Arms Made for Hollywood
Posted on Feb 18th, 2010 by Tony GentilcoreA reader of my blog sent me this video from Gwyneth Paltrow’s website detailing the “arm series” that Tracy Anderson (who’s actually the one in the video) sent her to do as she prepared for Iron Man II.
MY EYES. MY EYES. MAKE IT STOP. AHHHHHHHHHHHH. *jumps off cliff*
A few thoughts come to mind:
1. I’m totally busting out this routine on the dance floor at Eric Cressey’s wedding this fall.
2. This is yet another great example of why we’ll never see the end of the “lifting weights will make me big and bulky” mentality. It’s sad, really. Thanks Tracy Anderson, for setting women’s fitness back 20 years! I mean, air IS pretty heavy
3. Coldplay sucks.
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Comments ( 20 )
Chris added these pithy words on Feb 18th, 2010 at 11:45 am |That’s a nice little 5 minute warmup, when does the workout start?
Craig added these pithy words on Feb 18th, 2010 at 12:04 pm |Thanks for ruining my day Tony!
James added these pithy words on Feb 18th, 2010 at 12:12 pm |She’s making that crap up as she goes along!
That woman is evil. And rich.
melissa added these pithy words on Feb 18th, 2010 at 12:14 pm |ha! you posted it! i get karazy ish like this all the time…i almost fell out of my chair when i saw the video…amazing
James added these pithy words on Feb 18th, 2010 at 12:41 pm |Gwyneth: Hi Tracy, yeah, got the dvd you sent by Fedex. Yeah, gonna start now. I’ve transferred $20,000 to your account.
Puts on dvd.
3 minutes later….
Gwyneth: WTF?!
Cue Clocks…
Stefanie added these pithy words on Feb 18th, 2010 at 12:48 pm |Gwyneth “interviews” Kristen Davis and her thoughts of the Tracy Anderson Method (emphasis mine):
“GOOP: How did you discover Tracy Anderson Method?
I had heard about Tracy and her method, and I was intrigued by how strong she looked without being bulky. I saw an interview with her where she said that women should never use weights heavier than 3 lbs. Since I had been arguing this point with trainers for 10 years I was thrilled to have a professional[!!!] back up my suspicion. The most striking thing I noticed from that first workout was that my quads weren’t engaged at all and weren’t sore the next day. This was a first. There were small muscles all over my body that had never been sore before that were slightly sore the next day. But mostly, I felt energized and it was easier for me to stand up straight.”
Um. WHAT.
Eric added these pithy words on Feb 18th, 2010 at 12:53 pm |Reminds me of some Jersey Shore fist-pumpin! She’s just trying to beat the beat up before it beats her down!
Chris added these pithy words on Feb 18th, 2010 at 2:03 pm |I only made it though 30 seconds of this before I had to shut it off.
(Cut me some slack here…I deadlifted this morning.)
Henry added these pithy words on Feb 18th, 2010 at 2:35 pm |I think I get more work done getting into my car, shifting gears, and getting out. But at least that program does runs a low risk of injury!
Carl added these pithy words on Feb 18th, 2010 at 9:08 pm |MDI baby
Bret Contrears added these pithy words on Feb 18th, 2010 at 11:11 pm |Haha! I would actually pay a lot of money to see a Youtube video of you busting this routine out at Eric’s wedding.
MJ added these pithy words on Feb 19th, 2010 at 8:36 am |It’s like a car accident. I couldn’t stop watching, but I hated myself for doing it. This video is so horrible it should have a parental advisory disclaimer on it.
Just a girl added these pithy words on Feb 19th, 2010 at 2:14 pm |Well, she DOES look amazing. And I don’t think it’s because she’s having real baddass hardcore training when the cameras turn off. So, Tony, I think you’ve just made an argument against you own philosophy, and it’s a good one, too. :/
Bill added these pithy words on Feb 19th, 2010 at 8:13 pm |gotta love the the abduction overhead in full internal rotation…
Niel added these pithy words on Feb 19th, 2010 at 10:44 pm |She has no butt, very sad.
That macarena knock-off is too much to memorize even for a wedding.
Daz added these pithy words on Feb 21st, 2010 at 6:50 am |I’m not exactly the religious type, but..Jeeesus. MJ is spot on. It IS LIKE A CAR ACCIDENT! You have to keep looking. Just in case it gets better. But you already know it’s going to be a hell of a mess from start to finish. And you know she couldn’t do that again. Made it up. On the spot. Bless her million dollar cotton socks…
Mark added these pithy words on Feb 24th, 2010 at 10:53 am |It’s funny that during the whole “arm workout” her arms remain pretty much straight. No flexion, no extension. So…really? Arm workout?
Mark added these pithy words on Feb 24th, 2010 at 10:57 am |just a girl said: “Well, she DOES look amazing.”
She looks like a 12 yr old boy with breast implants. And while certainly an “interesting” look, I wouldn’t call it amazing.
Kathy Ekdahl added these pithy words on Feb 28th, 2010 at 5:20 pm |Just got a chance to view this. A friend of mine bought her video and wanted my opinion on it. It makes me want to cry. Seriously! I’ve been busting my a** for 20 years trying to convince women to lift heavy,to stop wasting time on stupid arm exercises and work on their lats or glutes or core,anything but shoulders and adductors. And, as Tony said, this one video undoes it all. Boo hoo…. I am crying now.
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Tony Gentilcore is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Currently residing in the greater Boston area and co-founder of