Credible Fitness Influencers WORTH Following

One of my greatest qualms with the fitness industry is the prevalence of dirty influencers within it. I'm talking about people who share bogus information with little to no scientific backing, edit their photos and lie about it, or even get surgeries and claim it's natural.

But that doesn't mean there aren't authentic influencers out there. It's just hard to differentiate between the two, especially if you're a beginner.

I've written this article to help you avoid fake influencer nonsense and skip the part of your fitness journey where you fall into fads and inaccurate advice.

So, here are some of my favorite gym people whose platforms I refer to regularly to improve my skills and knowledge.

LET'S GO.

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TL;DR:

• Best bang for your buck programming: Katrina McKenna's The Sculpt You

• Learning exercise form: Simon Dingemans & Red 5 Performance

• Science-backed education: Bret Contreras & Paul Carter

• Body recomp programming: Shelby Robins

• YouTube workouts: Seth Feroce

• Bodybuilding & Powerlifting backed programming: Maddy Forberg

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Bret Contreras

Bret Contreras, a trainer of 30 years, is known as the inventor of the notorious barbell hip thrust exercise—one of the most effective exercises for building glute size and strength. With a PhD in Sports Science, he's the go-to guy for science-based glute training.

Bret's Instagram is a MUST-FOLLOW for anyone interested in glute-focused weightlifting. I particularly enjoy that he comments on viral videos, calling out influencers who give bad advice. There's so much value in the content he provides; even if you're not looking to purchase his program, you can gain a good understanding of creating your own by following him.

Red 5 Performance

With a Master's degree in biomechanics, Red is another notable trainer to fill your feed with. His account is focused on helping people build muscle, get stronger, lose fat, improve overall performance, and train like athletes.

Red shares science-based training advice, exercise tutorials (like perfecting deadlifts), and workout tips. For longer content, he has a YouTube channel with training videos.

Paul Carter

Paul Carter is a prominent (and polarizing) strength & hypertrophy coach known for his no-nonsense, high-intensity approach to building serious muscle and strength. As a former bodybuilder and powerlifter, his programming is focused on heavy compound lifts and powerbuilding-style training.

Simon Dingemans

Simon markets himself as a glute specialist who focuses heavily on women's glute training, booty-building workouts, and hypertrophy for the posterior chain, especially exercises like hip thrusts, Romanian deadlifts, cable kickbacks, and variations to target upper/lower glutes.

Simon is hilarious. He roasts common gym mistakes in a humorous/sarcastic way, while also providing education and demos on how to properly perform exercises.

Shelby Robins

I find Shelby's account to be almost like ASMR because she has the sweetest voice when she's explaining things. She often does whiteboard talks where she breaks down glute-building topics, and I find them super helpful!

If your main focus in the gym is body recomposition (reducing body fat while increasing muscle mass) and building a booty, Shelby's your girl. She's committed to using her platform to teach people how to do this effectively, as well as offering an app-based workout program and a fitness plan in the form of a physical book. Oh yeah, she also offers a free week's trial so you can decide if her training style is suitable for you.

Seth Feroce

Seth Feroce is a retired IFBB Pro bodybuilder who I felt was worth mentioning here because of his YouTube videos. I highly recommend watching his upper body workouts for not only inspiration, but also to learn how to train like a bodybuilder.

Oh yeah, I met him in real life, and he's so nice!

Maddy Forberg

Maddy is a Team USA powerlifter, as well as an IFBB Pro bodybuilder. I've met her in person, and she's truly kindhearted and inspirational. Her account is all about fitness with a religious touch. Her faith is integrated into everything she does.

Maddy offers 1-1 coaching and a variety of training programs focusing on upper and lower body, including a program that combines her experience in powerlifting and bodybuilding.

Katrina Mckenna

I ALWAYS recommend Katrina for newbies. She's the founder of The Sculpt You, an extremely affordable subscription (starting at $11.99/month) that includes workouts, nutrition, and mental wellness support. Katrina is extremely transparent and frequently shares her experience going through life stuff, like breakups (she's married now), marriage, postpartum, etc.

I've used her plan before, and it was quite amazing. Her content is SO beginner-friendly, and honestly, a must if you don't know where to start.

Final Thoughts

Filling your feed with credible sources instead of bogus influencers will change the outcome of your fitness journey. Looking up to the right people and consuming accurate information will help you reach your goals quicker and more efficiently than if you had to spend years sifting through the wrong people. So, you're welcome.