Favorite Fitness Pros

Speakeasy76
Speakeasy76 Posts: 961 Member
edited March 2021 in Fitness and Exercise
Oops, meant to post this in another board. Oh well...

Thought I'd start a thread so people could share who their favorite fitness pros or "influencers" are (although I hate that term, as it doesn't mean the person actually knows what they are talking about).

I really like Nia Shanks' of Lift Like a Girl overall approach to fitness and healthy living, especially for women (hence the title). Even though I don't follow her lifting/fitness program, I like getting her weekly updates/inspiration.

I also follow Cori Lefkowith from Redefining Strength. She provides a lot of great tools for people who have chronic pain/injuries (such as myself), as well as activation/form tips. I get her daily e-mail and even though it's stuff I usually already know, it's great reminders. She has more focus on macros and a bit more emphasis on cardio "burners," which I'm not a big fan of, but that's just my preference.

I follow Bret Contreras/Glute Lab for my actual strength training program. Obviously it's more of an emphasis on glutes, but he also has a lot of valuable knowledge for overall strength training. I've created my own program now based on the info from his book. I've heard (and he kind of seems like) kind of a *kitten,* and it does perve me out that his clientele is almost exclusively younger woman (although I think he also worked with Joan McDonald recently--the 74-year old fitness influencer). I think he's constantly trying to improve his programs with keeping updated on research, even if it is just to continue to build his brand.

Replies

  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Me. ;)

    Not sure if lifting "medals" on each arm counts as hypertrophy.... I mean, if you add more, I guess that would be progressive overload.... :D
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,203 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Me. ;)

    ^^ She's not wrong. Go look at her PR lifts over in the NSV thread. 🤩😍🤩

    Also, my friend J----. She started lifting in her 30s, back at a time when Women Didn't Do That (woulda been around the late 1970s). She's 74 now, still lifting routinely, rows (on-water) with us - very well! - usually 4 days a week in season, among other workouts. Strong, healthy, active, able to do what she pleases.

    Then there's my acquaintance K----. She used to be my spin instructor, then started a triathlon team at our Y that's a huge thriving thing now, though she moved on to a CrossFit-like mixed workout gym where she's gotten super strong, beautifully muscular and more. I'm not going to be specific enough to de-anonymize her, but she's also a breast cancer survivor (mastectomies/reconstruction somewhere in the middle of that getting-fitter stuff), works with dedication in a profoundly technical helping profession, is an amazing mom (to 2 thriving adopted children), has a strong marriage to her best friend (guy in similar profession, plus military reserve), and more. Very inspiring!

    When I strength train, I use what I learned from B----, a wonderful guy who was a successful competitive powerlifter in one of the lighter weight classes, and liked to teach classes for women because he thought we were more inclined to listen to and follow guidance, and because he found it really rewarding to see women discover they could be strong. (I hope it doesn't need saying, but he was extremely non-pervy, equally helpful to women of all ages and personal styles - just a super nice guy.)

    For cardio, I use what I learned from my coaches (local and at around a dozen masters' camps) over the years, and from my own coaching certification education. I like to help our club's crops of new on-water rowers each (non-pandemic) year, too, because they help me solidify my own technical understanding by needing to explain and coach/demonstrate technique clearly.

    There are some successful rowers I admire, including current or former national team members, but I wouldn't call them "influencers" in any formal way.

    I admire real people who have balance in their own lives, who want to help others succeed in real life, more than people who seem to be more about being popular or influential in the blogosphere (though I'm sure some of them are wonderful people in real life, too). Some of the people I listed above are fitness pros, in some cases pretty high level ones (some of the rowing coaches, for example, are elites in the field); others are "influencers" in that they're a good influence on me. 😉

    There aren't really any celebrity fitness pros that I turn to for workout guidance consistently; I pretty much know what I want to work on and generally how, so tend to pick videos or programs more tactically, rather than following someone's system. (I'm not saying that following more well-known people is wrong: It can be very effective, a good strategy. It's just not where I am, at this age & stage.)
  • Speakeasy76
    Speakeasy76 Posts: 961 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Me. ;)

    And you should be! It also seems you're an inspiration and positive influencer to others as well, including me.

    I have a strong aversion now to any "pro" or influencer who uses words like "beach body" in their marketing strategy. I'm much more influenced by seeing other women's PR's in heavy lifts (much more so if they're similar to me in age and body type and overcame chronic pain/injury) than someone's picture of their butt or "rock-hard abs." I also really like watching videos and explanations of proper form still, because as my 11-year old son told me yesterday "You hurt yourself in ways you wouldn't think was possible."
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    I find the Buff Dudes wildly entertaining and like to post their "We tried the X diet; here's what happened" videos.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C_BnTwrrhw&list=PL_UAXxDwtUkEGQ7fPdFQsEMqW9ntT76RV&index=3
  • WandRsmom
    WandRsmom Posts: 253 Member
    I love Jordan Syatt
    The fitness Chef
    Andrew Coates fitness
    Dr Spencer Nadolsky
    And Sohee fit.

    All ppl who say things in terms the average Joe can understand while not sugar coating anything, either.

Categories