Certified Instagram Trainers to Follow for Serious Fitness Motivation

Jen Widerstrom // @jenwiderstrom

This icon is far from just a trainer on The Biggest Loser. Jen Widerstrom is a health and fitness expert in all respects, with National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), Dynamax Master Trainer, and CrossFit Level 1 certifications under her belt, as well as a book: Diet Right for Your Personality Type. Scroll her Instagram feed for workout inspo, ideas, and her latest projects.

Katie Crewe // @katiecrewe

Looking for some strong and inspiring ladies to add to your feed? Look no further than Katie Crewe, a certified strength and conditioning specialist (C.S.C.S.), nutritional practitioner, and health coach. Crewe stocks her fitness Instagram feed with impressive fitness feats, lessons in body positivity, workout ideas for every taste, and super-important form tips — even correcting some of the other mistakes you might see on IG. (Case in point: Watch her demo proper glute engagement during these common exercises.) Plus, she's got pregnancy-specific exercises for the expectant parents out there.

Joe Holder // @joeholder

Following Joe Holder (a Nike master trainer and run coach, as well as a fitness nutrition specialist) will not only give you a peep into how celebrities such as Naomi Campbell and Natasha Lyonne train, but will also give you a dose of exercise science education and a kickass reading list, too. Holder is a perfect example of the phrase "never not learning." His expertise goes far beyond your run-of-the-mill trainer: The former college football player has coined his own holistic health theory, the Ocho System, and taps into both nutrition and exercise to train his clients for performance and functional movement — not just six-pack abs.

Ben Bruno // @benbrunotraining

Ben Bruno's no-nonsense training vibe is to work hard and smart — no excuses. He cut his teeth working at one of the most well-respected gyms in the business: Mike Boyle Strength & Conditioning in Boston. Now, he has clients (including celebs such as Kate Upton, Chelsea Handler, and Jessica Biel) running up and down the streets of Los Angeles pushing weighted sleds like it's NBD. His feed is full of casual workout vids of his clientele and himself crushing some classic strength work, as well as doing some new (and effective) moves you probably haven't seen before.

Kira Stokes // @kirastokesfit

There's a reason trainer Kira Stokes' website reads, "20 years. 11 certifications. 0 bullsh*t." This woman means business when it comes to fitness. She holds personal training and performance-enhancement specialist certifications from the NASM, as well as specialized certifications in Schwinn Cycle, pre- and postnatal fitness, TRX, SBT-Suspended Body Weight Training, ViPR, and Kettlebell Concepts. She trains her clients — including Olympic gold medalist Nastia Liukin — using the Stoked Method, her namesake training style (and accompanying app) rooted in science. (Want a taste? Try this circuit workout or 31-day plank challenge that Stokes created just for Shape.)

Lauren Leavell // @laurenleavellfitness

In 2017, Lauren Leavell was working your typical nine-to-five job in the corporate world when she decided to make the leap into the wellness space — and you should be glad she did. The trainer is spreading amazing messages about inclusivity and body positivity, and her account is dedicated to answering your burning fitness questions and serving much-needed motivation. Not to mention, she's a NASM-certified personal trainer, a meditation leader, and a barre and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) instructor. (More from Leavell: What It's Like Being a Black, Body-Positive Female Trainer In an Industry That's Predominantly Thin and White)

Anna Victoria // @annavictoria

NASM-certified tranier Anna Victoria doesn't just serve up fitness motivation and ideas (per her FitBody Guides or Body Love app, which is one of the best fitness apps out there). She serves up a lot of real talk, too. For example, in this Instagram post, she explains how she talks to her daughter about her body so that she doesn't grow up focused on her weight — but, rather, her strength and health. And here, she suggests focusing your workouts on feeling strong instead of "getting skinny."

Jen Fraboni // @docjenfit

Jen Fraboni, a self-proclaimed "avid mover," has been active since she was a kid, participating in gymnastics, track and field, and dance. She turned her love of movement into a career, becoming a doctor of physical therapy (D.P.T.) as well as a Pilates instructor and yogi based in Los Angeles. Her specialty, though, is mobility: She created an entire program called the Mobility Method, hosts free mobility challenges online, and serves up functional movement tips daily on her IG. You can rest assured knowing that anything you get from her feed is backed with serious knowledge of the human body and how it works.

Kaisa Keranen // @kaisafit

You've likely seen Kasia Keranen going viral in the fitness Instagram world and on the internet — and for good reason. Not only can she come up with some killer Tabata workouts, but she can find ways to work out anywhere, anytime, with whatever you have lying around your house. (Just watch this toilet paper workout she created.) And there's brainpower behind her gym acrobatics: The former track and field athlete has a master's degree in sports performance and injury prevention, as well as a performance enhancement specialist certification from the NASM.

Mike Watkins // @mwattsatc

As the founder of Festive Fitness & Wellness in West Philadelphia, Mike Watkins serves up body positivity, fitness tips, and posts that are sure to make you smile (just look at his!). Each of his workout hacks are founded on his bachelor's of science in athletic training and knowledge as a licensed and certified athletic trainer.

Harley Pasternak // @harleypasternak

Put simply, Harley Pasternak knows all the things. He has a master's in exercise physiology and nutritional sciences from the University of Toronto and an honors degree in kinesiology from the University of Western Ontario. Plus, he's certified by the American College of Sports Medicine and the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology, and he served as an exercise and nutrition scientist for Canada's Department of National Defense. It that's not enough to wow you, know this: He's also trained celebs such as Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Halle Berry, Katy Perry, Kim Kardashian, Amy Schumer, and Alicia Keys.

Follow him on IG to see his healthy meals and his training sessions with celeb clients, and to get a peek of his personal life — including the adorable ways he stays fit with his kids. (This Lady Gaga post may be the MVP.)

Amanda Bisk // @amandabisk

A former Australian pole vaulter, Amanda Bisk turned to fitness and nutrition when she was diagnosed with chronic fatigue. Now she has degrees in sports science and exercise rehabilitation as well as coaching certifications in CrossFit, yoga, and pole vaulting. Her fitness Instagram feed is full of too-pretty-to-be-real-life yoga landscape shots as well as yoga flow videos, gym exercise ideas, and shots of her two pups (who have their own account, naturally).

Bret Contreras // @bretcontreras1

Don't let his nickname, "the Glute Guy," fool you: Bret Contreras is serious about fitness. Just peep his Ph.D. in sports science and a strength and conditioning certification from the National Strength & Conditioning Association. His fitness Instagram feed is full of strength training inspo and creative techniques for building muscle all over (and, yes, especially in those glutes).

Robin Arzón // @robinnyc

If you're a part of the Peloton camp, you've probably already sweat out all your worries with Robin Arzón. The former lawyer turned fitness fanatic is currently the vice president of fitness programming and head instructor at Peloton, where she teaches treadmill and cycling classes. Over on her fitness Instagram, you'll find expert training tips, powered by her experience as a Road Runners Club of America–certified running coach, NASM-certified personal trainer, and Schwinn spin instructor. (Read about how she runs 100-mile races with diabetes and you'll be in awe of her resiliency.)

Laura Miranda // @drlauramiranda

As a fitness nutrition specialist and certified personal trainer, Laura Miranda, D.P.T, C.S.C.S. has almost every inch of fitness knowledge covered. She's dedicated to helping people get fit, strong, and healthy — and her Instagram feed is the perfect example. She posts moves and routines that prove you can "do fitness" everywhere, not just in a gym.

Alex Silver-Fagan // @alexsilverfagan

Alex Silver-Fagan started her fitness career fresh out of undergrad at New York University. She's accumulated personal training, functional strength, nutrition, kettlebell, flexibility, and yoga certifications, and doesn't just "work out," but "trains to live." Scroll through her feed for inspiration for everything from acro yoga to CrossFit, and be sure to watch her Instagram stories for a peek into her daily gym routine and moves to try on your own. (Or try this 30-day squat challenge she designed for Shape.)

Jeanette Jenkins // @msjeanettejenkins

Jeanette Jenkins goes by the Hollywood Trainer, and she's earned the title; the fitness rock star has worked with Pink, Alicia Keys, and Amber Rose, among other celebs. But her star-studded client list isn't the only reason she's a top trainer. With a degree in human kinetics from the University of Ottawa and 18 other international certifications covering nutrition and training styles, Jenkins has the education to back it all up.

Bonus: She's generous with workout tips on her Instagram. Follow Jenkins for a balanced mix of workouts, healthy recipes, and motivational quotes.

Joseph David // @josephd_fit

Using his International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) personal trainer certification and bachelor's degree in exercise science, Joseph David is crafting a fitness Instagram feed that will leave you inspired to do every plank workout out there. His profile is filled with home workout plans, dance-inspired exercises, and so. many. abs.

Idalis Velazquez // @ivfitness

Idalis Velazquez has ISSA elite trainer, Beachbody super trainer, and NASM personal trainer certifications under her belt. Even more, she created Beachbody's first running program and their first Spanish-language program. If her certifications don't convince you to give her a follow, all of her bodyweight, band, and dumbbell exercise videos and adorable photos of her children definitely will. Bonus: As a bilingual trainer, each of Velazquez's posts are written in both English and Spanish.

Massy Arias // @massy.arias

Born in the Dominican Republic and now training in Los Angeles, Massy Arias serves up fire workouts in bright and bold athletic wear. As a certified personal trainer, Arias incorporates a huge variety of techniques into her routines, including resistance training, calisthenics, yoga, HIIT, and sprinting.

And her Instagram feed proves just that: Her posts range from mobility exercises to help you stay injury-free to super-challenging workout routines (such as this upper-body routine featuring single arm negative push-ups, pull-ups, and more). Perhaps even more important, though, are her posts detailing how working out helps her cope with mental illness struggles.