Get After Those Gains! 6 Virtual Instructors Share Their Home Fitspo Tips
Social media isn’t just for sharing #selfies, TikTok dances and your latest keto cooking Reels. For a certain segment of fitness-minded folks, technology has made it possible to not only earn a living during the pandemic, but also help others achieve their health and wellness goals, sans gym.
At Bulletproof, we are advocates of seeking out health and wellness guidance from new and innovative experts in the field so you can break a sweat that counts. We’ve scouted out six virtual fitness instructors who can put you on the proper calorie-burning path—from right in the middle of your living room!
1. Evan Betts: Every day is a chance to be brand new
My specialty is athletic performance and HIIT training. With in-studio income stripped away so fast in 2020, a majority of the fitness community—including myself—jumped online. I started teaching free classes right at the beginning of the pandemic via Instagram Live and Zoom before moving into sponsored workouts where I was able to work with amazing brands.
The biggest benefit of teaching virtually is reaching all the people who don’t have access to you in person. Friends, family and IG followers all have direct access online, and it’s a great way to stay connected.
I currently use a streaming platform called With Silo, which allows me to post workouts and challenges for my followers to try at home. I’m also a Spartan Master Trainer, so you can find me teaching full classes on the Spartan Fit app.
Not sure where to start with your own at-home workouts?
Push-ups are a great way to build upper-body muscular endurance while simultaneously strengthening your core. Meanwhile, squats are one of the most well-known exercises, but they are often done poorly because of a lack of mobility, a previous injury or just bad coaching. When done correctly, the squat can build lower-body and core strength.
A lot of us have a love-hate relationship with burpees. I love them because they’re a full-body HIIT exercise that challenges the entire kinetic chain. There are many ways to amp up (or tone down) the burpee based on your fitness level, but the benefits are endless.
Remember: Every day is a chance to be brand new. No matter where you are in your fitness journey, just start. Fall in love with the process of your body adapting and getting stronger day by day. If you need accountability, join a Facebook group, grab a friend, buy new workout gear, work with a coach and get connected.
We’re here to help! Now, go crush it.
Get those reps in and break a much-needed sweat with @evanfitness_nyc.
2. Alex Scolari: Building a friendly fitness community
I grew up dancing competitively and went to the University of Michigan for Musical Theatre. My extensive background in the performing arts comes across through my beat-driven and fun teaching style. Mostly, I teach vinyasa yoga, yoga sculpt and cardio boxing. Growing up doing both yoga and Tae Bo, I fell in love with this combo of high-intensity cardio and low-impact yoga. Pair those with yoga sculpt and you have an incredible mix of just about everything you need.
I have been teaching virtually since before the pandemic using Obé Fitness, an application/platform that has 22 live classes a day and more than 6,000 on-demand classes. Essentially, it’s a one-stop-shop for all things sweat.
Teaching virtually is unique and fantastic. It expands your network and allows you to teach to the entire world all from your home. (My students range from all over America, Canada, London, Spain, France and beyond!) I learned during the pandemic that it was super important to me to make my classes extremely affordable and offered each student one “friend pass” to every single class to not only build the community, but also offer free workouts.
Struggling to get started? Whenever I am feeling down and unmotivated, I remind myself I don’t have to, I get to.
Something I always say to my students is, “Imagine how many people would kill to be in your shoes right here, right now. How many people would be watching you exercising and doing these crazy boxing movements and think, ‘Man, I wish I could do that!'”
We are SO lucky to be able to move our bodies to begin with. So, remind yourself of that, and show up for that gorgeous body of yours.
You only get one.
Follow @alexscolari and take her high-energy cardio and body-sculpting classes on @obe_fitness.
3. Jarret Janako: Any exercise is a step closer to making it a habit
When it comes to fitness, I specialize in cardio kickboxing, traditional weight training and HIIT boot camps.
I’ve been teaching virtually since the beginning of the pandemic using Zoom, Lit Method and the Fit On and HomeBody apps. Taking my talents online has allowed me to reach more people, including those from all over the world. It’s truly amazing, and it’s been such a win for trainers like myself to expand our network.
In fact, I am in a group of fitness instructors who all support each other. We share a lot of our content through social media. There is no competition; we share audiences.
I try to be an inspiration for my students to continue leading a healthy lifestyle. Of course, teaching in-person classes takes that to a whole other level, which is why I plan on returning to a facility when the time is right. I miss seeing people in person and hugging my clients and clapping hands with them. There’s an unexplainable rush that simply can’t be replicated virtually. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t achieve great results by working out at home.
The key to success is holding yourself accountable.
Even though doing a few squat variations may seem simple, any exercise is a step closer to making it a habit. You don’t have to be an athlete; just move your body in ways that make you feel good!
Join @jarretjanako on IGTV to try his collection of targeted routines.
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4. Kristina Earnest: Make time each day to feel good
I was coaching virtual fitness classes well before COVID-19 came around. I began in California in 2016, and I currently teach from my home in New York. It works out perfectly, as I’m a mom of two young daughters, so being home is a top priority for me.
My specialties include HIIT, strength and indoor cycling classes, which I teach live on Instagram and Facebook under my own account and via partnerships with Women’s Health, Popsugar Fitness and Carbon38. I also create, produce, edit and distribute my own content on my personal platform, which is free to use for the remainder of 2021!
Over the past year, I’ve taught so many classes, but some of the greatest memories came from personal progress stories. From a frontline worker who chose to work out with me after a hard day to a new mom trying to make time for herself to someone in isolation who changed her mindset and no longer felt alone after we met (virtually, of course!), I continue to be inspired by people who push me to create so we can grow together.
Don’t put any pressure on yourself to fulfill a certain amount of minutes with your workout. Find a time each day that works for you to simply move your body.
Once you let go of any expectations, you’ll realize the time you made for yourself isn’t because you HAVE to move at a certain time. It’s because you GET to make time for yourself each day to feel good and love the skin you’re in.
Busy moms, @kristinaearnest has got you covered with circuits from the patio to the living room.
5. Mary Wolff: Get the most bang for your buck
I joined the virtual fitness community three years ago and currently work for Obé Fitness. As a Certified Personal Trainer who specializes in Pilates and dance, I am all about getting the most bang for your buck, which is why push-ups, Bulgarian split squats and jump squats are my go-to exercises to do at home.
The pandemic forced so many trainers to find new ways to share their knowledge. I was lucky to have been working for Obé Fitness, and we already had the online game nailed down. As a result, my social media following grew organically as more folks began embracing the idea of at-home fitness.
More than ever, people are dealing with greater amounts of mental health issues. As many who are fortunate to experience it know, movement of any kind is such a rich source of happiness. I don’t think I can count how many people I personally reached who told me that my classes got them through the pandemic. Becoming part of a new community not only brought them a sense of normalcy, but they were also able to realize their potential far beyond they were ever able to before 2020.
Not sure where to start with getting in shape from home? Create a space that brings you good energy. If possible, try and have a little natural light from a window and a dust-free zone. Then, pump up the jams!
The moment you start moving your body, you’re going to realize that showing up was actually the hardest step. It just gets easier and easier the more you show up.
Join @mary_wolff on @obe_fitness for everything from Pilates to squat sequences.
6. Or Artzi: The best workout is the one that will keep you coming back
Although I started teaching virtually about a year before the pandemic, I took things in a new direction by starting my own platform in March 2020. As one of the founding trainers of @EQXPlus, I specialize in cycling, run barre and conditioning classes. I particularly enjoy teaching strength/HIIT-style formats, as this is also my favorite way to train.
For me, it was surprising to see how big of a community we have built by taking the virtual route. People aren’t stressed and ready to drive home after a class ends. Instead, they can stay and chat and get to know other people who participate in these at-home workouts.
The Talent Hack platform helps me manage my business in a simple, efficient way, and I highly recommend it to other trainers. That said, I am already back and teaching live and on-demand classes in Equinox. I believe in a hybrid world where we can do both in-person and at-home training because there are major benefits to both methods.
For those in need of a motivational boost, stop thinking about what you should do and start doing what you want to do.
Fitness should be an outlet, not a source of stress. When you learn to enjoy the process, you will feel more rewarded than you could have ever imagined.
The best workout is the one that will keep you coming back, so keep trying to find your tribe/coach or a format that works for specifically for you.
Feel the @orartzi weight and strength training burn on @eqxplus.
Want to see these instructors in action? Follow @bulletproof to check out inspiring workouts from some of our new favorite virtual fitness leaders!
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