I Tried Tracy Anderson’s Glutecentric Program and Here’s Why I’m Obsessed
Celeb trainer Tracy Anderson first piqued my interest years ago when Gwyneth Paltrow praised her for transforming her “dumpy” butt.
Back in 2011, Paltrow told Self Magazine, “I never thought that I’d be considered to have a good body. I was bony up top and kind of dumpy on the bottom. But my trainer, Tracy Anderson, completely changed my legs, butt, arms and stomach. I feel better than ever, too.”
At the time I related to Paltrow’s plight. I, too, was bony on top but unshapely and definitely not very toned on the bottom, particularly around my hips, thighs, and butt. I was inspired by Paltrow’s transformation, so I decided to try out Anderson’s Metamorphosis program for the first time.
Anderson’s intensive DVD series includes customized workouts for specific body types, including Abcentric, Hipcentric, Glutecentric, and Omnicentric (you can take a quick quiz to determine your body shape). I identified with the Hipcentric pear-shaped body shape back then, so I purchased the appropriate DVD set and waited anxiously for it to arrive. My dumpy butt, unshapely hips, and thighs depended on it.
As soon as I finished the first DVD in the series, I was hooked. As a former dancer, I loved the dance cardio component and I really felt — and later witnessed — the difference in my body with Anderson’s muscular structure work that’s designed to target problem areas and address the imbalances of each specific body shape.
By the end of the 90 days, my hips were pulled in, more shapely, and my lower body was more toned than ever. It was official: I was a Tracy Anderson believer. I repeated the Hipcentric program at least three times afterward and also purchased three additional DVDs of hers, including The Method. Besides running and the odd yoga class, Tracy Anderson was my fitness guru for a few years. I felt lean and toned, and, like, thisclose to Gwyneth.
However, as the years went on, I became obsessed with other workouts, like boxing and HIIT, and my TA devotion waned. But when a quick peek in the mirror in January revealed a rather flat butt in need of a little perk-me-up, I knew it was time to get another, literal, kick in the butt. In Tracy I trusted, so this time I purchased her Glutecentric program and, because I had worn out my Hipcentric DVD copy, I opted for the online option this time instead. It was time to reshape my butt.
The First 30 days
The best thing about Anderson’s Metamorphosis is that you don’t need much equipment. Just a mat and a pair of 3 lb. to 5 lb. weights. Because I was in better shape than my first time with the program, this time around I went for 5 lb. weights and chose to do the leg and butt exercises with a pair of 3lb. ankle weights.
There are nine workouts in total nine workouts in total to transition through every 10 days, which include 30 minutes of cardio dance and 30 minutes of muscular structure work that includes arm work, abs, and lower body, including butt, hips, and thighs.
After my first day, I remembered why I fell in love with this program: it’s fun, challenging, and it makes you sweat — which, for me, is the tell-tale sign that the workout is, in fact, working for me. Though the dance cardio is the same for the Hipcentric and the other body shape programs, the muscular structure work is different, which means you’re really targeting your trouble zones that are specific to your needs.
The first 30 days are little more basic than the rest of the program — the point is to consistently challenge your bod more and more every 10 days — but I was grateful for the reprieve. Anderson definitely knows what she’s doing.
After 60 Days
After my first month of the program, I definitely saw a rounder behind and more definition between my but and thighs. Since I was happy with my relatively fast results, and because I was cross-training with TRX, kickboxing, and yoga, I decided to skip my daily Tracy Anderson workouts, opting to work out to her Glutecentric program only twice to three times a week. I didn’t want to over-train.
Anderson also has a recommended meal plan, but my diet is mostly plant-based and clean anyway so I decided to skip it and continue doing my own thing. For my own reasons, I opted to eat vegan at least five days a week, and eat vegetarian on the other days, and stuck to drinking wine only on the weekends. I know my eating, in addition to my regular fitness routine, is a huge reason behind my rapid results. After all, food is fuel. You can’t run your car on dirty gasoline.
90 Days Later
Baby’s got back! Ninety days later and I’m satisfied with my glutes. They’re rounder, fuller and perkier than they were three months ago. Tracy does it again!
Here’s how I got that peach: Consistency. It’s the key to success for any workout plan, and its efficacy can’t be stressed enough. What also helped? Eating clean, and making sure that on the days I wasn’t doing her program, I was still moving my body.
If you’re more into having a moderately toned, sleeker dancer’s body, then I highly recommend becoming part of the #tamily (the popular Tracy Anderson hashtag for her loyal following) and trying Metamorphosis, as well as her other programs.
Full disclosure: You will feel a little silly doing the hip movements, the choreography can be a little tricky for beginners, and you probably won’t like her Music option (it sounds like Euro house music from the late ’90s) but if you follow the program the way it was designed, after 90 days you will feel like stronger and leaner than ever before.
No dumpy butts, that’s for sure.
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