mean the ability to move weight through space. Like, actual weight, so that we aren’t toothpicked-limbed crybabies with chronic pain and hips that shatter when we bump into a table. But whatever, maybe I’m just being silly now, wanting exercise to be functional and women to be strong and all that nonsense. Goofy kid, me.
You said this bullshit nonsense on Oprah. The show watched by so many women. I love the woman for her humanness, but lord knows she’s fallen for every diet-exercise fad that ultimately proved to be entirely unsuccessful at long-term weight maintenance. Now, while so many of us trainers are soothing women into being willing to pick up a dumbbell that doesn’t come in cute little colors, you are setting that shit right back into ri-fucking-idiotic-diculous land. Because you stick women in a hot room, work them out for two hours of cardio a day, six days a week, and then they lose weight? Puh-leez. I hope I could accomplish more than that for Gwyneth Freaking Paltrow in half the time with a lower heating bill. Oh, and I also remember now, you put new clients on that starvation-level calorie diet. Great. Well, there’s a long-term solution.
I mean, surely you don’t think most women are having problems with getting too bulky, do you? Because of the less testosterone thing, women can’t…oh fuck me, I’ve written about this so many times I could just strangle myself with one of your dumbass elastic bands before I go through it again. Here. It’s even about you.
So let me just ask you something: Gwyneth says in the video (and I love the cheeseburger taco ad and the bad porno music, BTW) that she is always carrying her 30-pound son with one arm, so her other arm hangs lower (i.e. is saggier, less toned, blah blah.) Your solution is to make her do more work on her non-son-carrying side to even it out. Now, following your logic, that arm that lifts 30 pounds all the time ought to be enormous, right? All bulky with gigantic muscles? Oh wait…It’s the more toned side. Huh.
Do you tell her to not carry her kid, because 30 pounds is too heavy for any woman who wants a lean body? Do you have your clients get someone to carry their groceries for them, do they ask for help moving boxes, do they have to get assistance when pushing themselves out of a swimming pool because even in water, their body weight is more than 3 pounds? ‘Course your clients aren’t really getting much strength benefit from all that weight work anyway, so it might not be a bad idea. And who cares, really, if you are weak and frail, as long as you are thin, and with just a starvation diet, a bunch of dance cardio (oooh, the routines actually change from session to session, how novel to not make people do the same shit over and over until they die of boredom, as if any trainer worth money doesn’t do this) and a hot room, you too can get really, well, skinny. Maybe. Possibly. Depends. What’s the cost of those two-hour sessions? You know, the ones where you steal all your leg and ass floor work moves from 80’s Jane Fonda videos?
You know, I wouldn’t care so much that you are a fucking idiot and a huckster, and gawd knows it doesn’t matter to me if celebrities lurve you, but when you say shit about how no woman ought to lift more than 3-pound dumbbells, and you say it on television, and people believe it…well, I guess, fuck you very much. Fuck you and your nonsense bullshit stupidity. Fuck. Off.
Oh yes, and I guess I’m not the only one who thinks you might be a con. There’s this too. Oh, and this. Yep.
I actually don’t think I want to braid your hair after all.
Oh yes! I would comment further but you’ve already said it all …
Runner Girl
September 23rd, 2008
Dear Kelly,
I heart you.
love,
surf mom
surf mom
September 24th, 2008
Sounds like you’re about as pissed -off as I am.
Tracy would definitely not approve of the workout I had this morning, what with pulling a 350-lb cart around like a plow horse and doing 140-lb floorwipers.
Guess what, Gwyneth? Along with all the healthy stuff I ate yesterday, I also ate half a pan of peanut butter brownies, and I burned it all off this morning. HAHAHA.
dragonmamma/
September 24th, 2008
Wait, so you disagree with her then?
Vanilla
September 24th, 2008
I didn’t see the Oprah thing you mentioned, and now I’m glad I didn’t.
And I want to look like The Dara
Tricia
September 24th, 2008
Thank you. I have been a fan of your blog for a while now, but this just makes me want to pat your ass in a congratulatory manner. You understand.
chelsea
September 24th, 2008
Amen! I’ve had so many women come up to me at the gym all concerned about how they don’t want their arms to get all big from weight lifting, I should just start sending them to this post.
Lethological Gourmet
September 24th, 2008
Oh my gosh. I think I just got a little crush on you from this. We can braid each other’s hair, wear matching workout outfits and lift 15 lb dumb bells! As long as you don’t bring your cell phone to the gym.
Really, 3 lb dumb bells? Really? How lame is that? My flippin’ purse weighs more than that!
P.O.M.
September 24th, 2008
3 pounds!?! Not only does my purse weigh more than that, so does my dick. and i’m a girl.
if every muscle in my body weren’t in exquisite discomfort from the ass-kicking k gave me yesterday, i would have laughed harder than i already did. but i’m afraid of herniating. go cupcake!
butchessa ya irish twin
September 24th, 2008
I can attest to the fact that using heavy weights won’t make you bulk up. But, I can swap out that big jug of water in the water cooler, without spilling any of it. And carry around my 46 lb preschooler.
You’d think after the “A Million Little Pieces” fiasco, Oprah would have an employee assigned solely to background checks.
Julie B
September 24th, 2008
Say it loud! You are absolutely dead-on right. As a fellow trainer and instructor I am constantly trying to “encourage” women to not be scared of the dumbells. 3lb weights are chump change and many trainers and NOT HONEST with their clients. I say bring it on and you just might be a rock star.
UrbanKick
September 24th, 2008
whoops. dumbbells.
UrbanKick
September 24th, 2008
let’s lift some big ass weights and then braid each other’s hair.
Ettamommy
September 24th, 2008
wait, i think after all my reps with the three pound weights would make it too difficult to braid each others hair. oh…right…that was jab cross burn-out…
juliet
September 25th, 2008
Oh Gawd. I didn’t see it, but now I’m mad too. I beg and beg and beg the women in my strength training classes to put down the freaking 2 and 3 pound dumbells and grab the big ones. I fear that this message confirms what women want to hear in the deep, lazy, lizardy part of their brains: “it’s ok to use the little weights. Do what’s easy. You’re a woman so it’s ok.”
I don’t know how to get my women participants to believe me. Even after 3 years of begging and cajoling, every class there are no 2 or 3 pound dumbbells to spare while the 10+ pounders languish on the racks. I wish Oprah would have someone on to counter that argument and have women go for the strength and not just try to burn calories until they are skeletal. I’m going to walk around and take some deep breaths now.
Belinda
September 25th, 2008
I ALWAYS limit my dumbbells to anything under 5 lbs. Not because I’m afraid of getting big muscles, but because I’m a woman and am afraid of math. If I don’t go over 5lbs I can still use my fingers to count how much I’m lifting…
Elizabeth
September 25th, 2008
@Elizabeth:
Bwaaahhaaaa!
Thanks for making me snort milk out my nose. And I wasn’t even drinking milk at the time.
Marla
September 25th, 2008
There seems to be a lot of crazyness going around. Go heavy or go home!
Mallory
September 25th, 2008
I read/hear about this on and on: this issue of <3lbs dumbbells must indeed be a plague of the female fitness domain and as such is to be addressed and taken seriously.
What I’d like to see is a discussion IN SPECIFIC CONTEXT. Shoo, the lowly 3-pounders, I’m running around like a mountain goat with 25-vers!!!!
Doing WHAT with them, and for how long!??!?
As Juliet pointed out up above, a jab-cross for a round (that’ll generally be 3 minutes unless you is a pussy, for the innocent among us) with 3lb dumbbells will indeed take toll — make no mistake…
To the bitch afraid of bulking up, here’s my challenge: DO YOUR BEST TO BULK UP WHATEVER WAY YOU THINK IT’LL MAKE YA, AND LET’S SEE IF YOU EVEN CAN!!! And I’m not talking ’bout a spare tire from excessive pastry’n’shit intake…
Elizabeth: bonus points!!! Can’t go as far as to say I snorted milk that I wasn’t drinking (HELLO Marla - WTF??) but this was hillarious!! Finally someone honest, too: it’s all in the head! Let’s face it: a woman’s brain is no bigger than a mackerel’s eye — on average — and that’s a scientifically proven fact!
Now do you think THAT would have some effect on athletic ability? Heeee-eeee heeee….
Da Hater
September 25th, 2008
Wow.
in ways this was ridiculous and hurtful
c.
September 28th, 2008
At least you noticed it was ridiculous; half the riddle solved! Now turn that pea-sized brain onto the “hurtful” part and keep us posted! Get a clue… Lift some 3-pounders or something.
Da Hater
September 28th, 2008
Thank you, well spoken, at last someone who knows what she is talking about and not just trying to make cash from rich people who have nothing better to do that spend all day training!
DERULUC
September 29th, 2008
Awesome. I hope more Oprah fanatics get a chance to see this. Maybe someone should let Oprah know about this woman’s past–since she likes to call people out who have misled her.
Susi
September 29th, 2008
Wow. A scam artist in Hollywood. How strange, lol!
3 pounds?!?!?! Give me a freakin’ break!
Kelly, you rock!
Alyssa
September 29th, 2008
gosh does that mean I have to stop lugging around those 20kg sacks of flour and 10kg bags of potatoes?
Well done Kelly, I just loved your blog.
Denise Cummins
September 30th, 2008
I guess if Tracy would have seen what I was doing in the gym last night she would have yanked that barbell right out of my hands and dragged me out kicking and screaming. By the way, I am extremely proud of my “well toned” arms, abs and legs. Kelly I would love to work out with you sometime!
Laurie
September 30th, 2008
Okay so I’ll bite. I’ve heard this strange theroy that you need to work muscles to near failure to achieve benefit from strength training. Just how many hours lifting three pound weights will that take? Considering their is only twenty four hours in one day, could you work more than one muscle group? Does it matter if one muscle group is larger and stronger than another (maybe two days on the bigger muscle groups with the three pounders). Well got to go and lift my three pound butt out of this chair. Cheers
Cat
September 30th, 2008
I was so utterly speechless that this woman ended up on Oprah, I wrote Oprah an email all about it. The Oprah Show needs to do their research!
Lisa-Marie
September 30th, 2008
Wow. That was .. awesome. And I lost all faith in Oprah when she tangled up with that annoying con artist Dr. Phil, who really was run out of town in Topeka KS for his bs.
Relationship therapist, my well-toned glutes.
Roya
September 30th, 2008
Hallejuah! shout it to the rooftops please!! I actually fired a trainer who told me this after i worked my ass off to graduate from 3lbs to 5lbs to 8lbs. why the hell would i go back!!! i’m 30 years old my bone bank needs to get bulked up here and that’s not gonna happen with 3lb weights!!!
philsPhatWife
October 2nd, 2008
Shit I need a job, and am not certified as a personal trainer, But maybe I could work with the stars with my limited knowledge, I know enough to help them out. And as far as Oprah, that poor woman will fall for anything. Maybe we need to get her in on Sparks website.
char
October 3rd, 2008
Have you guys actually done or seen the workout video? I have, and it is HARD! She trains your arms for about 20 minutes with and without weights, and it is the hardest arm workout I have ever done, way more difficult then 10 pound weights. Maybe you should actually try it instead of making fun of Mad and Gwyn for working out. Check out her website. People, NORMAL people, have lost sizes in a matter of a month doing it.
Weird
October 26th, 2008
You know why people support Tracy Anderson’s method? It’s because Tracy Anderson’s method gets you body like Gwyneth Paltrow’s and that’s how her followers want their body to be. If these people want to look like the amazing Dara Torres then they would go else where.
Most trainers and athletes have a different perception of what an ideal body is compared to other women. A lot of women like Jennifer Aniston’s body compared to Dara Torres. As a matter of fact, women who say they don’t want to bulk up only meant that they don’t want to build muscles. These women want to be “slim and lean” not necessarily athletic looking.
To trainers out there: When your clients says they don’t want to bulk up ony tone their muscles, they meant they don’t want to built muscles but lose their body fat and show the muscles they already have.
I agree with what you said and I also think that Dara Torres’ body is phenomenal but that’s not the goal of Tracy Anderson’s method nor her supporters.
I stand 5 foot two inches, I made the mistake of telling my trainer that I want to tone up my body because he had a different understanding of it, my bad. For months of training with him giving me 40 lbs barbell on my shoulder doing 3 sets of lunges of 24 reps each, my legs got muscular. Some people find it nice but I don’t because I look shorter.
Muscles and strength is good but some women still want to keep their body slim and feminine and that’s what you get when you follow Tray Anderson’s method.
Joanie
November 1st, 2008
I agree with Joanie. My upper arms became very muscular from lifting only 15-20 lb weights consistently years ago. I was convinced that I couldn’t bulk up because my program was the Firm with Susan Harris and she was working with 20 lb weights yet maintained her long, lean look. I may be one of those rare women who can bulk up, (and maybe if I had continued with the rest of my body instead of stopping cold, the arms wouldn’t stand out so much) but on a small-boned, short (also 5′2″) woman, they still look disproportionately large all these years later.
Annemarie
November 1st, 2008
I just read this post. You are a riot!!! I love your style. I do have her Mat workout and while I have only done it a handful of times, I enjoyed it. Interestingly enough, I have been working out at The Bar Method a lot and they also recommend 2-3 pound weights for the upper body portion. However, the 3 pounds quickly feel like 25 pounds!
JudiesJuice
January 9th, 2009
YOU ARE MY HERO!
OK, so I just wanted to scream that out from the roof-tops. Thank you so much for taking the time to call this fraudulent bitch out. [I'm also a personal trainer whose skin nearly burns off in rage when ever my clients balk at performing any strength training because "they don't to bulk up."!]
TA’s training “ethos” *cough* borders on the dangerous and the fact that Oprah is lending her enormous influence to peddle this bullshit is not only maddening but down right irresponsible!
Again, Bravo for pointing out what a bunch a shit Tracy Anderson’s work-out system really is!
Marika
February 5th, 2009
This really is about the individual. I do bulk up if I use big weights…seriously. I don’t want to be bigger than my boyfriend, but also think that it is very personal, both how you want to look and how you CAN look.
Bulky
February 22nd, 2009
Yeyah, I bought Tracy’s workout dvd and um yeah, used it for 6 weeks 5 days a week for 1 hour a day and I lost .2 and now im furious because I didnt research it more.
Britt
February 27th, 2009
I think it depends on the look you’re going for with your body. If I wanted to look like Dara Torres, I imagine I would need to lift some heavy weights. But I don’t want look like an oylmpic athlete. I personally don’t like the cut, six-pack ab look.
The Tracy Anderson method works for me. I understand that her workout isn’t for everyone. Again, it depends on the look you want. I want the long, lean look of a dancer. Therefore, high reps at a lower weight works for ME. In my opinion Tracy’s arm workout, as well as her abdominal, is one of the hardest workouts I’ve ever done.
However, I agree with one of the articles I read about her and her money problems…I don’t think she’s a malicios person, just irresponsible.
prefer the long, lean dancer’s physique.
Drew
March 27th, 2009
Sorry, but this post looks like…jealousy.
thaty
March 29th, 2009
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.
Don't Knock It Till you Try It
April 2nd, 2009
I found this quote on my favorite site on women’s strength training, stumptuous.com…I couldn’t find better words to express my feelings towards Tracy Anderson and her crappy fitness philosophy.
“…There are few examples in life that don’t follow the basic rules of the universe, the ones that dictate the behavior of everything.
One of the most basic of those rules is that, with the exception of the occasional lottery winner, you pretty much get out of an effort what you put into it. We’re all quite familiar with this reality, although we are often willing to believe people who tell us otherwise, about exercise and about life.
The sooner everybody—both halves of the population—accepts the fact that effective exercise is more like training for athletics and less like lying around on the floor, more about performance and less about appearance, the sooner it will be understood that women really don’t need their own figure salon.” Mark Rippetoe
Allie
April 15th, 2009
If you analize tracy anderson’a workouta theyre “barre” “lothe berk” ” pilates” “yoga” “ballet” orientated .
She creates this system that targets problem areas, for me its been a complete success since im really short and no matter what workout I did, I never got the results I “wanted” , I have good muscles and I increased sizes quicly and looked tonedm however I always wanted a dancer body type, not the large muscle type so i always did cardio.
So im guessing Tracys attepmt is designing a method for people with pear shape bodys or “not naturally” thin so they can look a little more lean and skinny.
If you look at her, her body in my opinion does not have good proportion , kinda Skinny Fat, big torso, skinny armas an legs…
My point is…for real athletes , trainers who have the commitment and will to stick to a good program this might be a total nonesense….but how many dancers have a great body and never lifted a single weight but their bodys own weight.
I feel it depends in the results you want to achieve, for me I have gained a lot of strenght specially on my arms combining it with body combat and other aerobics.
But specially some of her “rotations” on the hips and armas have defined me in a way no other workout ever did.
Yes I dont credit her for strenght or muscle….just definition and reshaping my structure to “SEEM” a little bit leaner..
skinny fat or no..this look is exactly what i was looking for.
and yes I do some other forms including lifting weights and cardio.
Franco
April 25th, 2009
Wow!!!
You are a bunch of very bitter women! Too bad you don’t put your anger into something more constructive…no one is making you do her videos and look at her websites! Life is too short give the girl a break!!!
jen
June 6th, 2009
Wow..so Tracy Anderson is a personal trainer..and the author as well. One is a famous one who is acknowledged for her method, while the other is not. Someone is a little bitter and cranky over the fact that their little craft is not getting any attention. So you decide to make yourself a little known by bashing someone. That’s the most simplest and cowardly thing to do. Ladies, Tracy Anderson’s Method works! It has done wonders for my body like no other. Try it before complaining and becoming bitter like this woman.
Victoria Leonova
August 10th, 2009
I am absolutely with “Don’t Knock It Till You Try It” - TA’s Mat Video workout is amazing. And I am a heavy-liftin’, badass grrrl. Her arm workouts are TOUGH, they work every single tiny muscle until they twitch. At first blush, her moves seem sissy. Try it a couple of times - I dare you to go over 3#.
Emjay
October 28th, 2009
Hi
I think some of these comments here are very immature. What are you like 17?
Try this dvd ladies yourself and make up your own mind. It is not for everyone but I am glad I bought it and not listened to all the reviews.
thanks
Lisa
December 17th, 2009
The work out is brilliant! Have any of you screaming wenches so quick to kill it actually tried it? Try it, then comment - you’re all just so quick to write things off and be judgemental. I hope you’re not teaching your children your predudice ways!!
Lou
January 7th, 2010
I just have a question for everyone (especially the trainers). I’m always hearing you won’t bulk up like bodybuilders from weights. But I’m wondering are you talking about those bodybuilders with bulging veins and no chests or about some of those fitness competitors on Oxygen magazines. Because, I’ll be honest, I really don’t want arms as big as Monica Brandt either. I don’t want to look like I can kick some man’s ass.
Jennifer
January 20th, 2010
Amen… I have to try to explain all the time the fact that we need to do weights and here comes this cotton head and says it on Oprah who is the end all be all of all information everywhere and it sets me back all over again.
Carla
March 6th, 2010
I agree that there are too many haters in this forum. Why so angry? So what if she lifts 3-lb weights? What’s it to you? Besides, not everyone want to look like a butchy bodybuilder. Some of us actually like looking like ballerinas. Whom I’m sure you know are extremely fit, agile AND STRONG and they don’t lift a damn 20-pounder one-armed row! I liked her method, obviously there are some of you who are bitter about it. Who knows why. Maybe because you wanna be big and bulky. More power to you. I’ll stick with my thin and slender frame thank you.
Chandra
April 13th, 2010