Outline Over 25 years Tracy Anderson has sculpted some of the most famous bodies in Hollywood with her signature dance-inspired workouts; from Gwyneth Paltrow (who calls her ‘the exercise genius of all time’) to Jennifer Lopez and Victoria Beckham. Now Anderson’s notoriously sweaty method has finally hit the UK: her first London studio opened this month.
Timeline Anderson abandoned dreams of being a professional dancer in 1990s New York after gaining nearly three stone, which she persistently failed to lose. Instead she threw herself into transforming her body and, after conducting a five-year study on a test group of hundreds of women, launched her famous programme in the early noughties.
Getting to grips with the isokinetic band system at the Tracy Anderson London studio
Slimline Her method is a full-body workout fusing cardiovascular exercise and strength training to activate your small muscle groups through high-repetition movements.
The 50-minute mat classes start with a dance warm-up (the ‘opening ceremony’) of free arm movements, before adding small hand weights for a little extra arm challenge, then a section of glute, arm and ab exercises on the mat, using ankle weights.
Hotline Floor-to-ceiling mirrors line the studio, which is heated to 35 degrees with 75 per cent humidity: sweat encourages the release of toxins and improves skin elasticity and tone, while the heat keeps muscles warm and ready. Ten minutes into the workout, sweat is dripping into my sports bra (thank god I put on a black gym kit this morning) and I reach for the towels and mini-fans at our disposal.
Bass line The most uncomfortable moment in class comes when awkwardly I make eye-contact with the instructor in the mirror. One thing you should know about a TA workout is that they’re silent (kind of) – she wants everyone to ‘tune out the noise’ and listen to their bodies instead. The instructor doesn’t give any verbal cues, so I’m just following her example while Beyoncé, Rihanna and Katy Perry blast through the speakers.
Hardline Consistency is key for this workout – an hour a day is recommended, six days per week. Anderson changes the choreography completely every ten days to ensure accessory muscles are consistently challenged and that you never plateau; and thanks to sprung flooring with shock absorbers, there’s minimal impact on joints.
Strapline Anderson has pioneered the patented Isokinetic band system, a series of elastic bands in three colours, suspended from the ceiling. The blues are the most resistant. Our instructor pulls down two greens at the end of class to give us a taster of the band-focused workout sessions (spoiler alert: these involve dance moves, squats and lunges).
Tracy with fan Gwyneth Paltrow in 2019
Online There’s something inexplicably fascinating about the TA Method – aside from the celebrity clientele. Before my class, I scroll through videos on TikTok of Alo Yoga-clad yummy mummies dripping in sweat while repeatedly lifting their legs in the air.
The comments tell me those training at her members-only locations in New York, LA, Florida and the Hamptons fork out $900 (around £720) a month. And you can’t just sign up – you apply and they choose you. Or not.
Bottom line A-list abs don’t come cheap. The new London studio is in members’ club Surrenne, on four floors of subterranean space at new Knightsbridge hotel The Emory. Expect a striking lap pool, seven treatment rooms and a dedicated fitness level as well as the Tracy Anderson floor.
Annual Surrenne membership is £10,000 plus £5,000 initiation fee, which includes 12 TA classes (additional classes £40 each); or £72 buys a month with Anderson’s online studio (tracyanderson.com): you get access to 12 new core classes (three a week) as well as 2,000-plus workout sessions from the comfort of your home.
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