Why the Tracy Anderson Method Calls for Non-Verbal Instruction
The following piece originally appeared as “Strength in Silence” in the Spring 2022 issue of Tracy Anderson Magazine, available now for digital download and print orders.
“Tracy, why don’t you speak during class?”
I’m asked this question daily. I understand why—when it comes to workouts, instructions are expected. It’s jarring to show up to an exercise class, and realize no one is telling you what to do. Without verbal guidance, there’s a moment when you might feel lost or in over your head. How do you know if you’re doing it right? Is this how you’re supposed to feel?
The truth is, I don’t have the answer to these questions. But you do.
In modern life, we’re constantly looking for external guidance. Need a restaurant recommendation? Look up reviews online. Struggling to find a good book? Go to the New York Times bestseller list. Outside voices now dominate even our most personal journeys. Want to work on your mental health? Download a meditation app.
The thing is, our bodies are designed to function optimally without external interference. There’s no manual you need to read to know how your body works. We see this in children: They are born with total connection to their bodies. They naturally explore and expand their physical potential. It’s not about a fitness journey for them; it’s what human instincts drive them to do. This is the foundation of my methodology and lifestyle, honoring our birthright to movement. The Tracy Anderson Method provides the strategy, consistency, and mindset you need to reconnect with your primal self. In my research, I found that people’s inner networkings are stimulated to new levels when no one verbally coaches them.
Moving to music, trying to sync with my pace, and adventuring through my choreography is like running through new territory: It activates and re-energizes our mind-body connection. So, let’s circle back to the beginning: How do you know if you’re doing it right? Is this how you’re supposed to feel? To answer these questions, you need to have a conversation with your body. When you first start the Method, you open up that conversation. I’ve designed strategic movement sequences specifically to reanimate that conversation over time. It’s why I feel so strongly about creating fresh weekly content, and connecting with you in our after-class chats. It’s all about nurturing our relationship to our primal selves, and reinstating our bodies’ natural movement.
“Not speaking during the workout is a symbolic gesture, in a sense, of the need to tune out the noise and listen to what your body is telling you.”
There’s another miracle that happens when we don’t inundate our bodies with verbal commands: We reclaim our autonomy. I’ve been in the fitness world for decades, and work closely with important figures in the entertainment industry. These are spaces known for objectifying bodies. Being in the public eye—where societal judgment is magnified—I’ve learned an important lesson: When we internalize outside opinions and standards, we silence the conversation between ourselves and our bodies. Not speaking during the workout is a symbolic gesture, in a sense, of the need to tune out the noise and listen to what your body is telling you. There are so many aspects of the practice, from muscle-building to flexibility work, that is an entirely unique journey for every individual. At TA, we empower you to lead that journey. I always say consistency is everything, and the key to staying consistent is to be your own motivation. My Method helps you develop the independence to show up for yourself and your body every day.
When we tune into our bodies, we’re also stepping into a mental practice. The TA Method is a holistic approach to fitness, and my decades of research revolve around the mind-body connection. Scientifically, the studies I’ve performed have proven non-verbal commands to be more neurologically effective when it comes to muscle-building and metabolic stimulation. As my research continues, I’ve seen our natural world become digitally hijacked. Now more than ever, I care about the protection of people’s primal right to move in their bodies. Our genome hasn’t changed, and won’t any time soon. Many are simply suffering from an overactive amygdala. Living disconnected from nature day in and day out is not healthy for our limbic system. Daily movement is part of our nature, music is part of our nature, rhythm is part of our nature, but over-communicating is not.
“My Method helps you develop the independence to show up for yourself and your body every day.”
When you silence the instruction, you soothe the amygdala. When you meditate outside of the self, in movement and in the space around you, you nurture an innocent excitement that drives positive adrenaline. Personally, I’ve seen how the lack of verbal instruction in our classes creates a mentally restorative space. For many of the people in my classes, the time we share on the mat is a brief moment of mindfulness in a hectic daily schedule. Having one place where you don’t have to answer to anyone but yourself is important! It’s a time to process all that is going emotionally, and allow your mental and physical beings to reconnect.
Meditating inwards can feel tangled at times, but when you allow the practice to wash over you like a wave, you will come up to the surface with clarity and freedom. This is a feeling you can’t get from the “moves of the moment” at trendy gyms. You can’t find it in the metaverse. This is why I create an abundance of content: The powerful beginner’s brain must always be present, aware of your native virtues. When exercise becomes a practice that is equally physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual—that’s when we truly rejuvenate ourselves and our lives over and over.
Ultimately, the Tracy Anderson Method is not like other workouts. We’re not about easy answers or quick fixes. Our practice is designed around total-body wellness, and the curriculum was created to be sustained over time. The absence of verbal instructions is but one note in the symphony that is our holistic approach to wellness.
