Meet the Sweat trainers

The first thing you’ll notice upon meeting five of the Sweat: Fitness App For Women fitness trainers – Kayla, Kelsey, Sjana, Stephanie and Chontel – is how genuinely warm and friendly they are. The second thing? They’re infectiously passionate about what they do.

Sweat is a global platform where women help one another make positive health and fitness gains. It’s designed for everyone, no matter how fit you are (or aren’t), and it’s accessible wherever you go, through your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV.

We spoke to the trainers about how they got started, and the experiences that have helped shape their fitness programs.

Highly influential fitness trainer Kayla Itsines became a star at the age of 22, when her Bikini Body Guide ebook went viral. But she emphasises that “bikini body” is less about achieving a certain physique than helping all women feel strong, healthy and confident about their bodies, whatever shape and size they may be.

“In 2009, when I got my personal-training certificate, I’d turn on the TV and see ‘shred this’, ‘diet down’, ‘lose 20 pounds’ – it was constant ads for machines that supposedly guaranteed abs but often achieved nothing,” Itsines says.

Inspired to offer an alternative, she and her partner at the time, Tobi Pearce, created the BBG plan, based on the approach athletes take to train and fuel their bodies. It entails 28 minutes of high-intensity exercises, three times a week – a great option for anyone looking to get fit in a hurry.

Following its success, Itsines incorporated her signature BBG resistance workouts into Sweat and in 2017 added the BBG Stronger program, which incorporates more weights and gym equipment. “I was so excited when I launched BBG Stronger as I really want women to feel empowered and confident in the weights room at the gym,” says Itsines.

For Sweat yogi Sjana Elise, yoga’s benefits go beyond purely the physical. “It’s good for the soul!” she says. “Through connecting with your breath, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms your mind.”

Although Elise is a bright and energetic young woman, she wasn’t always that way. As a teen she suffered from severe depression, and she credits yoga with helping her overcome the illness: “Yoga helped me to feel happy again,” she puts simply.

Aspiring yogis shouldn’t feel intimidated by her Body and Mind program, she says, which features Vinyasa-style yoga routines to help users improve their strength, posture and flexibility – and encourage a more positive outlook. Seasoned practitioners shouldn’t assume it’ll be too easy either, she adds. The classes “progress with you and become more challenging as you strengthen.”

After giving birth to her son several years ago, Wells found herself overcome with anxiety. Gentle exercise and physical activity were ultimately what brought back her strength and self-assurance, and inspired her to create the PRW Post-Pregnancy Beginner program. “It’s really personal because postpartum is where my own fitness journey started,” Wells explains.

The half-hour workouts, starting from six weeks postpartum, target postural alignment, core strength and pelvic-floor strength, which are often compromised during pregnancy. “Your body goes through a lot of changes during a pregnancy and delivery,” says Wells, “so it’s really important to modify exercises and heal your body as you begin fitness training.”

Along with helping new mums, Wells is driven to empower all women, and fronts up the strength-based PWR training within Sweat. Her new program PWR at Home offers women the chance to build muscle strength in the comfort of their own homes.

“PWR at Home offers women flexibility around where and when they train, while providing them with the strength training tools and education they need to empower themselves through fitness,” she says.

After giving birth to her first child, Stephanie Sanzo turned her attention to her health and fitness for the first time in her life. She started running regularly and began to notice “changes on a physical, spiritual and emotional level, which was incredibly rewarding”. With her new-found passion for a fitter lifestyle, Sanzo enrolled in studies and went on to become a qualified personal trainer.

After a second complicated pregnancy, Sanzo was delivered the news that she would never be able to run regularly again. “Although I was devastated I was driven to find an alternative mode of exercise to keep me going,” she says. “I started weight training and pretty quickly fell in love with the strength and confidence I gained – and wondered why it had taken me so long to try this style of training.”

Sanzo joined the Sweat team in 2019, announcing the arrival of the BUILD training program, which combines elements from powerlifting and bodybuilding styles to help women gain power and confidence and improve their overall performance in the gym.

“This style of training made such a difference to my life, it completely changed my outlook and gave me so much more energy for all areas of my life,” says Sanzo. “I hope that through BUILD, women all over the world can find the confidence to reach their goals and transform their lives through lifting!”

Chontel Duncan was naturally a sporty kid growing up, but it wasn’t until the age of 21, when she was searching for a vocation in life, that she tapped into her passion for fitness.

“Being active, finding discipline in my routine and feeling strong changed my life in so many ways that turning my passion into a career felt like a natural step,” she says. “I wanted to help as many people as possible to find a light at the end of the tunnel through health and fitness like I had.”

Duncan also joined the Sweat team in 2019, debuting the FIERCE program. “FIERCE is exactly how I like to train and I hope to inspire women to challenge themselves, get moving and find their inner fierce!” says Duncan.

The workouts incorporate a combination of strength training, high-intensity workouts and boxing exercises that are designed to keep you feeling challenged, engaged – oh and they will make you sweat!

“With every sled push, kettlebell swing and shuttle run, FIERCE will push you to your limits, leaving you feeling accomplished, strong and energised,” she adds.

*Consult your doctor before undertaking any new workout program.

Sweat: Fitness App For Women

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