Back in high school, I used to feel kind of weird going to the gym.
I was by no means a runner, and wasn't confident that I knew how to use the equipment, but it was never a problem until I stopped rowing for my school's crew team. I went from intense physical activity five to six days a week to bike riding here and there, but it wasn't enough – and my body knew it.
Finally, during my senior year, I had the idea to turn to YouTube to try some at-home workouts. I imagine I typed in something along the lines of "Top ab workouts," and when I hit the search button, I was led to an account called "Blogilates," run by Cassey Ho.
I completed the video to the best of my abilities on my recently-Amazon Prime'd yoga mat, and when I felt how sore I was the next day, I was hooked. So, I decided to look more into who my new fitness instructor was.
As I found out, Ho is the creator of POP Pilates, a workout program that got its name because it blends pop music with classical Pilates routines, resulting in a fun, invigorating and sweat-filled workout. According to its website, Blogilates is the number one female fitness YouTube channel, and has over 300 million video views.
She also has 1.4 million followers on Instagram, but such success comes as no surprise to me because her videos really work. The year that I first discovered Blogilates, I used its videos to work out four to five times a week, and got into the best shape I had ever been in.
While my exercising sort of fell by the wayside during my freshman and sophomore years of college, I made fitness part of my regular routine again junior year, and my mental and physical health are thanking me for it. While I have since overcome my gym-phobia, actually spending more time working out there than chez moi, I still sometimes turn back to old faithful and whip out my phone to watch one of Ho’s new and always-amazing videos. And if you’re having a hard time getting into working out, here’s why you should follow Ho, too:
1. Her workouts are easy to do at home.
If going to the gym is beyond your comfort zone, Blogilates is a great alternative because it allows you to work out in the comfort of your own house. The best part is that many, if not most, of the videos do not require any equipment other than your own body – that’s the beauty of Pilates! That being said, you should definitely try to use a yoga mat for exercises that require you to be on the floor to make sure you don’t hurt yourself on a hard surface.
2. She has a very positive attitude.
Throughout her workout videos, Ho talks the whole time, either motivating viewers, explaining moves, sharing updates about her channel or discussing other subjects in a conversation-like fashion. I still don’t understand how she can be so chatty while doing such killer workouts, but I find it really helps the time pass, and if the chitchat is not for you, it’s easy to tune out and just focus on the exercise.
3. She gets real about her own insecurities and how she’s overcome them.
Especially on her Instagram, Ho is open about the body image issues she used to feel – despite how toned she is now. She then, however, shares how she came to love herself and encourages others to do the same. I think this aspect makes her very relatable and, frankly, a bit more human, which is inspiring for us non-fitness instructors.
4. She has an activewear line called POPFLEX Active, and it is oh-so-cute.
From sports bras and tops to leggings and shorts, to all kinds of accessories, the POPFLEX line has an array of styles, designed by Ho, herself, that will seriously inspire you to get moving. If you’re gonna get fit, might as well do it in style, too, am I right?
5. Her workout videos are like nothing you’ve ever seen before.
effective. She constantly shows users new ways to work out their bodies so they never get bored and their muscles never get too used to one routine.
