'I TRIED THE TRACY ANDERSON METHOD AT HER FIRST LONDON STUDIO'

I am dripping in sweat. My pink activewear is at least two shades darker, the salt is stinging my eyes, and my butt is burning. I’m at Tracy Anderson’s inaugural London studio, and there are two things on my mind: one) why didn’t I wear black? and two) why is no-one saying anything?

Granted, the studio is heated, and J Lo’s Papi is blaring out of the speakers, but trainer Kristin Elliott hasn’t said a word since the music started, and as she begins to jump side to side while willingly looking at me in the mirror, I have no choice but to attempt to mimic her moves. Turns out, there’s method behind this seeming madness.

Tracy Anderson, 49, is the woman Gwyneth Paltrow named a ‘pint-sized miracle’ after Anderson helped her lose weight in 2006. Since being pictured post-workout with both Paltrow and Madonna in 2008, Anderson is now almost as famous as the faces she’s worked with (Victoria Beckham, J Lo and Olivia Wilde, to name a few). In fact, if you’re reading this, I’d bet you a membership at the home to Anderson's new London studio – SURRENNE, a members-only wellbeing club in Knightsbridge, costing £10k per year, plus a £5k joining fee – that you’ve heard of her.

Search her signature workout, the #TracyAndersonMethod, on IG and you’ll find an impressive 192k posts, dating back as far as the noughties. It's this staying power that’s most compelling for me. Fitness trends come and go, but the Tracy Anderson Method (TAM, for short) has stuck around for decades. I’m told it was born out of a five-year research study conducted by Anderson on 150 women, which investigated how to effectively move without doing damage to your body. Now, the method is taught at eponymous studios in New York, Los Angeles, Madrid, the Hamptons, and case in point, London.

'London has always been a city close to my heart, and pivotal for my career. I spent a lot of time there training with Gwyneth [Paltrow] over the years, and it marked the beginning of my Method becoming a global practice,' Anderson tells me.

'The London Studio at SURRENNE is a dream space, and captures the intention I have for every Tracy Anderson studio around the globe: an elevated experience that feels bespoke.'

It’s a move many have anticipated – my colleague enviously tells me she loved Anderson's fitness DVD back in the day, while others eagerly ask if I can get them into a class. If you're also intrigued, here are xxx things she told me about her approach to exercise, and why her famed Method is so effective.

12 Tracy Anderson classes are included with an annual SURRENNE membership. Additional classes cost £40 per session for SURRENNE members, or £50 for guests of the Berkley or Emory Hotel. You can also try the Tracy Anderson Method on her app, for £71 ($90) per month.

1.Tracy Anderson trainers are silent from start to finish of classes

'I could write a book about this. My decision to go without talking is part of a larger physical philosophy that celebrates your body’s natural wisdom. There are so many aspects of modern life that distance you from your body: technology, junk food, sitting at a desk all day.

'My class is the only time of day when I’m completely in my body—no distractions, nothing to numb the moment. Being present in your body is the best thing you can do for your health. I want everyone to be fully present in class.

'There are a ton of studies that support that being in your body with no verbal instructions actually improve physical performance, boost your metabolism, and heighten your coordination. It makes sense: when you’re not distracted by what the trainer is saying, you can actually listen to what your body’s telling you. There’s no translating between what you’re hearing and what your body’s doing—it’s all instinct. That’s a really powerful thing, especially for creating a movement practice that stands the test of time.'

2. But every class is choreographed to a specific playlist

'Music is paramount to my Method. I’m very intentional with my playlists, as it’s essential for me to choreograph to music that is deeply authentic and truthful. When the music resonates with me on a deep level, I know that it will enhance all the profound work we’re doing in class. I often mix different genres, and play with beats to take you on a journey through your own body’s rhythmic patterns. Music and the mind are harmonious.

'I tell my clients to express each move in their own way while honouring the choreography. I use music to unlock that freedom, and infuse the movement with meditative energy.

'Music evokes resiliency when it is carefully chosen to speak to us within, instead of drowning us out. A lot of fitness experiences blast music and yell at you, or inject their narrative into you which leads to a very poor grasp of your own mind during the time when you need to connect the most.'

3. Every studio is heated (but there are fans)

'Our signature heat and humidity systems are calibrated to create the ideal environment to move your body. This warms up your muscles and loosens up your entire body for you to experience new ranges of motion in your body. This also signals to your thermoregulating system and mind to prepare for a bit of healthy stress. It’s never overly heated or uncomfortably humid: the goal is for the climate to free up space in the body—not to exhaust it with extremes.

'Another reason for the heat is that breaking a sweat is a super important ritual for holistic health, as you sweat out toxins from your body. And the secret to beautiful skin texture at any age is a good sweat. I tell my clients all the time that the number one thing you can do for your skin is sweat on a daily basis.'

Top tip: every studio has fans which trainer Kristin tells me you can claim as your own for an entire session, if you're not used to the heat.

4. The TA Method uses light weights and high reps over heavy progressive overload

'There are motions and mega trends [around weightlifting] that I would never put my body through. My Method plays with tension, resistance, and healthy stress that is regenerative, not degenerative.

'If you consistently perform the same repeated movements, and simply add more weight each time, you’re going to experience two things: 1) over empowerment of larger muscle groups, greater chance of injury, muscular imbalance, overuse and degeneration of joints, and 2) limited range of motion.

'That said, my workout is far more complex than just "light weights, high reps": it’s a dynamic experience that invites your body to explore new planes of motion, lengthening, mobility and longevity of every single muscle in your body (including the smaller accessory muscles that are often neglected in everyday life).

'I don’t love the tendency in the fitness industry to compartmentalise the body into discrete parts, and only target those areas. If we want to cultivate health and balance throughout the beautifully interconnected system that is the body, then we need to move in ways that integrate our full physical and experiential selves.'

5. Classes are formed of two components: arms + sequences

'Every class is a one-of-a-kind experience. No two weeks are ever the same, as I’m constantly computing, creating, and strategically evolving the conversation with your body for lasting results.

'Each class has two acts: the opening arms ceremony, and the sequences. I start with your arms on purpose. Orchestra conductors live 38 per cent longer than the general population, which experts say stem from the positive cardiovascular effects of their dynamic arm movements. My signature arms free tension, stir circulation, awaken your spine's potential and positioning, and reduce stress throughout your entire body, which primes the you for the rest of the workout. There’s a reason for everything in the Method, down to the smallest details.'

6. There are no set rest periods in classes

'There are no prolonged rest periods in my workouts (besides short intervals to switch weights, or transition between standing and series movements). But anyone is welcome to take a break at any point during the workout: it’s designed as a sequence for each client to explore at their own pace in their own way. Any given exercise can feel energising or challenging depending on where you are in your body, which is why I encourage people to feel it out for themselves and choose to rest and grow on their own terms.

'That said, each move involves a dynamic weight transfer on the mat, starting in one position and ending in another. It’s easy to get hung up on getting from A to B, but I challenge my clients to focus on how they’re moving through each weight transfer to engage every part of the body. By staying dynamic and fluid throughout class, you’re heightening your balance, flexibility, coordination, and strength—all while reducing the risks of strain and injury. You never need a day off from this practice because I am a fully regenerative practice that never tips into degeneration.'

7. Dance is the foundation of every TA Method class

'Incorporating dance in my classes was an organic part of developing my Method. My roots are in dance: my concentration is choreography. My mother was a dancer, and I grew up dancing—eventually moving to New York to train full-time as a dancer before entering the fitness world as a one of a kind that believes that choreography is vital to you knowing the body you inhabit the most.

'The Tracy Anderson Method was deeply informed by my dance background, and the emphasis on physical intelligence and precision of movement. The dance element is not just a super fun way to move your body: the Method takes many dance principles like articulation, flexion, alignment, and expressivity to lengthen, strengthen, and preserve healthy joints.'

8. Classes are 30, 60 or 90 minutes long

'Our three levels (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) last 30 minutes or 60 minutes, and some options 90 minutes. These levels are designed for you to explore throughout your life.

'Health is not a destination, it’s a practice. Many of my Advanced clients are incredibly accomplished busy people who may not have 90 minutes to workout every day, so I’ll tell them to squeeze in a Beginner when they only have half an hour to move.'

9. Classes are designed to do 4-7 times a week

'I live by one rule: move your body every day. Whether you’re in the studio with me or out on a walk, tuning into your physical self each day is a non-negotiable for health and longevity.

'For people who want to maintain their peak physical well-being (and preserve their longevity in motion for years to come), I recommend doing my class four-seven times a week. For people who can’t make it to the studio every week, I share all my new choreography in The Online Studio, my virtual fitness platform that comes with everything you need to to create a lifestyle of holistic health: new classes for three levels every week, class breakdowns, dance cardio, weekly menus and meal-planning guides.'