When lockdown #1 hit and gyms were closed, home workouts became more popular than ever and so many of us had to get used to working out at home. Many people are now familiar with the infamous intro to the Chloe Ting challenges, and every time we hear it we will be transported back to a time of whipped coffee, banana bread and Tiger King. When working out, it’s easy to focus on weight loss, or trying to look like someone you see online, but these YouTubers are about feeling good and strong in your body.
- If you want a variety of workouts: Pamela Reif
Pamela Reif offers workouts that target loads of different parts of your body, she doesn’t talk in her videos and she plays good music alongside it.
My favourite video: 12 Min Happy Sweat Workout
- If you want to sweat… a lot: Lilly Sabri
I heard about Lilly Sabri through Linda Sun (another great fitness and lifestyle YouTuber who is all about eating and exercising in moderation) and she focuses on pushing yourself and advises modifications for beginners.
My favourite video: Full Body Shred | 30 Minute Workout
- If you want to dance (and workout): MadFit
Maddie, aka MadFit has great real-time workouts to a variety of songs so you can tone your abs to Harry Styles or grow your glutes to Megan Thee Stallion. She also has full body low-impact workouts which don’t make much noise.
My favourite video: 4 min Dancer Arms (Latch – Disclosure Feat. Sam Smith)
- If you want to try something new: Dansique Fitness
These ballet and Pilates workouts are so good, even if you’re not a dancer nor very coordinated, you’ll get a great workout and feel so elegant.
My favourite video: Fat Burning Ballet HIIT
- If you have an exercise bike: Gabriella Guevara
If you have an exercise bike at home, you have to try out Gabriella’s workouts. She plays amazing music alongside the rides and is super motivating, and rides alongside you. A serious sweat inducer!
My favourite video: 30 Minute Rhythm Cycling Class – Throwback Ride
Honourable mentions: Sarah’s Day, Natacha Océane, Joe Wicks/The Body Coach, HangTightwMarcie, Sydney Cummings, Toni Mitchell, Whitney Simmons
Interestingly, when looking at some of the most popular fitness influencers, I realised the lack of inclusivity and how a majority are white women, this proves that the online fitness industry is not as diverse as it could be. We need to ask ourselves why is this and how can we make it better? The Popsugar fitness channel has a number of different fitness instructors celebrating a diverse range of abilities, interests and individuals, and have a variety of workouts to suit everyone. It’s also important to remember that we are going through unprecedented times, and not to feel as if you have to be working out daily, learning a whole new hobby or reinventing yourself- if you want to, go ahead! But getting through every day is enough.