Dani Elle Speegle in Two-Piece Workout Gear is "Just a Girl and Her Barbell"

Aleesha Young, a professional bodybuilder, is an inspiring force in the fitness world. Known for her impressive strength and dedication, she shares her passion through workout videos and motivational posts on Instagram. Recently, Aleesha shared a video of herself lifting weights, captioned, “Just playing with some iron.” For Aleesha, fitness is more than a routine; it’s a lifestyle built on self-confidence, resilience, and positivity. Whether she’s lifting heavy, jumping rope, or promoting body positivity, Aleesha’s approach to health is dynamic and empowering. She emphasizes that all bodies are valid and encourages her followers to celebrate their individuality. Aleesha also finds balance by spending time with her beloved dog, highlighting the emotional and physical benefits of pet companionship. Here’s how Aleesha stays strong, healthy, and grounded.

1. She Lifts Weights

As you can see from her Instagram video, Young likes to use weights to workout. ACE Fitness states that these exercises have a lot of benefits. “Strength training with heavy weights improves muscle definition. Muscle definition occurs as the result of muscles remaining in a state of semi-contraction and heavy strength training recruits the larger type II muscle fibers responsible for a muscle’s appearance.”

2. She Jumps Rope

Aleesha Young/Instagram

Young has an Instagram story highlight dedicated to sharing her favorite workouts. In this video, she is seen jumping rope. ACE Fitness states that jumping rope has a lot of benefits. “Jumping rope can help increase the intensity of circuit-training workouts. Strength-training workouts that alternate between different muscle groups can increase heart rate and provide a cardiorespiratory benefit. Adding one or more jump-rope stations to a circuit is an easy way to increase the intensity of the overall workout. If you enjoy making your own exercise circuits, add two to three minutes of steady rope jumping at the end for an additional calorie-burning opportunity.”

3. She Does Squats

Aleesha Young/Instagram

In her fitness Instagram story highlight, Young shared a video of herself doing squats with a barbell. The Cleveland Clinic states that squats have a lot of benefits. “Squats are a type of high-intensity, high-impact, weight-bearing exercise that may contribute to increased bone density — how strong your bones are…This is important for everyone, but especially for anyone who’s in or approaching menopause. As much as 20% of bone loss can occur within your first five years of menopause. But regular physical activity can help protect your bones. Studies show that high-intensity squats are one of a few types of exercises that can even increase bone mineral density in people who already have osteoporosis.”

4. She Promotes Body Positivity

Young is a big believer in body positivity. She shares a lot of posts promoting this on Instagram. Young shared this video of rugby player Ilona Maher talking about body image. She captioned the post, “All bodies are valid, beautiful, and should be celebrated. @IlonaMaher’s inspiring words are more important than ever. I’ve always been ‘muscular’ for a girl body image was something I really struggled with, that is why #SIZEMATTERS was created Every Size Matters… we definitely need @ilonamaher_fans_page on the #sizematters team bringing awareness to this very topic.”

5. She Spends Time With Her Dogs

Young likes to spend time with her pup. She shared this video on Instagram of her dog. Young captioned it, “On #nationaldogday Max definitely deserves the Spotlight… This handsome boy has been with me through it all and loves unconditionally 💋” Harvard Health states that having a dog can have health benefits. “Ongoing research is showing that the health benefits of owning a dog are undeniable. Dog owners have lower blood pressure and healthier cholesterol levels, and a lower risk of heart disease, than non-owners.”

Dani Speegle is a well-known CrossFit athlete with a large following on Instagram. She recently enjoyed a trip to Italy, where she shared hiking photos from her adventure. She captioned the post, “Just a constant battle to try and not say ‘I like that boulder…..that’s a nice boulder…’ whenever I look out at a view 🫏.” Speegle’s love for the outdoors and her fitness routine are key to her success. Here’s how she stays fit and active:

1. She Hikes

As you can see from her post, Speegle likes to go for hikes to stay in shape. Piedmont reports that hiking is very beneficial to your health. “Going up and down hills gets the heart pumping, creating a great cardio workout. Like most cardio exercises, hiking helps reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even some cancers. Hiking is a weight-bearing exercise that builds muscle mass and helps prevent osteoporosis.”

2. She Lifts Weights

Speegle shares a lot of workout videos on Instagram. One thing she does to stay in shape is use weights. Speegle is seen lifting a barbell and using hand barbells in this video. She captioned it, “Happy that quarterfinals is over tbh 😂 back to training we go 🙌🏼” ACE Fitness states that lifting weights has a lot of benefits. “Using heavy weights increases intramuscular coordination, the number of type II motor units and the amount of muscle fibers engaged within a specific muscle. Have you ever felt your muscles shaking while lifting heavy weights? This is because you are recruiting and activating the larger type II muscle fibers, which are only stimulated to work when a muscle is challenged with heavy resistance or working to fatigue.”

3. She Does Lunges

Speegle also shared this video on Instagram of herself working out with Sam Dancer. In it, she is seen doing lunges with weights. Lunges have a lot of benefits, according to ACE Fitness. “If you're doing front and back lunges, you’ll primarily be working the gluteus maximus, adductors, and quadriceps. Side lunges will work the gluteus medius more. And if you’re taking bigger steps forward and back, you’ll use more of the glute muscles, while smaller steps will target the quadriceps more.”

4. She Uses An Exercise Bike

Dani Speegle/Instagram

Speegle is also seen on an exercise bike in the previous Instagram video. Penn State PRO Wellness states that doing this can be very beneficial. “Riding a stationary exercise bike is an efficient and effective way to burn calories and body fat while strengthening your heart, lungs, and muscles. Compared to some other types of cardio equipment, a stationary bicycle puts less stress on your joints, but it still provides an excellent aerobic workout.”

5. She Swims

Speegle spends a lot of time outside. One thing she likes to do is swim. Speegle shared this set of photos on Instagram of herself and a friend enjoying drinks while swimming. She captioned the post, “Imagine hating us and we’re just out here collecting sea glass 😂” Better Health states that swimming is very beneficial. “Swimming is a great recreational activity for people of all ages. Recreational swimming can provide you with a low-impact workout and it's a good way to relax and feel good.”

Kiera Hogan, a highly successful wrestler, recently embraced the "Barbie" aesthetic in an Instagram post where she celebrated her birthday in Italy. Dressed in pink workout clothes, she humorously captioned the post, “💕Hi Barbie 💕 with the body PERIODT,” while acknowledging her fitness progress. Hogan’s journey, both in and outside of the ring, has been fueled by a supportive network and her drive to become the best version of herself.

1. She Has Support

Hogan has a lot of supportive people in her life. She talked about this in the caption of this Instagram post. “The last few months for me have been difficult, mentally and emotionally. I’ve been doubting myself and my abilities just as Kiera but I’m always reminded by my girlfriend, my friends and my family, that I’m the hottest bitch periodt.”

2. She’s Motivated

Shutterstock

Hogan also talked about the importance of staying motivated in the previous post’s caption. “If you know me personally, you know I’m not a gym rat but I’ve always been an athlete. I have to remember my roots and where I came from and let that be my motivation to be the best version of me. Just remember, you have to start somewhere and it takes 21 days to create a habit. I want to be better and I want to be the best version of myself because that’s what I deserve and that’s on periodt (PS I’ve never squatted in my life and I pushed 135lbs. Thanks @woodsisthegoods for the spot.”

3. She Lifts Weights

Kiera Hogan/Instagram

In her Instagram post, Hogan is seen lifting a barbell. ACE Fitness states that lifting weights has a lot of benefits. “Lifting heavy weights elevates levels of anabolic hormones—specifically testosterone, growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1)—which are used to repair muscle fibers damaged during exercise. This helps the muscle fibers to become thicker and capable of generating higher levels of force.”

4. She Does Squats

Kiera Hogan/Instagram

Hogan is seen doing squats with a barbell in her Instagram post. According to Piedmont, doing squats has a lot of benefits. “Squats are a compound, multi-joint movement, which means they exercise several muscle groups. When you perform a squat, you work your calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, core and part of your back.”

5. She Wants To Stand On Her Own

Hogan talked about her career and what direction she wants it to go in with Rosa’s Taco Vlog. Hogan says that she wants to be known for what she does, not what someone else does. "At IMPACT, I was there for four years, and I was always in storylines, I was always somebody's best friend. I never got a singles run, a title, which is something that I really wanted before I left, but I didn't get it. I got to wrestle Mickie James for the title at NWA, which was cool, amazing, so grateful. That's my idol. I couldn't believe it, it took me leaving IMPACT to get a title shot, but it's against Mickie James, so I'm grateful. I was always somebody's best friend. I was Allie's best friend, Jordynne's best friend, Madison Rayne's best friend. Can I be by myself? Am I not strong enough to be by myself? Am I not a strong enough character? What is it? That's why I changed my character to try and do something different and not the same ol' same ol'. 'Maybe I'm stale.' I tried to switch it up.”

Emily Steel is a fitness influencer, competitor, and star of Gladiators, where she is known as Dynamite. Steel recently won the U23 Championship in Britain. She shared a photo on Instagram of herself with her medal. Steel captioned the post, “U23 BRITISH CHAMP📣🤌🏼🏋️‍♀️With the help of my trusty coaches @mikewebb_ @emilygbwl and some mindset shifting with @emgage13 we managed to pull it out the bag💰🥇Ready for a solid block of training for English Champs in 7 weeks🔥U23 71kg category - 73✔️76✔️80❌ 104✔️107✔️110❌(silly press out). Total - 183kg.”

1. She Works Out With Others

Steel likes to hit the gym with her friends. She shared this video of herself in the gym with others on Instagram. Steel captioned the post, “My first hyrox ticked off and I thoroughly enjoyed myself🥰🕺🏽A top notch weekend with some top notch afletes🥵2nd place to tick off my first hyrox!🥈Next one coming soon…👀”

2. She Lifts Weights

Steel likes to lift weights to stay in shape. She shares a lot of weightlifting videos on Instagram. ACE Fitness states that this can have a lot of benefits. “Using heavy weights increases intramuscular coordination, the number of type II motor units and the amount of muscle fibers engaged within a specific muscle. Have you ever felt your muscles shaking while lifting heavy weights? This is because you are recruiting and activating the larger type II muscle fibers, which are only stimulated to work when a muscle is challenged with heavy resistance or working to fatigue.”

3. She Rows

Steel shared some of her favorite workouts in this Instagram video. One thing she is seen doing is using a rowing machine. This is a great workout to do. The Cleveland Clinic states, “Your abdominal muscles, lower back, obliques, glutes and hamstrings all get a workout during a session on a rowing machine. If you follow proper form, your core will be engaged during every single step of the rowing process. Strengthening those muscles is also key to maintaining stability and building speed.”

4. She Uses A Stationary Bike

Emily Steel/Instagram

Steel is also seen on a stationary bike in her Instagram video. Penn State PRO Wellness reports that doing this has a lot of benefits. “A stationary bike workout is a low-impact workout that uses smooth movements to strengthen bones and joints without putting much pressure on them. This makes it a good workout option for people with joint issues or injuries. Your ankles, knees, hips, and other joints can be put under a lot of stress when running, jogging, jumping, or doing other high-impact aerobic exercises. Because your feet don’t lift off the pedals with a stationary bike, this option is kinder to your joints, but it still provides a challenging and effective workout.”

5. She Takes Care Of Her Mental Health

Steel is all about taking care of her mental health. She talked about this in the caption of this Instagram post. “Mental health awareness week🧠💕Tears are fine. Bad days are also fine. Feeling alone is NOT fine. There’s always somewhere there to listen🫶🏼Here are the bits I never share because to be completely honest, I get scared talking about my feelings… everyone has stuff going on and it’s so important to TALK🥹”

Melissa Teich is a fitness competitor, who competes in the IFBB. She is also a coach. Teich shares a lot of workout videos on Instagram. A few weeks ago, she shared a video of herself doing squats with weights. She captioned the post, “Squat dump from the past few weeks 👻 When I look at the program and see my squat numbers for the week I get mad anxiety but lately it’s honestly been my best lift in training. I have high hopes for something in the low 500’s (in sleeves) at the American Pro in 9 weeks! Based on how things have been moving in the gym I have no doubt we can make it happen! I don’t compete just to compete, I show up to f*cking WIN. 9 weeks to work! LFG!”

1. She Does Squats

As you can see in her Instagram post, Teich likes to do squats to stay in shape. Piedmont reports that the exercise is very beneficial. “Squats are a compound, multi-joint movement, which means they exercise several muscle groups. When you perform a squat, you work your calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, core and part of your back. A squat has more overall benefits than, say, a bicep curl, which strengthens an isolated area.”

2. She Uses Weights

Teich is also seen using weights in her Instagram post. She also shared these videos of herself lifting barbells. Teich captioned the post, “This past training week was good to me 🫶🤙 Only up about 5-6 lbs from my stage weight and I think it’s safe to say estrogen has re-entered the chat if you know what I mean (from a strength standpoint; nothing to do with a period- this girl doesn’t have one of those things thank god!)😆 strength is back tenfold and I PR’d every lift 💥 315 lbs to a 2 board, 500 lbs deadlift beltless & strapless and 530 lbs overload deadlift with mini bands. Life is good 😎Platform ready…just over 5 weeks out 🙌”

3. She Pushes Herself

Teich makes sure to push herself when she works out. She talked about this in the caption of this Instagram post. “Worked up to a max rep yesterday and was super happy with this. 415 for a sleeved top single at bodyweight 145 and 4.5 weeks out from stepping on stage. Naysayers will say I shouldn’t be doing this so close to a show and blah blah blah. Or that I over train. What it really comes down to is how one has conditioned the body over years and years of dieting and competing. I know what my body is capable of, I know just how hard I can push myself and I know I’m not one to back down #neversettle. So say what you will, think what you will, but I’ll just let the work and the end result do the talking 🤙🔥💯”

4. She Swims

Teich doesn’t just like to hit the gym to work out. She also likes to workout in the pool by swimming. Teich shared this photo on Instagram of herself after swimming some laps. She captioned the post, “Swam a couple miles and got a couple tan lines this afternoon 💦💦 🏊‍♂️🏊‍♂️ getting that triathlon itch again 🤷‍♀️”

5. She Has Dogs

Teich has two dogs, whom she prominently features on her Instagram. She shared this video of herself celebrating her pup’s birthday. Teich captioned the post, “Juice and Nia’s 3rd Birthday 🥳

Yes, I made them homemade cakes and I made @rafeteich sing happy birthday to them with me 🤣🤣Don’t mind the half chewed up rug compliments of Ms. Nia 😆”