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Madonna Calls It Quits With Trainer Tracy Anderson

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:26:03 -0700

These days Madonna has been making big proclamations, but recent changes for the material girl aren't limited to her love life. Madge has dropped her trainer Tracy Anderson.

It seems Madonna has grown "tired of the baggage that Tracy always seemed to be carrying with her." Anderson had insisted that her trainees abstain from any other form of exercise - no yoga, no running, etc. But it looks like the ~~devotion~~ narrow focus Tracy demanded has become worn out and no longer a two way street. A source told Page Six that "Tracy had grown to be more of a distraction than anything else." It is rumored that Madonna was upset that Tracy didn't accompany her on the last leg of her European tour.

For Tracy's response, continue reading.

Words That Move You . . .

FitSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:47:00 -0700

FitSugar reader mademoiselle2009 reminded me of this fun quote from one of the fittest female celebs out there.

"Those who run seem to have all the fun."
- Madonna from "Hung Up"

Need more motivation? Check out all of my words that move you.

Madonna's Tour Is Sticky and Sweaty

FitSugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:00:00 -0700

Madonna, no stranger to sweating, has brought her high-fitness level to the stage of her tour Sticky and Sweet.

I have not seen the show myself, but it's pretty clear from the pictures that all her hard work at her gym is paying off. Madonna has a bit of pole dancing, jump roping, deep squats, and more during the show, all while she's singing, too - talk about the ultimate talk test. And you can bet this 50-year-old rock star is not letting a little world tour get in the way of staying healthy, People reports that:

"The harder Madonna works the happier she is," says Rosenberg, a longtime friend. "Because she was a dancer, that's why. It's practice, practice, practice."

On her opening night in Cardiff, Wales, "She had a massage and a facial – things are very quiet," says the rep.

Before each show, she spends an hour in hair and makeup then performs some vocal exercises. Next, she warms up with some form of exercise, "probably some free weights."

I've always been impressed with her dedication to fitness, but when she is on tour I am reminded of how fit she really is - not many women half her age could keep up with her on and off stage. Cheers Madonna, and happy touring.

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Madonna: Fit and Fifty

FitSugar — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Word on the street is that Madonna will be doing some double-Dutch jump-roping in her upcoming Sticky and Sweet tour. While all that jumping is a serious cardio workout, I am sure Madonna can handle it and then some. She's seriously fit and today she is turning 50! Happy birthday, Madge.

How exactly does this icon maintain her insane physique after five decades? She works plenty hard at it, that's how. Madonna said, "There are no tricks. Tricks don’t work. Discipline does." And she is one disciplined macrobiotic girl. Plus she knows what fitness tricks do work: she has a great fitness buddy Gwyneth Paltrow, she's got a tough trainer, and she mixes it up. Madge bikes and runs, as well as practices ashtanga yoga and Gyrotonic. She also conveniently has a gym in her home, or at least as close as the house next door that she converted to a gym.

Whether or not she is taking the health thing too far by injecting herself with vitamins, Madonna lives the healthy lifestyle most of the time.

I for one hope to be as fit as Madonna when I hit the mid century mark. What about you, does Madonna inspire you? Tell me in the comments section below.

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Get the Bod: Gwyneth and Madonna's Workout

FitSugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 04:30:00 -0700

User jennmerr recently pointed out an interesting article from US Magazine about what Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna do to stay so darn fit that you may also be interested in.

The tips come directly from their trainer, Tracy Anderson. They're pretty detailed and, true to Tracy's style, involve a lot of reps. To see the whole 6-week workout just read more.

The Workout: While following this plan six times a week, use 3-pound weights, max. Anderson explains, “It’ll get you to your tiniest, tightest point without overdeveloping muscles.” Get video footage of the workout [below] at tracyandersonmethod.com (upper right hand corner).

WEEK 1: Make a 20-minute iPod playlist and do a different cardio activity (treadmill sprints, jumping rope, running on a trampoline) for each song. Switching activities will keep any one group of muscles from bulking up. “You should be dripping sweat and taking very few breaks,” she advises.

Get crunching! Do these three moves on a mat:

Lie flat on back, legs straight, then bend legs and pull to chest, feeling exertion in abs (50 reps).

With legs at 90-degree angle, do 50 crunches.

Lie with legs straight, feet apart. As you slightly lift one foot, crunch straight up and down; return foot to floor and lift the other while crunching. Do 60 times, each side.

Tone. Do 100 reps each, or 200 for moves that alternate sides:

With feet shoulder-width apart, hold arms out in a T and rotate palms from -facing floor to ceiling.

In same stance, bend one wrist and pull across body, arm straight, in a smacking motion across your body. Alternate arms.

Then, with arms straight behind you, palms to-gether, snap your wrists from side to side.

Hold a 3-pound weight above your head with elbow bent at a 90-degree angle. Then lift weight straight over head. Do all reps on one side, then switch arms.

With weight in hand, hold one arm out in a T, bend at elbow to cover eyes, then straighten, keeping arm lifted. Do all reps on one arm; switch.

Do grand pliés: Stand with feet -shoulder-width apart, toes pointing out. With hands on hips and back straight, slowly bend knees until thighs are parallel to floor.

WEEKS 2–6: Increase cardio 10 minutes each week, so by week six, you’re up to 60 minutes daily, plus toning exercises.

As with everything, take these tips with a grain of salt. I don't fully agree with Tracy's view on running - she says not to do it. It is, however, one of my favorite pastimes. I won't be stopping anytime soon. Tracy also recommends a diet, something else you should take with a grain of salt. This diet is one that would leave me starving, especially if I am doing 60 minutes of cardio per day. She swears by it so if you're interested check it out here.

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Words That Move You . . .

FitSugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:00:00 -0700

Sometimes all it takes are a few good words to get you moving.

"There are no tricks. Tricks don’t work. Discipline does."
-Madonna

Source

Get the Bod: Tips from Madonna's Trainer

FitSugar — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:00:00 -0700

Madonna is one fit woman. From injecting vitamins to building a gym 20 yards from her home, she's got her eye on health. To be Madonna's personal trainer must not be an easy task since I am guessing it takes a lot to keep ahead of Madge in the gym. Her current trainer, Tracy Anderson (who also trains Madonna's pal Gwyneth Paltrow), has recently disclosed to the Daily Mail some of the tricks she has up her sleeve for keeping A-listers fit.

For highlights on what Tracy suggests her clients do in the gym then read more.

How to start: First make sure you have 30 minutes of your favorite songs on your iPod. Then find yourself a treadmill. Sprint for one song, skip for one song, and gallop for one song. Work up to a 30-minute work-out. Then move on to toning (below). Start with 10 repetitions and work up to 100 - these should be done every day. If in any doubt about your health, always check with a doctor.

Toning Exercises:
Arm Raise: Using 3lb weights, stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly move arms together straight up into a V above your head. Elbows and wrists are bent slightly. Then gently lower your arms back down to your sides and without pausing go straight back up again. Work up to 100 reps.

Single arm overhead pulse: Using 3lb weights, stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides. Raise one arm above your head with your elbow slightly bent and then straighten your arm completely over your head. Pulse like that, up and down. Work up to 100 reps on one side and then the other.

Ballet Grand Plies: Stand with heels together, toes slightly apart. With a straight back, bend at the knee as low as you can, then go back up again. Work up to 100 reps.

Abdominal Crunches: Lie on the floor with arms at your side, your legs in front of you. Raise yourself slightly until you feel a "crunch" in your abs and then lie back down. The key here is to do it with your legs straight out in front of you, as that will really work your stomach without bulking it up. Work up to 100 reps.

Piking: Lie flat on the floor, arms at your sides. Lift straight legs up to ceiling to 90 degrees and then gently lower. Without pausing, lift them back up again. Your upper body should remain flat on the ground. Both arms and legs should be straight with your toes pointed. Work up to 100 reps.

Advanced Piking: Lie on the floor, legs straight out in front of you with your arms on the floor stretched out over your head. Hold onto a 3lb weight and bring your hands up to meet your legs when you raise them to a 90-degree angle and lower your arms and legs back down to the floor at the same time. Both arms and legs should be straight with your toes pointed. Work up to 100 reps.

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Madonna Converts House to Gym

FitSugar — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:30:00 -0800

Madonna has been known to be pretty hardcore with her health so this new bit of news is really no surprise. Apparently she purchased the £6 million house 20 yards from her main London home and converted it into a fitness center.

What's more? Madge may intend to eventually combine the two homes so she does not have to leave her house. This means avoiding the crowds who have started to gather while waiting for her inevitable 20-yard walk to work out, and having them scoff at her sometimes unflattering fitness gear. Everyone say it with me now, "Must be nice!"

Does this mean her days of jogging in the park or biking to and from the gym are over? I know you guys have a lot to say about this so let's hear all your thoughts in the comments section below.

Pacific Coast News

P.L.O.W. - Get Down With Old School Madonna

FitSugar — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 03:00:00 -0700

Since the air is getting chilly, I know I need some upbeat music to get me moving and warm me up. I can always count on old school Madonna tunes to inspire me to move. Not only do her songs have awesome beats, but knowing she works out doing Ashtanga yoga and jogging to get that strong and chiseled body motivates me to work hard too.

Check out her yoga moves in the beginning of this performance.

I made a play list of all my favorite Madonna songs. Want to see? Then read more

"Lucky Star" - 5:37
"Material Girl" - 4:00
"Holiday" - 6:10
"Like a Prayer" - 5:40
"Vogue" - 5:18
"Like a Virgin" - 3:38
"Into the Groove" - 4:09
"La Isla Bonita" - 4:02
"Papa Don't Preach" - 4:28
"Express Yourself" - 4:39
"Who's That Girl" - 3:59
"True Blue" - 4:18
"Cherish" - 5:03
"Open Your Heart" - 4:13

Total PLOW = 1:10:13

Madonna is One B*tchin' Biker Babe

FitSugar — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Madonna, I'm sure, has at least one driver and quite a few cars. So why is it, do you think, that Madge has been spotted riding her bike to and from her London gym? It's probably because she's caught on to something that many of us cannot quite grasp yet. The fine art of multi tasking in fitness.

You have to get to the gym somehow, right? Why not bike? Biking to (and from) the gym is one fabulous way to multi task while burning lots of calories. Here's why: A 130 pound woman can burn around 130 calories for 20 minutes of biking moderately. So if you bike to and from the gym, you may be able to add 260 additional burned calories to the amount you already racked up while at the gym for an hour. This could bring your grand total of calories burned way up for the day. Not to mention that it's better for the environment to ride your bike a few miles rather than taking your car.

What's more? You'll already be warmed up by the time you get to the gym. So if you have a bike and a gym that is close enough you can bike to it every now and again, I highly suggest you try it out.

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Bauer-Griffin