She might be one of the OG fitness influencers, but Tracy Anderson’s sweat-inducing, dance-cardio workouts have been shaping Hollywood bodies long before Instagram even entered the chat.
She rose to prominence in the early 2000s with the workout DVDs many of us grew up on – or watched our families sweat it out to. Anderson built a method rooted in her dance background – music-led movement designed to challenge muscles in a way that didn’t ‘damage the body’.
Since launching her first studio in 2003, she’s expanded her eponymous, viral empire across New York, Los Angeles, Madrid, the Hamptons and, most recently, London – where our Fitness Director put the method to the test last year. It doesn’t come cheap; memberships can cost upwards of £10,000 a year, plus a £5,000 joining fee. Unsurprisingly, it’s become a firm favourite among the A-list.
What is the Tracy Anderson Method?
It’s hard to put TAM (that’s the Tracy Anderson Method, for those in the know) into simple words. It’s a mix of dance cardio, mat work and accessories such as light weights, resistance bands and weighted sticks. If you’re on social media, you may have noticed the colourful ribbons adorning studio ceilings – they’re actually resistance bands and are frequently incorporated into workouts.
Classes last 30, 60 or 90 minutes and are conducted in a heated studio with no set breaks, to ensure maximum sweat. Attendees follow along with the instructor as they stretch, pull and dance to music. The key to the workouts is ‘light weights, high reps’, she told WH.
What celebrities do the Tracy Anderson Method?Gwyneth Paltrow
One of Anderson’s most famous fans, Gwyneth Paltrow, described her as a ‘pint-sized’ miracle. The two have been good friends for decades, and Paltrow has been a dedicated TAM-er ever since – she’s even an investor.
‘Her method works so well for me. I’ve seen all these fads come and go, and nothing works for me the way that Tracy’s approach does, so I really stick with it. She’s amazing,’ she told Shape. She’s even attended sessions with her model daughter, Apple, calling themselves ‘two generations of fanatics’ for the workout.
The pop star is such a fan that she featured as a testimonial on Tracy Anderson’s website. She said, ‘There is no madness to her Method [sic] – just 25 years of pure dedication to her clients and healthy living.’ During her three-year Vegas residency, where she was performing daily, she relied on Anderson to stay at the top of her game.
‘I freestyle dance with Tracy Anderson five times a week. We’ll incorporate light weights (3 lbs/1.4 kgs) for the arms and moves that focus on the butt and thighs and engage the core,’ she told People in 2016.
Kate Hudson
The Oscar-nominees abs are no joke, but she also loves a home workout thanks to Tracy Anderson. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, she shared a picture of herself on Instagram, following along at home.
Instagram /@katehudson
Madonna
Back in the 2000s, Anderson was credited with completely overhauling Madonna’s workout routine; she even installed one of Anderson’s inventions – the ‘hybrid body reformer’ – in her London home, according to The Guardian. They were spotted together frequently and, although they reportedly had some personal conflicts, there’s no dispute that Madonna remains at the top of her fitness game.
Tracee Ellis Ross
A long-time devotee of TAM, Ellis Ross once told People that it’s one of her go-to classes, and has shared herself pushing through workouts on social media.
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Isabelle Knevett is the Fashion Features Editor at Women’s Health, bringing a wealth of experience in media and fashion since 2019. She has led high-impact PR campaigns for global giants like Adidas and Reebok and has reported on everything from fashion analysis and shopping trends, to deep dive features and investigative reporting. A former professional dancer, she understands the value of quality gym and activewear, making her a true expert in the field. Her work has been featured in Marie Claire Australia, ELLE Australia, Australian Women’s Weekly, WHO and more. When she’s not buried in a fashion magazine or sweating it out the gym or dance studio, you’ll find her reading or writing about fashion, feminism and global politics.