5 Fit Women to Follow on Instagram
Image Credits (clockwise from top left and then center): @casssmartin, @hannahbower2, @jillchristinefit, @steficohen, @paigereilly.
If you’re just getting into the fitness and/or weighlifting sphere, or you just want some workout inspiration, Instagram can be a great resource (when I first started weightlifting, I literally copied the exact workouts I saw on Instagram until I knew enough exercises to make up my own sequences and circuits). Although there is some “fitness” content out there on Insta that I’m not particularly fond of, the women on this list have a lot of valuable information to share. Read below to find out what each account offers and which one(s) you might be interested in following!
Hannah Bower, instagram handle @hannahbower2
Hannah Bower is a lifelong athelete, mother to a 6 month old baby, and places a large emphasis on mind and body fitness. On her page, you’ll find weightlifting workouts, circuits, core exercises, stretching and more. She shares many challenging workouts with the entire description in the caption and she is extremely knowledgable about proper muscle engagement (see her core guide). Her physical strength and gymnastics skills will definitely impress you. And her baby is pretty cute, too.
Cassandra Martin, instagram handle @casssmartin
I would call Cass Martin’s fitness style power-building: somewhere between bodybuilding and powerlifting, with an equal focus on both aesthetics and strength… she is pretty badass. She is very strong in nearly all lifts (check out her dumbbell chest press). She posts videos of her workouts and has started her own supplement line called WRKETHIC. In my opinion, her Instagram is a better fit for those who have been in the weightlifting game for some time, just because she doesn’t post detailed descriptions of her workouts or form pointers.
Paige Reilly, instagram handle @paigereilly
Paige Reilly is a Bikini competitor and recently earned her IFBB pro card. For those of you who don’t know what that means, she is a bodybuilder that competes in the bikini category, and to earn an IFBB (International Federation of Bodybuilding) pro card, you must win a NPC National Show. This basically means she’s a professional bodybuilder—so yeah, she’s legit. Accordingly, you’ll follow her through her cut and bulk phases, her show prep, and even see live streams from her competitions. She posts her full workouts on Instagram with extremely detailed Instagram captions (her shoulder workouts are the best). I think my favorite thing about her is how engaged she is with her followers and supporters; one time, I made her frosted flake protein French toast recipe and posted it on my story and she responded.
Jill Christine, instagram handle @jillchristinefit
Jill is a great example of the no-excuses kind of woman, with her favorite tag line: “Get outside your head”. She is a certified Pharmacy Technician, wife, and finds time to work out nearly every day. She will go to the gym at 5 am if she must, which inspires me when I am feeling a little lazy. She posts full weightlifting workouts on her Instagram and firefighter workouts, as her husband is a firefighter. More awesome content you’ll find on her page are her recipes, food hacks, and healthy tips. I also appreciate the balance that she maintains in her life as far as indulging in the foods she wants every once in a while, and she overall has an admirable mindset when it comes to fitness, diet, and life.
Stefanie Cohen, instagram handle @stefichoen
Stefanie Cohen is one of the best powerlifters in the world, an exercise physiologist and Doctor of Physical Therapy. She holds world records in the deadlift, squat, and total. As you could probably guess by her achievements, she is extremely knowledgable and strong—she talks the talk and she walks the walk. However, just because you can’t squat 400 pounds doesn’t mean that her Instagram isn’t for you. Her content is valuable for anyone that is trying to get stronger. She posts many of her workouts and devotes a lot of time to sharing her knowledge about form and technique, which is super important for anyone at any stage in their fitness journey. You’d think she would be pretty over-confident given all of this success—and honestly, she has every right to be—but she is actually super humble and inspiring.
Alex