Fitness influencers are everywhere on social media. Of the 500,000 influencers on Instagram, a large percentage are in the fitness niche. And there are more than 8,000 fitness-related channels on YouTube.
But who are the top influencers in this niche? Let’s take a look at some of the most popular influencers in fitness.
Top Fitness Influencers
1. Michelle Lewin
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Michelle Lewin was a model in the early days of her career. Today, she’s regarded as one of the hardest working models in fitness – and a top influencer in her own right.
She’s been on the cover of magazines, she’s launched her own training programs, and she’s even won IFBB competitions.
Michelle Lewin has over 400K subscribers on her YouTube channel and over 16 million followers on Instagram.
On her YouTube channel, Michelle shares exercise routines for people of all experience levels. During her pregnancy, she also shared workouts for pregnant women to follow.
Michelle continues to grow her following and influencer level. She now has her own gym clothing line and even her own fitness gear.
2. Kayla Itsines
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Kayla Itsines is a personal trainer with an impressive following of over 16 million people on Instagram and 400K subscribers on YouTube.
Kayla has always been an active person, but became interested in fitness in her teens. She graduated from the Australian Institute of Fitness as a Master Trainer at the age of 18.
She started using Instagram in the early days of the platform and grew her following right away. Soon after, she started publishing her eBook guides called Bikini Body Guides.
Kayla has her own fitness platform called Sweat, which provides members with access to a variety of fitness programs, including low impact, HIIT, pregnancy, post-pregnancy, lifting, cardio, boxing and more.
In 2018, experts estimated that her net worth was about $63 million.
3. Simeon Panda
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Simeon Panda is a natural bodybuilder with over 8 million followers on Instagram and 2.76 million subscribers on YouTube.
Simeon’s YouTube channel is loaded with workout videos for viewers to try, along with fitness tips and tricks.
Along with his social accounts, Simeon also has his own website, where he offers:
- Online training
- Merchandise
- Supplements
- Clothing
Simeon’s influencer status has also opened doors to modeling jobs and other opportunities.
4. Lauren Kagan
Lauren Kagan, better known as Lauren Drain, is a fitness influencer and former author. She first made waves when she wrote the book Banished, which shares her experiences and banishment from the Westboro Baptist Church.
After graduating from college, she worked as a registered nurse for nine years before becoming a fitness trainer and model.
Lauren has over 4 million followers on Instagram and 29K subscribers on YouTube.
Her medical training and background make her a credible resource for fitness and health information. She shares insights and more into supplements and alternative health in her podcast Triggered on YouTube.
She also offers her own online training programs through her website.
5. Adriene Louise (Yoga with Adriene)
Adriene Louise is best known for her YouTube channel Yoga with Adriene, which has over 12 million subscribers. She also has a large following on Instagram, with 1.3 million followers.
She started her career as a TV and voiceover actress, but quickly moved into the yoga space after taking a class at a studio.
She completed her yoga teacher training and launched her channel Yoga with Adriene in 2012.
Adriene is the co-founder of the platform Find What Feels Good, where members can get access to more in-depth practices.
6. Caroline Girvan
Caroline Girvan is a fitness influencer who has been working as a certified personal trainer for over 12 years. She’s also a nutrition coach and the founder of the CGX App.
Caroline has over 2.6 million subscribers on YouTube and over 600K followers on Instagram.
Her YouTube channel has a wealth of at-home workouts for all levels using bodyweight and dumbbells. She also posts challenges and workouts of different lengths.
7. Sangram Chougule
Sangram Chougule is a bodybuilder from India who won the Mr. Universe title in 2012. While he is known on social media as an influencer, he is an electrical engineer by trade.
On Instagram, Sangram has over 1.5 million followers and over 470K subscribers on YouTube. On his YouTube channel, Sangram shares workouts, tips and more to help followers improve their exercise routines.
Along with sharing his knowledge about fitness, Sangram has several businesses, including supplements. He also launched his own fitness competition called Sangram Classic.
8. Nikki Blackketter
Nikki is an influencer from San Diego with 1.5 million followers on Instagram, but she also has accounts on TikTok, Twitch, YouTube and more. She sells:
- Apparel
- Training
And she also holds challenges. You’ll find that her YouTube covers everything, from her daily life to what she eats in a day – and you can copy the plan. She shows a ton of outfits on her Insta, but you’ll also find her performing workouts that you can follow along with.
9. Jim Stoppani
Jim Stoppani has a PhD and sells training programs and supplements. Why should you be following him? He shares free fitness advice with the world on virtually every platform in existence and shows everyone:
- How to perform exercises properly
- Alternative workouts
- How to burn fat
- Proper form
You’ll learn anything you’ve ever wanted about supplements on his accounts, as well as tricks that will help you reach your goals faster. He holds fitness challenges often, with the opportunity to win thousands of dollars.
10. C.T. Fletcher
C.T. Fletcher is an IRON ADDICT, and he is known for his brutally honest videos. C.T. had a heart transplant and recently released his last training video called “Son’s of a Beast,” where he trains some of the world’s strongest people and biggest influencers:
- Julius Maddox – holds the world record with a 782-pound bench press
- Larry Wheels – one of the leading influencers
- TD Smash
- Midwest Kong
- Samson Fletcher – his 100% natural son
If you need motivation to get into the gym and really step up your fitness, especially strength or pushing your limits, no one does it better than C.T. Fletcher. He also sells training, even one-on-one in his backyard, with good old pig iron.
11. Jeff Cavaliere
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ATHLEAN-X is Jeff’s brand, and he has built up a massive following on Instagram and YouTube. He’s at the top of the YouTube influencer world with 13+ million subs, and he teaches followers everything, including:
- Fixing low back pain
- Shoulder workouts
- Best and worst exercises
- How to get abs
- So much more
Jeff also sells workout programs and has some serious testimonials and reviews to back them up.
12. Kino MacGregor
Kino is a yoga teacher who founded Omstars Official, which has 5,000+ yoga classes right online. She has a massive following on YouTube, where she offers tons of yoga routines that she walks you through step-by-step.
She also has yoga challenges and a total of 1,900+ videos – so you’ll never run out of content.
Whether you follow her Instagram for inspiration or her YouTube channel, Kino will help you learn everything about yoga, and will share wisdom on key sticking points, such as how to master handstands.
13. Ebenezer Samuel, CSCS
Ebenezer is a fitness trainer and the director of Men’s Health magazine. He’s extremely knowledgeable and fit and shows you how to do everything:
- 10-minute bicep pumps
- Shoulder workouts
- Finishers
- More
He shares tips for beginners and advanced lifters, along with nutrition advice. Ebenezer is easily one of the most knowledgeable influencers in the industry.
14. Paul Sklar
Paul Sklar is 51 with one of the most ripped physiques that you’ll ever see. He was a world-ranked athlete, and his life revolves around fitness.
What is the difference between Paul and others?
When More Plates More Dates mentioned that he may be on steroids, he immediately sent over blood tests. He is natural, and even Joe Rogan agrees that his physique is attainable with a lifetime commitment.
You’ll find Paul sharing a ton of great fitness content and showing the world what you can achieve if you put in hard work and dedication.
15. Layne Norton, PhD
Layne is built differently. He has a PhD in nutritional sciences and is a four-time national champion. He owns the Carbon app, which helps you lose weight, but he also sells online coaching, offers a membership service and has a workout builder.
Subscribing to the workout builder unlocks 50+ training programs and 400+ in-depth exercises.
If you want to build strength or learn the facts and science behind muscle building, fat loss and more, he’s the go-to source of information. You can follow his YouTube for amazing content, as well as his Instagram or other profiles.
16. Odd Haugen
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Odd Haugen is not who you think of when you visualize a fitness influencer. He isn’t shredded like The Rock or Jim Stoppani, but here’s the thing: he’s 73 years old and a pure beast in the gym.
You can see for yourself on Instagram.
Odd is a testament to what hard work and dedication can do in the long term. After he had surgery on his neck at the age of 72, he was deadlifting 418 pounds. You’ll find that he promotes the Training Hall, which is his own gym and shares a wealth of information online.
