At 8 a.m. on Friday, two dozen style femmes pile into Buick SUVs and head to a glass house in the Hamptons. There is Cass Bird, the renowned fashion photographer. There is Jenne Lombardo, the founder of MADE. Designers Gigi Burris and Carly Cushnie stretch out on mats; DJ Mia Moretti changes into her gym clothes.They're all here for Tracy Anderson, the wellness maven and Gwyneth-whisperer whose outspoken devotion to daily exercise has galvanized—or terrified—women nationwide.
Anderson's teaching an hourlong class called "Spirited Performance," inspired by the new Buick Envision and created to increase drive, stamina, performance... all those things you want in both your physique and a car. (If you can't tell, she's a branding whiz as well as a fitness guru.)
We spoke with the Indiana native about her methodology, her celebrity pet peeves, and Charlotte's Web... then she left to train J. Lo. #NeverNotWorking.
Tracy, what's your middle name?
Blythe! My daughter's middle name is Blythe, too. And it's funny, because of course, Gwyneth's mom's name is Blythe. Gwyneth's daughter's middle name is Blythe. Blythe was my mom's maiden name. So we're all connected.
People know a lot about your work. But how did you get started? Were you the kid on the playground making everyone play tag and do races?
No. I was a terrifyingly shy child, but my dad was this amazing artist. In fifth grade, my dad drew a picture of Charlotte's Web for a class project, and it got so much attention that it really pulled me out of my shell. My mom always pinpoints that moment as when I started being more outgoing.
Aww.
And then later, I danced and I was a cheerleader. I always understood team support and being part of a greater good in terms of camaraderie. But I literally did a research project where I tested 150 women for five years before I ever thought, "Oh gosh, I have an integrated methodology. I have a way of motivating people." It wasn't something I knew as a kid!
Some women are afraid of the gym. How can we get over that anxiety that we're being judged and just go work out?
I would say, don't be afraid of other people [in your workout class]. Be more afraid of not taking care of your health! Would you have strep throat and not go to the doctor? Would you find a lump in your breast and not get it biopsied? Be more afraid of not preventing disease. It's vital to mental, physical, and emotional health to exercise. You can't be afraid to get better.
What's the biggest mistake women make after workouts?
It's the detox to retox mentality. You have women saying, "Oh, I worked out, now I'm going to go lose all emotional control for the rest of the day, and eat pizza and a pint of ice cream." And I'm not saying you shouldn't eat those things. It's fine to have pizza. It's fine to have ice cream. You need to make sure more than anything that you're having balance. You can't do one good thing and trick yourself into thinking you've earned the right to do something bad.
You train some of the most famous women in the world. Do you think celebrities have something in their psyches that makes them better at pushing themselves during workouts?
No. I think the celebrity culture is all about tricking people into wanting somebody else's life that seems to be better than theirs. But then there's also real entertainers and craftspeople who are all different shapes and sizes. They understand what they're good is at is entertaining and connecting people through love of music, through escape. But I don't think real artists care to dangle their "hot bodies" in people's faces for commercial purposes. I don't consider that to be a true artist. I think there's a whole sort of breed of artist that is narcissistic and so it's their narcissism and other people's desires to fit in or be beautiful and accepted that these people play on to manipulate their emotions with, and I think that is disgusting.
Will you launch your own fashion line, or maybe even sneakers, soon?
Yes, that's happening. It is happening. I know so much about the body and how to design the body. So making sure people's naked bodies are as good as they can possibly be, as strong as they can possibly be, as connected as they can possibly be, that's been what I've been running towards so fast and so furious for so many years. So for me to stop and make a drastic turn and go into fashion just because I have permission to do so? It's not really my motivation. I mean, I love fashion. And if I put something on, people will start wearing it. I'm aware of that. And so I'm going to do it. But when I do it, it'll be with other people.
