Tracy Anderson compares herself to Leonardo da Vinci, claiming they both used 'science' to 'enhance their art'
Celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson has bizarrely compared herself to acclaimed painter Leonardo da Vinci, claiming they both used 'scientific knowledge' to 'enhance their art.'
Tracy, 50, has spent more than 20 years fostering her reputation as the go-to fitness guru amongst the Hollywood elite, with Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Lopez, and Madonna previously praising her famed Tracy Anderson Method.
But the exercise buff has now revealed that she believes her method - which involves danced-based workouts in a room heated to 95 degrees with 75 percent humidity - is much more than a workout routine.
During a recent interview with The Atlantic, Tracy insisted that her method is 'an art and a science,' before she compared herself to 16th century Italian artist Leonardo, who famously created the Mona Lisa.
The publication wrote: 'Anderson's goal is to transform how people think about the mind and the body, and to prove that her workout is her own intellectual property, both an art and a science.
'She's created "thousands" of moves, she told [us], and "done actual studies." She compared herself to Leonardo da Vinci, who, just like her, "used his scientific knowledge to enhance his art."'
Tracy told the publication: 'To create my life's work has taken so much research, so much focus, so many people believing in me financially,' adding that she has 'tested, experimented, and created' the process.
In 2023, Tracy's workout empire and gleaming reputation were tainted after a slew of her ex-employees spoke to Business Insider about what it was like to work for the trainer, telling a bombshell tale of legal threats, paranoia, and grueling long hours.
Plus, in February, one of the workout company's former longtime staffers opened up about her experience exclusively to the Daily Mail, and she branded Tracy as 'toxic, narcissistic, and psychotic' person.
She also claimed Tracy made fun of clients' bodies and 'bullied' staffers.
Even so, Tracy seemed unbothered by the swirling accusations, proudly telling The Atlantic that her dedicated clients come to her because they 'know their body's going to look the best that it can look.'
'And they're not going to go anywhere else, because they know how smart I am,' she added.
Tracy owns eight studios across the globe in locations like London, Madrid, New York City, Los Angeles, and Palm Beach.
Elsewhere in the interview, the fitness guru expressed her desires to make her workouts more accessible to 'people that are making a differences' like 'teachers and nurses.' Memberships currently cost upwards of $10,000 a year.
'People who are underpaid and making a different, they need it,' Tracy said.
The outlet noted, however, that she didn't offer any specifics on how she might accomplish that.
In February, a former trainer, 34, who asked to keep her identity private, explained to the Daily Mail that she started working with Tracy in 2015, and was a dedicated employee for almost a decade.
But she said she spent years enduring 'bullying' and 'emotional distress' while employed for Tracy.
She claimed that when she first got the job, Tracy made a slew of 'false promises' and enticed her by talking about 'a ton of growth opportunities.'
She also recalled being dazzled by the glamorous perks that came with the job, like getting to travel the globe and training a slew of stars.
But looking back now, the ex-employee said she feels like she was 'brainwashed' and 'manipulated' by the mogul.
And over the years, she said she began to see a side of Tracy that was completely different from the person that her 1.1 million followers and celebrity clientele saw.
'Tracy made comments about my body that were unprofessional and very triggering for me as someone who has body image issues,' the woman alleged.
'I feel like the toxic work culture started from the top. She's just a toxic, narcissistic, psychotic person.
'When she's teaching a class she acts like she's a star. She barks at people to do this, do that. It's very diva.'
The trainer alleged that there was one time that Tracy told her she 'looked pregnant' in an Instagram video.
'One time, we filmed a few clips for social media and the social media woman posted it but then they took it off a few minutes after posting it,' she shared.
'Tracy told me the next day, she was like, "Oh my God I had to have them take that video down of you because you looked pregnant."
'She'll say things like that. She treats people like they're scum and like they owe her everything.'
She also claimed that Tracy would also 'talk crap about' other trainers to her, and comment on her clients' bodies behind their backs.
'She would talk crap about the New York trainers in front of us. And most of us were so incredibly uncomfortable,' she claimed.
'I felt like I was in a movie, the way she was acting was so inappropriate and childish.
'I've been around her while she was talking smack about her own clients, talking about their bodies. It was just awful.'
The Daily Mail reached out to Tracy at the time, who declined to comment.
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