By THEA ANDREA C. MAGUERIANO
WITH THE physical limitation during these taxing times, the medium for connecting oneself to the outside world is a gadget screen. Through the following fitness YouTubers, one may stretch and exercise by moving to calculated beats and hopping on the mat!
The Fitness Marshall
Caleb Marshall known as The Fitness Marshall on YouTube creates original dance workouts to help his viewers break a sweat. The channel started in 2014, enabling viewers to build their own workout through playlists depending on their desired intensity.
The workouts are apartment-friendly and choreo intensive, which are suitable for professional and amateur dancers including families and kids. Most often, Marshall dances with two more dancers with different difficulty levels. The viewer could follow the backup dancers to move into a beginner’s level.
Marshall currently has 3.16 million subscribers with his “Meghan Trainer – Me Too” video attaining 31 million views. The Fitness Marshall is also available on Instagram as TheFitnessMarshall and on this website.
Blogilates
Cassey Ho started Blogilates on YouTube in 2009 by posting workout videos stemmed in Pilates. Although pilates usually requires the use of equipment, Ho’s workouts can be practiced by workout enthusiasts equipment-free.
Ho has a playlist of 7-day challenges that target a specific part of the body to tone. This includes the abs, arms, glutes, and thighs. She also has a playlist for her 100-ab challenge for 12 days. For people who are willing to commit to doing daily workouts for an entire month, Blogilates posts calendars with a list of workout videos to follow on her website for free.
Yoga with Adriene
Starting her YouTube account in 2012, Adriene Mishler is a yoga teacher who reminds her students to breathe and to listen to what feels good. Mishler does not only cater to her 9.58 million subscribers’ physical glow-up –– she also reminds them to nourish their minds and hearts.
Known as Yoga with Adriene on YouTube, Mishler posts free yoga videos that people can dive in. Although yoga often pictures different complex poses and advanced knowledge of gymnastics, Mishler never forgets to give alterations on moves that her audience may find trouble in doing. She reminds her students that some postures need a little more practice and that there is no need to rush things.
Yoga with Adriene is available on Facebook (yogawithadriene) and on her website.
Breathe in positivity, breathe out toxicity
John Raphael Mendoza, a journalism junior, stretched for a week with Yoga with Adriene’s Breathe, a 30-day yoga journey. He had long been doing workouts even when classes were still held physically and he stayed consistent despite the online classes.
Mendoza first started doing workouts when he joined a school pep squad. It was when he was 13 years old that he felt his body developed. A year after joining, he then tried kung fu.
“[A]fter learning kung fu, I incorporated exercise techniques both from the pep squad and kung fu so ‘yun yung dahilan kung bakit ako nag start mag work out. […] I developed my own routine the whole time,” he shared.
Doing workouts for 8 years, Mendoza’s recent workout consists of multiple exercises such as an insanity program and jogging.
“My recent workout routine before trying yoga is doing the insanity program developed by Shaun T, which is a very intense workout where you push your body to the limit. The program is done in 60 days. My other workout routines are also jogging, kung fu exercises, and upper body workouts like push ups, pull ups and chin ups,” he said.
He said that the yoga journey has helped him focus mentally while also improving his flexibility. It also improved his overall blood circulation and taught him proper breathing. Through yoga, he felt connected with other people.
“I feel connected with other people while doing the workout since you can relate to their health status,” Mendoza added.
He also asserted that he will carry through the yoga routine, adding it as part of his recovery exercises, relaxation, and mental exercise.
While Mendoza stated that he didn’t struggle with following the workout, due to the current class set-up, he agonized that it is difficult to manage one’s time while juggling academics.
“[I]t’s disadvantages during online classes is the schedule and time management since you also need to prioritize your academics,” he said.
Online classes have become synonymous with burdensome schoolwork that can harm both the mind and body. Through exercise, one can feel nourished and rejuvenated. Due to the current setup, working out became limited.
Having to list a workout routine may also just add up as a workload and may make exercising feel like a chore. Luckily, through these YouTube fitness channels, exercise could be done at home with joy and ease. F
This article is originally published in The Flame’s third issue. Click here to read.
