Gym-fluencers flock to not-so-secret Aussie city as experts warn against social media
Meet the fitness fanatics flocking to a not-so-secret Aussie city to build their businesses – but with them comes a warning.
Gold Coast
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The Gold Coast is the epicentre for Australian gym-fluencers with social media platforms saturated with videos on ‘my go-to glute workout’, ‘what I eat in a day’ and ‘a 10km run with me’.
But the explosion in self-help fitness content online - attracting millions of likes and views - is also generating expert warnings for viewers pushing for “unachievable” results leading to extreme routines and health risks.
Nowadays, instead of enlisting the everyday personal trainer, many social media users are turning to TikTok and Instagram to inspire their own fitness lifestyle.
Influencers have gravitated to Australian lifestyle and tourism capital to pursue their social media dreams, following in the footsteps of pioneer creators Tammy Hembrow and Rachel Dillon.
Olivia May, a professional beach and track sprinter and coach, began her influencing journey in lockdown, living in Melbourne where she began documenting her move to the Gold Coast.
“I was very drawn to coming up here,” Ms May said.
“The active lifestyle on the Gold Coast really draws influencers - there are so many opportunities and so many of the big brands that people would partner with are based (here).”
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With close to 1.2 million followers combined across Instagram and TikTok, the 23-year-old not only built her own personal brand, but became a trainer with Move With Us – an online coaching business founded by Ms Dillon.
While opportunities are potentially endless for these content creators – from brand deals to coaching opportunities – the gym-fluencer phenomenon is prompting experts to warn some aspects of the lifestyle poses a threat to viewers.
Griffith University psychology professor Dr Tim Piatkowski said social media had long since fed into body image ideals and gym-fluencing was another trend raising the level of exposure to said ideals.
“That exposure is linked to driving body dissatisfaction, muscular dissatisfaction, “ he said.
“Trying to look like some of those fitness influences can lead people to start to push those measures to the extreme especially without any sort (of) health literacy being given alongside that.”
Ms May added: “It is really hard because there are so many opinions out there and I have witnessed so many girls be like I don’t know what’s right and wrong.
“When TikTok first boomed (I) was sort of a little bit lost in my own fitness journey, and developed some unhealthy habits so that’s sort of what made me want to jump into the industry and be that role model for younger people and show healthy habits and the importance of nutrition, hydration, recovery and sleep.”
Move With Us coach Annabelle Ronnfeldt has always loved staying active and after perusing her Certificate III in fitness to become a coach two years ago, she began posting fitness content on Instagram.
Now, with more than 400,000 followers, the 23-year-old has garnered even more attention while documenting her journey to run a full marathon.
“I feel like social media has really been the driver for running because people see people doing it,” she said.
“It’s become a very social thing as well, I think in Queensland particularly.”
Ms Ronnfeldt said with the rise in fitness influencers on social media, there has also been an increase in positivity and transparency across platforms.
“It’s really important to realise if you’re training to look like someone, it’s a very unachievable goal. Where (Olivia) and I have found our niche is encouraging people to not look a certain way but train to feel a certain way and push your limits, whether that is running distance you haven’t be able to run before or lifting a weight you haven’t been able to before.
“We’ve just able to use that very positively to inspire rather than kind of go to someone’s page and put yourself down,” she said.
Experts including Dr Piatkowski have recently aimed warnings about gym-fluencing towards young men.
Sam Pearce, who runs a successful coaching business, said he disliked social media being used as a tool for validation, both in bodybuilding and the everyday active community – but it was a good tool for business.
“What are you doing scrolling on social media anyway, what does that give you?”
“When it comes to training in the gym, it’s not about becoming a big bodybuilder with your abs and all that - and I’m the extremity of that. But as far as bettering yourself and learning how to better yourself, and show yourself the fundamentals of self love, self care, that comes down to the physical aspiration first, seeing yourself progress so that you can progress that into every form of your life. To me, that’s what the sport of bodybuilding should be,” he said.
Top 10 followed gym-fluencers on the Gold Coast
Tammy Hembrow: 17.5m Instagram & 2m TikTok
@tammyhembrow
Gold Coast local Tammy Hembrow has built a social media empire over the past decade and has become a pioneer for gym-fluencers across Australia, with millions following her fitness journey, life as a mum and successful businesses.
Kayla Itsines: 15.9m Instagram & 84.6K Tiktok
@kayla—itsines
One of Australia’s most well-known fitness influencers, Kayla Itsines has become a pioneer in the social media and fitness world and now calls the Gold Coast home after relocating from Adelaide. The health and wellness entrepreneur co-created the popular fitness app SWEAT as well as collaborating with various brands and being a successful author.
Rachel Dillon: 1.7m Instagram & 997.9k TikTok
@racheljdillon
Dedicated to empowering women through fitness, Rachel Dillon has not only made a name for herself as a gym-fluencer, but is also a successful business owner, founding her own exercise clothing brand Crop Shop Boutique and online coaching business Move With Us.
Ashy Bines: 1m Instagram & 122.1k TikTok
@ashybines
Personal trainer turned fitness entrepreneur and social media star Ashy Bines has been in the game for several years and despite recent health scares in relation to brain aneurisms, she continues to create content and run her successful businesses including activewear brand Baseline and Clean Treats by Ab.
Skye Sutton: 852k Instagram & 3.9m TikTok
@skye—sutton & @skyesutton12
Part of an emerging group of gym-fluencers predominantly on TikTok, Skye Sutton gained traction after showing off her health and exercise focused lifestyle and recently just launched her own online coaching business called SkyeSuttonFIT.
Brendon Wharton: 803k Instagram & 441.7K TikTok
@brendonwhartonfit
While many of the top 10 followed gym-fluencers on the Gold Coast are women, Brendon Wharton has made a name for himself from not just his fitness lifestyle and muscles, but his goofy personality where he posts dancing videos between his gym sets.
Hannah Pearson: 755k Instagram & 1.9m Tiktok
@—hannahpearson— & @hannahhpearson
Another gym-fluencer who gained fast traction on TikTok, Hannah Pearson has shared her love of the gym and fitness to her audience providing daily “mic’d up seshes” and now, the 22-year-old has had the opportunity to collaborate with activewear brands such as DFYNE.
Emma Dillon: 443K Instagram & 245.1K TikTok
@emmajane.dillon
Sister of Rachel Dillon, Emma Dillon has also followed in her siblings footsteps documenting her health and wellbeing lifestyle online. With much of her content focused on pilates and yoga, Emma also pops up on the Move With Us app coaching through pilates workouts.
Olivia May: 414k Instagram & 765.1K TikTok
@—omay & and @zo00weemama
Beach and track sprinter Olivia May moved to the Gold Coast from Melbourne during lockdown and began documenting her journey on TikTok. Now, the athlete has hundreds of thousands of followers and is now a coach with Move With Us.
Annabelle Ronnfeldt: 413k Instagram & 250.4k TikTok
@annabelleronnfeldt
Also a Move With Us coach, Annabelle Ronnfeldt has always had a love for being active growing up in Toowoomba before moving to Brisbane for university. Now living in the Gold Coast, Ms Ronnfeldt began posting fitness content to social media two years ago and has gained a lot of attention in the past year documenting her running journey to compete in a marathon.
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