In what I can only assume is a grand hoax of some sort, Madonna’s personal trainer Tracy Anderson, gave a list of her personalized tips on how to workout and look like Madonna. And just in case you think Madge’s bulging biceps are bit over the top, Tracy also happens to train the waifish Gwyneth Paltrow.
Anderson’s workout goes against every piece of conventional wisdom and fitness research I have read in the past two years. And yet, Madonna & Gwyneth are in fantastic shape. The only thing I could come up with is that Tracy is either working for Pop Fiction, Ashton Kutcher’s new version of Punk’d where the celebrities play the pranks, or she’s just lying to the press.
Madonna’s New “Workout”
1. Variety. Tracy recommends 30 minutes of either dancing or a running/skipping/galloping combo. (Okay, so far so good. I love variety. Who doesn’t love dancing?)
2. Toning. Danger, Will Robinson, Danger! Tracy recommends doing arm raises, plies and crunches – working up to 100 of each. But here’s the kicker: “NEVER lift anything heavier than 3 lbs. It will just make you bulk out.” (emphasis mine). Seriously – didn’t we try the whole “toning” thing in the 80’s? It went out with thong leotards and Aqua Net Bangs. The research these days says to lift heavy and short.
3. Combine dance with toning in every workout. Tracy recommends 30 minutes of cardio followed by a few toning exercises 6 days a week. Well, I guess you don’t really need a day in between to let your muscles recover if all you are doing is toning.
4. Focus only on the smaller, supporting muscles. Avoid training your large muscles at all costs. Says Tracy, “don’t go the gym and do tons of leg presses. Better to stay home and do 100 plies or something that’s not going to bulk you up.”
5. Work out in a hot room. This is the whole principle behind Bikram yoga and I do enjoy a good hot yoga class but cardio in a hot room? Puke city.
Has anyone seen Madonna lately? Girl cannot possibly be using candy-colored 3-lb dumbbells and just dancing or doing pilates for 30 minutes. Please tell me this is a joke.
Speaking of jokes, here is a totally awesome one from Reader M. Thanks, M!!
she totally is!
and doing zero cardio.
and eating whatever she wants (which is always dessert. that’s just how homegurl rolls).
and has had ZERO ZILCH plastic surgery or botox.
🙂
(I miss my black rubber bracelets stacked up my forearm. where on earth did I leave those?!)
M.
Okay, I’ll buy that Gwenyth does that, because she has nice arms without a lot of definition. But Madonna must be cheating on her trainer. The Material Girl is obvs working her large muscles and using more than 3 lbs of weight.
Of course, it’s a well known fact/rumor that Madonna <3's whichever yoga practice it is that builds serious muscle.
Personally, I don’t have the patience to do 100 arm raises. I’m all about short reps with lots of variation. And more weight.
I was gonna add that Madonna loves her yoga, so…who knows.
These tips are interesting, if this truly is what Madonna does (aside from yoga – her arms look so weird partly because she’s so thin, am I right?). You did say the Bar Method gave you a pretty good workout, right? Isn’t that what this trainer is suggesting, at least kind of? But “toning” with such light weight won’t do a thing, as far as I know. Of course, if they are also doing bodyweight stuff (push ups, planks, etc) that would add to the resistance element.
On the Bar Method – how did you put together a workout from that website? Could you perhaps post up what you did that got your legs a-shakin’?
Totally forgot about the yoga – thanks you guys!
AT22 – after sleeping on this, I actually decided to try the Madonna workout tomorrow at the gym:) Can’t dis it if I’ve never tried it, right?
And you are soooo right about the Bar Method. I’m STILL sore. Yeah, I’ll post the workout we did either today or tomorrow. Thanks for the idea!
Quick reply 🙂 I actually went and read the article (after posting my comment, sorry!) and think it might be a great experiment! (Of course they do not mention yoga – maybe she gave it up??)
I can’t see this workout upping your PR on the Clean, but it’s so crazy, it JUST MIGHT WORK! I kid, but she advocates some of the things that are actually popular right now. Her sprint, skip, gallop thing is probably a lot like interval training, and the plies and crunches – good ol’ fashioned resistance work. I’ll be curious what you think.
And yes, I’m totally obsessed with the bar method now, thank you! Looking forward to your post on the workout. (The videos are super-expensive)
Ok, the cookie dough vid had me gagging at the end.
I watched a 20/20 interview with Madonna and they showed clips of her shooting a music video. Man, her dancing was crazy hard! I can imagine that if she dances like that while she tours and is shooting it would produce some fierce calorie burn!
I was thinking the same thing when I read that article. Women are supposed to be strong and take up space! And how else would Madonna look the way she does unless she worked out hard? It just doesn’t make sense.
great to read your post about fitness
Charlotte, I hope to get more info about diet & fitness tips from you
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