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DVD Review: Tracy Anderson Mat Workout

FitSugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:30:00 -0700

I wasn't too thrilled with Tracy Anderson's cardio dance workout. It seemed more personal performance than cardio, but I was still interested in trying her Mat Workout DVD ($29.95). Tracy's approach to body sculpting is to tone without bulking, so she avoids working the large muscle groups as well as heavy weights. Muscles are worked from a variety of angles, which makes sense since muscle fibers rarely run in a straight line. Many of the motions are small and isolated targeting the smaller, underworked, supporting muscles. She calls this "strategic muscle exhaustion," and you will feel the burn. Much of the workout reminded me of the Bar Method with a dash of sexy jazz dance thrown.

As with her cardio dance workout, this DVD is shot in a very lovely studio, with just Tracy leading the workout and soft music with a beat playing the background. The workout is divided into sections: standing legs, arm work without weights, arm work with weights, standing ab work, floor work for the legs, and a variety of crunches. All in all, I felt pleasantly worked following the workout, and my heart rate stayed slightly elevated in a fat burning zone for the majority of the workout. The entire workout takes just under an hour.

I do have some problems with the workout. To hear my pros and cons, just

DVD Review: Tracy Anderson Dance Cardio Workout

FitSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:30:00 -0700

Years ago, I used to dance around, high impact aerobic style to Madonna's first album (sing with me "I'm burning up, burning up for your love"), so I find it humorous that over 20 years later I am dancing around my living room with Madonna's trainer. Well not actually with Tracy Anderson, but with her new Cardio Dance Workout DVD ($30).

Anderson believes that dance cardio is the perfect aerobic workout for creating long, lean muscles and a feminine, toned physique. When dancing you work your muscles from a wide variety of angles as opposed to running or biking, which are repetitive in one direction, which in her opinion can create bulk. This workout is high energy dancing, dare I say high impact aerobics, full of hopping, jumping, high kicks and even the 60s dance step the Pony. The eight combinations that make up the workout are like a jazzy version of petite allegro (the jumping section of a dance class. Even though it is high energy and full of movement, I was able to dance almost full out in my tiny living room.

To see how the workout is broken down, just

Train With Madonna's Trainer!

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 05:30:00 -0700

Tracy Anderson, who is known best for training Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow, is taking her signature Method to the club.

Tracy has teamed up with Reebok Sports Club/NY for an intense two-week boot camp that promises you'll shed pounds while toning your body. This three hour per night boot camp starts on Monday, June 16 and as you may have guessed, training with Madonna's trainer does not come cheap: it's $2500 for members and $3000 for nonmembers. Call (212) 501-1429 to register.

Don't live in NY or have $3000 lying around? You can buy Tracy's Dance Aerobics DVD for $30.

Get the Bod: Gwyneth and Madonna's Workout

FitSugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 04:30:00 -0700

User jennmerr recently pointed out an interesting article from US Magazine about what Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna do to stay so darn fit that you may also be interested in.

The tips come directly from their trainer, Tracy Anderson. They're pretty detailed and, true to Tracy's style, involve a lot of reps. To see the whole 6-week workout just

Get the Bod: Tips from Madonna's Trainer

FitSugar — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:00:00 -0700

Madonna is one fit woman. From injecting vitamins to building a gym 20 yards from her home, she's got her eye on health. To be Madonna's personal trainer must not be an easy task since I am guessing it takes a lot to keep ahead of Madge in the gym. Her current trainer, Tracy Anderson (who also trains Madonna's pal Gwyneth Paltrow), has recently disclosed to the Daily Mail some of the tricks she has up her sleeve for keeping A-listers fit.

For highlights on what Tracy suggests her clients do in the gym then