When Tracy Anderson launches a new program, the world listens. Now, she’s unveiling her latest project, The PER4MANCE, an annual curriculum of content that aims to enhance and augment the conversation between the mind and the body. Anderson explains more about this performance-based coursework, which is available for a one-time payment of $440 or 12 monthly installments of $39.99.
What inspired this focus on mental health?
I have never not focused on mental health, as exercise is one of the most important ways to support mental health. However, some things have to be spoken. The entire body of research-based physical curriculum that I have developed and continue to over the last 20 years employs every aspect of ones self to come to the table and participate in what I like to call “physical processing.” It is a requirement to obtain true physical strength and resiliency. With my development of The PER4MANCE Program I found there is a strong need for a well communicated, clear curriculum to decrypt who we are and how we are meant to work naturally.
Do you believe that it’s the next frontier in wellness?
We have had mental health champions since the beginning of humankind, but we became such a harsh, judgmental, competitive culture that we evolved in a way that was actually creating mental health issues that should have been prevented. I applaud the people who are brave enough to speak about their feelings, which has created a huge opportunity for true awareness around the need to talk about, diagnose, treat, prevent, and support mental health healing and management. Many people can greatly improve their mental health on their own. The challenge we have been facing is that they don’t have the tools to become aware of where they may be in need of fine-tuning.
You refer to this practice as a “work-in.” What do you mean by that term?
Many people wish they could work out, many people who do work out don’t see the results they wish to see. Many people live in a cycle of self disappointment when it comes to feeling good in their bodies, many people resolve to escapism in dream creams, cleanses and celebrity-chasing trends. Where it is at is in the work IN. If you want to show up for your health, you need to go home. Go home to you and work in to create the inner balance that it takes to monitor and create healthy and effective conversations in your innermost thoughts that can turn into good actions or destructive actions. Learning how to do that is key to your total health.
(Bailey Rebecca Roberts)
Can you give us some examples of some of the coursework you’ll offer?
I personally love the opening food section, where I created a series of Life Bowls for weight loss and weight management. It’s also the discussion behind why we are starting with this assignment in the curriculum that I love. In one of the courses, my CCO Steven Beltrani sits down with Dr Habib Sadeghi to talk about how to frame up your challenges and participate in an assignment I believe in called PEW-12. Throughout the first installment of the new curriculum I speak a lot about how to approach your body to be able to do the workout and have a key opening discussion with Marc Brackett, Founder and Director of The Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, about how important feelings are to our health.
So curious about your Life Bowls — what do they entail?
The Life Bowls are restorative to the root of how we approach food. If you look at the ingredients in what we eat, we have taken something so simple and pure and made it highly complex in a way we are no doubt all allergic to. We wonder why we can’t function properly from our metabolisms, on. Our bodies are living in a state of distrust. The Life Bowls are full of life-giving ingredients that take us back to the basics in a way that will help us get rid of the layers of unhealthy habits we have created over the years.
You’re also introducing a magazine, TA Quarterly. What can we expect from it?
You can expect assignments from The PER4MANCE Program to be laid out beautifully! I really wanted an easy way for people to open the issue digitally on their phones while they are heading into a new workout class, doing grocery shopping, etc. The pages are filled with my coursework in a novella-style setting. People don’t have a lot of time so I provide an overview of everything inside the magazine which can also serve as a security blanket check-in and motivation tool.
How do you envision that members of the #Tamily will incorporate PER4MANCE into their existing fitness routines?
The #tamily is full of leaders. When I launched it as their teacher, I really wanted a clear curriculum. I can already see what kind of students each of them are and that’s fun! It’s my responsibility to try and reach them all in a way that truly throws them a life line opportunity. Taking care of our health, staying alive, is really a full time job. My hope is that they all learn to cut out the shortcuts and take this year to do the coursework in the way it’s intended to layer up.
How has the initiative been received so far?
I am truly touched by the way the launch has been received. I believe it’s proof that today’s customers are much smarter than we think. They aren’t afraid of healing, improving, or evolving with substance. They actually crave it.
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