Madonna's Secret Weapon...This was amazing!!

Madonna's secret weapon: personal trainer Tracy Anderson
By NICOLE CARTER DAILY NEWS FEATURES WRITER
Monday, March 24th 2008, 4:23 PM
Let's face it - we all can't afford a personal trainer to get in shape. But what if you could use the same methods as super-fit Madonna or lanky lean Gwyneth Paltrow's trainer without the hefty price tag? Well, the good news is you can!
Meet fitness guru Tracy Anderson. The former dancer-turned-celebrity-trainer recently revealed her tips to the Daily Mail on how she sculpts her A-list clients into gorgeously-toned powerhouses. So gear up and follow these simple tips to the body of your dreams.
Before you begin, keep in mind Anderson's cornerstone principle: variety. Whatever your routine, keep it as varied as possible, as Anderson believes a stale repetitive routine can actually limit muscle building and toning. If you are constantly working on the same muscles, you will only build in those areas.
1. With a half hour of your favorite songs on your iPod, hit the treadmill running with one song, skipping with another, and sprinting with another. Keep at it for the entire 30 minutes.
2. Now on to toning. For each of the below, start with 10 repetitions and work up to 100. (Yes, 100. No one said it would be easy to look like a movie star!)
-Arm raise: Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, lift arms together into a V above your head holding 3 lb weights. Then lower your arms to your sides and back up again-- without stopping-- elbows and wrists bent a little.
-Single arm overhead pulse: Using the same 3 lb weights, lift one arm above your head, elbow bent, and then straighten your arm. Repeat this pulsing motion and alternate both sides of your body.
-Ballet Grand Plies: With straight posture, stand with your heels together, toes a little apart. Bend your knees and go as low as you can, then return standing straight up.
-Abdominal Crunches: With your legs out in front of you, lie on your back with your arms next to your side. Lift your body up until your feel a crunch in your abs, then releasing yourself back down. Be sure to use your stomach here, keeping your legs straight at all times.
-Piking: While laying flat, keep your arms at your side lift your legs up to a 90 degree angle, then lower gently, but immediately raising again-- don't stop! Keep the rest of your body flat on the ground.
3. For those of you who want an even more intense workout, Anderson advocates the fun and intense cardio plus toning workout, namely dance aerobics. Also the subject of her new DVD, "Dance Aerobics" focuses on losing inches by burning fat, but also toning muscles in a fun way. If you are a member at a gym, apply the same methods used in her DVD by simply combining a resistance class with a dance-cardio class.
4. So you want to build muscle but not look like the Terminator? Anderson suggests working accessory muscles first, avoiding bulking up the large groups. Also, never work out with weights heavier than 3 lbs.
5. Everyday is a good day to workout. Anderson believes 6 days a week, 30 minutes per workout are the perfect numbers. This is how Madge manages her body, and she expects nothing less from you!