Can we please stop talking about Tracy Anderson? Those were the words David Dellanave of Movement Minneapolis spoke during the Expert Panel at The Fitness Summit last weekend. Before that, there had been a lot of Tracy Anderson bashing—some of it in jest, and some because her name came up in several talks as a reflection of the industry’s state. Dave seemed to have had enough.
The turning point came when powerlifter, Greg Nuckols, a T-Nation writer and a genuinely nice guy, asked the panel a simple but powerful question: How can we share good training information without turning people away from working out?
On a side note, I watched Greg pause squat 585 pounds—ass-to-grass—for a clean single last weekend. I can’t help but hate him a little.
As Harold Gibbons summed up the event, this question stood in contrast to a broader discussion about how we in the fitness world can push back against bad training advice. We can be vocal about science and safety, yet we shouldn’t vilify people who are sincere but flawed and open to growth.
I’ll own my part in this. I’ve joined the chorus against Tracy Anderson, Jillian Michaels, or any other trainer you might name.
On one hand this may seem hypocritical, especially considering the thousands of testimonials from women who have followed their plans and lost weight. That should be acknowledged.
What I dislike most is the fear-mongering these trainers can stir up.
Here are some of Anderson’s well-known claims, in summary:
– No woman should lift more than 3 pounds.
– Running, strength work, and cycling may burn calories, but they won’t shape feminine muscle or fix a supposed imbalance.
– I would never recommend kettlebells to women, even those who want to bulk up, because bulkier muscles look okay in younger women but not as they age.
It’s also a bit odd that, given her promotion of her method and a certain look, she has had significant plastic surgery herself.
Even so, she plays on women’s emotions and fears to keep them away from lifting.
Does her method work? It seems to produce some results if you search for before-and-after pics, which is notable but limited.
A commenter named Brent put it well on an old blog post: anyone can make clients drop pounds or push them hard to chase a short-term number, but long-term success is about empowerment and long-term progress, which isn’t easy to market.
That’s part of what I argued in my talk last weekend: fear-mongering and playing on women’s fears doesn’t help.
At Cressey Performance we don’t think women need to train differently from men. Ninety percent of what we do is the same, regardless of gender.
Our female clients often show a deeper interest in the psychology of training. Men tend to compare themselves to their own past performance; women often compare themselves to other women. They might look at someone else’s bench press or back and wonder why theirs isn’t the same.
I once worked with a 50-something woman who beat herself up for not looking like a 22-year-old athlete who trained at the same time. My job is to help her turn off those negative messages and focus on improving performance instead of chasing the scale.
Focusing on goals like doing a strict push-up, or squatting body weight for reps, is more valuable than any number on a pink dumbbell or an elliptical—Or a Tracy Anderson DVD.
If strength training isn’t your thing and you prefer pink dumbbells, yoga, or running, go for it. Anything is better than nothing, and if you feel good, that’s great. But don’t be the person who trains five times a week, never sees results, and keeps doing the same thing hoping for a different result.
If you’re a coach, please empower your clients to make long-term progress and be their guide. Coach them.
So, yes, I know starting a post with “can we please just shut up about Tracy Anderson” invites some sarcasm, and I kept writing about her anyway. I hope you can see the larger point: one of the best compliments a client can give is when they no longer need your services. When they reach their goals, keep them and can say, “I got this.” Your job is done.
There’s no need to exploit people or feed their fears.
