Gwyneth Paltrow's Gym: Struggling For Members?

Blame the economy?

The pricey gym Gwyneth Paltrow and trainer Tracey Anderson are opening this month in Tribeca may be having problems finding clients.

According to the NY Post:

A spy said Anderson - who's also responsible for Madonna's freakishly buff bod - and gym reps have been cold-calling people asking them to come in for a meeting. "It's ridiculous," said a person who was contacted. "Membership is like $4,500 to join and then hundreds of dollars a month. Who can afford that right now?"

Paltrow credits Anderson with making her post-two kids body better than ever and the pair showed off moves to Oprah last year.

The New York Times profiled Anderson last month and wrote the following of the Tribeca project:

Ms. Paltrow is also a partner in Ms. Anderson's new 4,700-square-foot studio on Greenwich Street, which is to open in mid-March.

"It's fun because it's not like you're running mindlessly on a treadmill," Ms. Paltrow said. "I guess she learned how to make the muscles do certain things -- it actually works. It's not like you're chasing this dream."

People with limited finances may have to keep on chasing. In addition to the monthly dues at the new studio, members must pay an initiation fee of $787.50 for six months or $1,500 for a year.

More information on the Tracey Anderson Method studio is available on Anderson's website, which includes membership details like "over 85 classes per week" and "nutritional guidance."

No pricing is mentioned.

Comments

[timetraveller3]

If GP and her family's livelihood depended on the money generated from her ideas, they'd be living in the very same projects that Gwenyth advised Joaquin to move to.

And how does she have the time for all of these shenanigans, anyway? Shouldn't she be at home with apple and banana and the rest of the fruit salad?

tt3

[kinogod]

OMG, LOL, OMG, LOL. I mean seriously, does this confirm how out of touch Gwennie really is? $4500 down, almost a thousand a month? I don't care how flush you are, this is obscene. How bout $450 down, $100 a month and give the other thousands to hungry people that need shelter. Really.

[JohnnyL]

It has been such a shame to watch this lovely woman descend into complete self-absorption and foolishness.

[timetraveller3]

Was there really a time when she wasn't like this, Johnny?

I can't remember ever liking her.

tt3

[voltage356]

Can the people from the project join your gym also Gwyneth. The place where you told Joaquin Phoenix to go live for a while to get some creed.

[kristin1030]

of course not. I think those prices are meant to keep people out--certain kinds of people--not get people in.

[TRYKER]

Think of the gardens Gwyneth and the rich could work in to get into shape and help feed the poor. Having to pay someone to make you move in a certain way is about as insane a thing as one can think of, especially these days. Talk about the idle rich with no minds of their own.
What a waste...gi­ve the money to the poor.

[ChelseaC]

Well said.
She's a beautiful actress but who cares.

[LWAL]

While I think Ms. Paltrow is a wonderful actress and I bet a fine person, this is not surprising at all. When one hears Ms. Anderson say absolutley very uneducated things over and over again like, "women should never lift more than 3# dumbells," it is no wonder that there are few people who want to spend money on someone with so little knowledge of exercise physiology. The LV bag with a member's gym gear weighs more. If you read the NYT article, the writers went to many sources for expert opinions on exercise physiology, it is clear Ms. Anderson is not an expert. She may have a few fun ways to workout but they are not necessarily healthy.

[missjabez]

I saw a video of one of Anderson's workouts, and it looked like warmed-over Jane Fonda to me.

[BelGazou]

3 lbs? That won't help you anywhere in the real world. You would have to be a wealthy actress with a cleaning staff and nanny to be able to through life by lifting nothing more than 3 lbs. Paltrow is fashionably thin but curiously muscle-free, save that amount of muscle it takes to move about.

[meleon]

I'm a foodie and so I enjoy that aspect of the PBS series On The Rode that GP, Mario Bartali, Mark Bittman and the spanish chick who hangs out with them. That said, I must admit that they all live in another world; one in which money is simply that thing that separates them from those who DO have to not only count pennies, but cut out coupons to Arby's too. GP flies back to London every few days or so to check in her kids, excercise with Madonna, lunch with hubby Chris, and then it's back to her rich life roadtripping and eating and drinking and riding from town to town in $100,000.0­0 Mercedes convertabl­es........­.......wha­t a life.

[LLisaLL]

OOTWR - Out of touch with reality

People who used to have more $ than sense no longer do

[pollyannacowgirl]

Rich people just want to feel special. They feel special when they can spend money on things that regular people can't. They also want to be the first in their set to be onto something. "Oh, the duck egg facial? You haven't heard of it? *snotty laugh* Well, where have YOU been?"

(That's why you don't see really wealthy people carrying around Coach or Louis Vuitton bags anymore. If you can buy it in a mall in Indiana, the socialites of NYC won't touch it.)

[tokenconservative]

Lifestyles of the rich and the Democrat.

[Ohsherri]

Lifestyles of the rich and Republican require no excercise.
Just sit and get phat.

[Propagandhi]

Who's that mannequin in the picture?

[appalling]

Child's play. I'm about to open a gym in Manhattan where the weights are encrusted with diamonds and the bars are made of gold. Membership must be approved by the gym's board and you'll need at least $30million in your savings (liquid) to join. Basic Membership is $100,000 where you get treated like garbage but can still brag you are a member. The top members are called "Gecko Elite” and it’s $500,000 to join and $1,000,000 per month and you basically get massages while you’re lifting machines with seats designed for your own butt that are thrown out and replaced daily. You have your own building and machines designed for your specific body. You don’t have to see another useless soul in front of you working out since you are the center of the universe. In fact, your name gets added to the club and it becomes your own company where you are the owner and only member.

[Propagandhi]

Win.

[blimie]

You put Ms. Paltrow to shame.

[krisgarfield]

I won't even excuse this as being just over priced in a sucky economy. It's just over priced. Period. The arrogance is extreme, and even if I was fortunate to be very wealthy , I'd still wouldn't join a club that openly rips people off. There is a reason some folks stay wealthy...­they spend wisely. Besides, I don't consider Madonna's body very healthy looking.

I'm sure there are many men out there who would agree...on­ly a dog likes to chew on a bone.

[sonnen]

I wish she would go back to acting, then no one would ever talk about her.

[sonnen]

Paltrow. YAWWN.