I can’t give up my online fitness trainers now
With gyms reopening tomorrow, will we all be saying goodbye to our online fitness buddies? Not likely, says Karen Dacre
Our eyes met across a painful round of squats, and the rest is history: I’m in a one-way relationship with my barre instructor. I’ve become increasingly fond of my yoga teacher too: perhaps I’ll invite her to the pub when this is all over. That won’t be creepy at all.
At the end of a long year in which new friendships were forged through laptop screens, I’m confident that it’s those who told me to “focus on the breath” and give them “10 more” that have proved most compelling. Actually while navigating lockdown with a newborn, and nowhere to take her but my kitchen, these 30-minute interactions have been worth their weight in gold.
There are plenty who agree. Since gyms and fitness studios were shuttered last March, the online fitness market – recently valued at a whopping $60billion (£43billion) – has grown exponentially. Now, over a year on, and it’s not just the obvious physical and mental-health benefits that keep us returning to our makeshift studios each day, but the joy of connection with a human that resides within our own four walls and, crucially, is there whenever we need them.
Undoubtedly, the conversationdeprived among us have found a strange sort of solace in the micro-communities that surround them, too. Not only do we feel like we know the teachers (thanks to the power of Instagram which means we see what they eat for lunch and what time their kids go to bed), there’s also camaraderie with our virtual classmates which plays out in “likes” and comments. It’s almost certainly this – and the fact that I haven’t been to a pub for a very long time – that inspires me to offer my life story to a woman in my barre class. Throw in the added bonus of being able to skip a teacher who doesn’t float your boat and it’s little wonder we’re reluctant to let our new “fit friends” go.
We won’t have to. When studios open, we can expect a changing fitness landscape that allows us to continue these virtual fitness friendships while also attending “in-person” classes. It is a happy outcome for teachers like Calli Popham, who now teaches yoga to students all over the world.
“Online teaching will never be a substitute for the real thing, but it is a very close second.” she says. “Practising or working out at home allows you to have teachers from all over the world at your fingertips. It also means you can roll straight from savasana to bed.”
THE BARRE BOY
Former dancer Eian Crockett is a cruel taskmaster with calves of steel and the jolliest face on
the internet. While his classes are highly technical,
his effervescent teaching style (there are jokes and air
punches) means I find myself grinning through the agony when the dreaded
“barre burn” hits. His classes (a bargain at £5) are a great option for anyone trying barre for the first time, or trying to crowbar a
quick workout into the busiest of days. (Although if you’re not a fan of 1990s and 2000s floor fillers you may wish to sit this
one out.) Find him at Moveyourframe.com – he leads the barre programme at the London fitness studio – or on his own website.
(thebarreboy.com)
It doesn’t matter if this PT-turned-online fitness guru is teaching hardcore HIIT workouts or soothing post-run stretch routines, it’s all hard work. And yet, routinely, I find myself compelled to come back for more. Herbert is
exceptionally knowledgeable about the
body in a way that is particularly reassuring for
anyone working with injuries or trying to make a significant change. She also has a no-nonsense teaching style which is ideal for those
who wince at too much whooping. You can find her on Instagram for daily advice and musings, but
have to shell out on a subscription to workout app Fiit to work out with her regularly – prices start at £8.50 per month. (fiit.com)