Gabby Douglas in Workout Gear is "Pushing the Boundaries"

Emily Hayden is a fitness trainer with a large following on social media. She is about to participate in a secret project and is making sure to train hard for it. Hayden recently shared a workout video with a friend on Instagram. In it, they are seen doing things like box jumps, slamming weighted balls, and pushing weighted carts. She captioned the post, “What do you think would happen if you went ALL IN on you? No more holding back, no more half efforts, no more excuses, and no more making yourself small. NO. MORE.” How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Emily Hayden stays in shape and the photos that prove they work.

1. She Pushes Herself

Hayden makes sure to push herself when she works out. She talked about this in the caption of her post. “Take up space. Face the challenge head on. Dominate what’s in front of you. Give it everything you’ve got. And when you feel like you have nothing left, remember… that moment is exactly why you’re here. Push through and show yourself that you can overcome any obstacle in front of you.”

2. She Strength Trains

Emily Hayden/Instagram

Hayden likes to strength train to stay fit. In her Instagram video, she is seen using a weighted ball and a weighted cart. According to ACE Fitness, these exercises have a lot of health 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.”

3. She Works Out With A Friend

As you can tell from her video, Hayden likes to work out with a friend. Better Health states that having a friend workout with you can push you. “When you exercise with a friend who’s around the same fitness level as you, you’re more likely to encourage each other and to push a little harder (to increase intensity, for example) than you might do on your own. A friend can bring out your competitive side and spur you on. When you’re ready to give up, the sight of your friend powering on might be just the incentive you need to keep going.”

4. She Does Squats

One workout that Hayden enjoys doing is squats. She shared this video on Instagram of herself doing them with a barbell. Hayden captioned the post, “Do it because you deserve the life that excellence produces. Do it for you. What would you go after if anything was possible? Go after that. How would you show up if you weren’t worried about the judgements of others? Show up like that.”

5. She Uses A Resistance Band

Hayden likes to use a resistance band when she trains her glutes. She shared one of her favorite exercises in this Instagram video. In it, Hayden puts the band on her waist, stretches it out, and does forward bends with a weight. Hayden captioned the post, “Try this on your next glute day! It’s one of my favorite glute exercises. Focus on the efficiency & fullness of each squeeze and give it a full slow stretch at the bottom of the rep. Let me know what you think 💞tag me in your stories if you try it!”

Chontel Duncan is a fitness trainer and influencer with her own app, Neu Fitness. Duncan recently shared a photo of herself and her boyfriend on Instagram. In it, both of them wore workout clothes. Duncan captioned the post, “We are almost there.” How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Chontel Duncan stays in shape and the photos that prove they work.

1. She Jumps Rope

Duncan shared this video on Instagram of herself in the gym. In it, she is seen jumping rope. According to ACE Fitness, jumping rope is a great workout. “Jumping rope can increase the elasticity and resiliency of lower-leg muscles, leading to a reduced risk of lower-leg injuries. Calf raises can strengthen the lower leg, but if the muscle tissue becomes too tight it could increase the risk of a number of lower-leg injuries including achilles tendon strain or plantar fasciitis. Jumping rope regularly strengthens the calf muscles and improves the elasticity of the surrounding tendons and fascia. To increase elasticity, try to land on the ball of the foot first, but let your heels go all of the way down to the ground.”

2. She Uses A Rowing Machine

Chontel Duncan/Instagram

In the Instagram post, Duncan is also seen using a rowing machine at the gym. The Cleveland Clinic states that using a rowing machine has a lot of benefits. “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.”

3. She Works Her Glutes

Duncan makes sure to do workouts that work her glutes. She shared her favorites in this Instagram video. She captioned the post, “Here are some low-impact favorites to wake up the toosh before you work out!🍑 AIR SQUATS (slow and controlled, time under tension). 🍑 DEFICIT DOUBLE PULSE ALTERNATING REVERSE LUNGES (yes, it’s a mouthful). 🍑 GOOD MORNINGS (slow and with light weight, if any). 🍑 WEIGHTED DOUBLE PULSE SQUATS (keep it light and focus on depth). I like to do 15 reps of each for 2 rounds. These are just a few of my go-to moves. Stay tuned for more on my app coming soon!”

4. She Does Ladder Workouts

Duncan likes to do ladder workouts, which are workouts that increase in difficulty, amount of repetitions, or duration. Duncan shared this video of herself doing ladder workouts in the gym. She captioned the post, “Why I love Ladder workouts? Progressive structure, versatility, scaleability and variety. You will find various types of exercises such as weightlifting, (eg squats, bench), bodyweight exercises &/or cardio exercises. It’s suitable for all fitness levels, as the starting point and increments can be adjusted based on individual capability. I personally find I see benefits such as improved endurance & strength, mental toughness & caloric burn. And with this I can easily adjust to target different fitness goals, such as hypertrophy, endurance, or cardiovascular health.”

5. She Does Pull-Ups

Duncan is working on improving her pull-ups. She documented her progress on Instagram. Duncan shared this video on Instagram of herself doing them in the gym. She captioned the post, “The update no one asked for: Attempted my max wide grip over hand pull up. Managed 10 in my first set. Thinking I should set myself a goal to hit 14 strict reps…. (For shits and gigs).”

Kayli Ann Phillips, a dynamic fitness influencer and model, inspires her vast Instagram following with rigorous weightlifting and CrossFit routines. Recently, she shared a challenging workout featuring thrusters and handstand pushups, captioning it, “💪🏽💗 playing the range of motion game 🤪 3 Rounds For Time: 12 Thrusters. 12 Handstand pushups, deficit. Men use 135lb barbell. Women use 95lb barbell.” Known for her commitment to strength and endurance, Phillips motivates her audience to embrace high-intensity training and push their physical limits.

1. She Lifts Weights

As you can see from her Instagram post, Phillips likes to lift weights to stay in shape. ACE Fitness says that doing this 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.”

2. She Jumps Rope

Phillips is seen jumping rope in this Instagram post. ACE Fitness states that jumping rope has a lot of benefits. “Jumping rope can help improve your coordination. Jumping rope is a cyclic activity, which means you perform it for a steady, regular cadence. The steady cadence and rhythm of jumping rope can help improve the coordination between your eyes, feet and hands.”

3. She Does Burpees

Phillips likes to do burpees to stay in shape. She is seen doing them in this Instagram post. The Cleveland Clinic says that the exercise has a lot of benefits. “A burpee sounds like something that should be silly. It isn’t. Burpees are brutally efficient as a workout tool, meshing cardio and strength training into an extremely high-intensity package. In seven simple movements, the exercise works your body from top to bottom. It’s a continuous-movement activity that uses the full musculature of your body, says exercise physiologist Griffin Nykor, RKin, CPT.”

4. She Runs

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In the previous Instagram post, Phillips revealed that she ran 20 miles. According to FloTrack, running has a lot of benefits. “Running has proved to increase your bone mass and prevent age-related bone loss. This exercise helps build up your bones and joints. While the repeated contact between the ground can be harder on some people’s knees, running has been proved to assist in knee strength as well.”

5. She Does CrossFit

Phillips does a lot of CrossFit to stay in shape. She shared this post on Instagram of herself doing exercises. Dignity Health states that CrossFit exercises have a lot of benefits. “There's a reason CrossFit is so popular: Its workouts do a great job getting people in shape. Participants are drawn to the competitive atmosphere and camaraderie that their box's WODs foster. But CrossFit isn't just for the athletically inclined: People of all fitness levels and walks of life can participate in the training, although some WODs may need to be modified for beginners. Practitioners attribute their fast transformations to CrossFit's high-intensity and continuously changing workouts. Training consists of compound exercises to build cardiovascular endurance, strength, flexibility, speed, and balance while burning more calories per minute than traditional weight-training activities. In addition to body-weight movements, the program utilizes a variety of equipment -- from barbells and medicine balls to jump ropes and elastic bands -- as part of its daily WODs.”

Chyna Cho, a celebrated CrossFit athlete, recently lit up the competition floor at the Aloha Games, sharing the exhilaration with her Instagram followers. In her post, Cho exudes joy, highlighting the blend of intense fitness challenges and the camaraderie among participants. Her caption, “I HAD SO MUCH FUN THROWING DOWN WITH MY FRIENDS. LOTS OF FITNESS, EVEN MORE LAUGHS. THEY ARE GREAT PEOPLE ON AND OFF THE COMPETITION FLOOR. ☺️”, encapsulates the spirit of the event—competitive yet filled with laughter and fellowship. This insight not only reflects her athletic prowess but also her appreciation for the community aspect of CrossFit, underscoring how the sport fosters both physical and social wellness.

1. She Does CrossFit

CrossFit is the main way Cho stays in shape. She shared this video on Instagram of herself doing some CrossFit exercises. Cho talked about what she loves about it in the post’s caption, “I AM SO HAPPY TO BE DOING CROSSFIT A FEW TIMES A WEEK AGAIN. I AM DEFINITELY DYING MORE THAN USUAL BUT IT’S SO WORTH IT. 😜🤘🏽TODAY’S FUN WAS A 15 MIN AMRAP.”

2. She Lifts Weights

Cho likes to lift weights to stay in shape. In the previous Instagram video, she is seen doing a section of her workout with a barbell. Cho also posted this video of herself doing kettlebell workouts. She captioned that post, “MONDAY THINGS. 🙃🩷I’M PRETTY SURE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I’VE DONE DOUBLE KB SNATCHES (AND IT SHOWS LOL). 😆🫣ALMOST 15 YEARS OF CROSSFIT AND I’M STILL DOING NEW MOVEMENTS. PRETTY F-ING COOL! 🤘🏽”

3. She Pushes Herself

Cho makes sure to push herself when she works out. She talked about this in the caption of this Instagram video. “IT’S ALWAYS A LITTLE INTIMIDATING TO DO A REPEAT OPEN WORKOUT. THIS WORKOUT WAS EXTRA INTIMIDATING FOR ME SINCE I DID SO WELL IN 2014 … 🫣THINGS ARE DIFFERENT. I AM 9 YEARS OLDER. I AM STILL TRAINING HARD BUT NOT THE WAY I USED TO. I HONESTLY WASN’T SURE IF I WAS CAPABLE OF BEATING MY OLD SCORE. I GOT TO THE MUSCLE UPS FASTER THAN MY YOUNGER SELF, BUT I TOOK LONGER ON THIS MOVEMENT THIS TIME AROUND (ABOUT :45). REGARDLESS, I IMPROVED AND I AM VERY PROUD THAT I DID. ☺️”

4. She Uses A Rowing Machine

Chyna Cho/Instagram

In the previous Instagram video, Cho is seen using a rowing machine. The Cleveland Clinic states that using a rowing machine has a lot of health benefits. “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.”

5. She Uses A Stationary Bike

Cho likes to use a stationary bike to keep herself in shape. She is seen using the machine in this Instagram video. Cho captioned the post, “FUN (WELL, KINDA) INTERVAL STYLE WORKOUT I WROTE FOR MYSELF. 😋” Penn State PRO Wellness states that using a stationary bike has a lot of health benefits. “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.”