Instagram is a great platform for you if you’re hoping to cash in on your fitness chops. However, making it big on Instagram isn’t an overnight trick. If you want to become the next Simeon Panda, you will need more than just a few pictures in your workout wear, holding dumbbells. You’ll need a proper content strategy and a running list of fitness Instagram post ideas, in order to grow your Instagram presence and thereby your business. Follow InVideo on Instagram where we regularly share tips & tricks that will help take your Instagram game to the next level.
If you are already working with a set of ideas, you can easily bring them to life by signing up for a free account on InVideo, but if you’re struggling in that department, this article already will take you through some of the best fitness Instagram post ideas to help grow your account. If you stick around till the end, we will also share pro tips on creating fitness posts that stand out. And in case you’re still short of ideas & inspirations, head over to the InVideo Instagram channel and follow right away!
Here is what we will be covering:
1. Give your audience fitness tips
2. Testimonials
3. Tell your audience what you eat
4. Motivate your audience
5. Before and after shots
6. Giveaways
7. Collabs
8. Interviews
9. Show your team to your audience
10. Give a glimpse of your personal life
11. Showcase your wins
1. Give your audience fitness tips
Think about it. What’s the #1 reason for following a fitness professional’s Instagram account? It’s because they want to learn how you work on your fitness and how it can help them. They’d want to get tips about exercise, diet, and sleep routine, among other things—and that reel could be one of your first fitness Instagram post ideas.
For instance, here’s how one of the biggest influencers in the fitness space, Michelle Lewin, shares workout tips with her audience through a video on Instagram:
There are two ways you can share tips with your audience. First, you can do what Michelle Lewin does and record footage of yourself working out as you give insightful tips. You’ll need a gimbal or tripod, a good camera (or a phone with a good camera), a mic, and will have to pay attention to lighting.
Conversely, you can create an aesthetically-pleasing video with a combination of stock footage and text. If you want to create a video on the go, the second option will save you a lot of time. For instance, you could just add text-based tips to a ready-to-post fitness template and prepare your next fitness Instagram post in minutes:
The template already has a snappy background track, stock footage, transitions, and animated text. All you need to do is edit the text to enter the tips you want to share and use InVideo’s massive library of stock footage made available through iStock and Getty integrations.
2. Testimonials
Do you feel warm and fuzzy when you see someone succeed in their fitness journey? It’s because it strengthens your belief about being able to become fit through consistency. Testimonials give your audience the motivation they need to keep going.
They also make your audience feel more confident about you and your business because it successfully helped a person become fit. Not so surprisingly, 83% of consumers say that recommendations make them more likely to purchase a product or service, and that’s why many trainers and gyms post a testimonial every once in a while.
Testimonials can be posted as a story as well, provided they’re not very long.
Here’s a testimonial that Mahi, a fitness trainer, posted on her Instagram:
Mahi’s testimonial is great, but you could add an intro to the video testimonial to make it more engaging. You can also compile multiple testimonials in a single video if you’d like to showcase more than one successful client. You can either use short clips from multiple clients or use text based reviews and turn them into a testimonial as shown in the template below. All you need to do is start editing the template, add an image of the client (preferably of them working out, eating your diet, what have you), and add a text-based testimonial.
Note that the text you add doesn’t have to be exactly what your client or follower said about your fitness Instagram posts. They might share a testimonial that has some grammatical inconsistencies or is too long. You can always edit the testimonial, but make sure it doesn’t change the essence of what they wanted to communicate.
3. Tell your audience what you eat
Diet is a critical aspect of fitness. Anyone who follows an Instagram account to learn about fitness will expect some guidance or tips in terms of healthy recipes they can make. People don’t like eating kale every day, so people trying to work on their fitness often look for recipes that are delicious and healthy!
Got a healthy recipe you enjoy? Well, you could add sharing the recipe into your running list of fitness Instagram post ideas. You can share your video as both a reel and a story, but a reel is a better choice here because such videos might run a little longer.
Many trainers do this extremely well, too. For instance, look at how Jen Selter shares her recipe with a video of her actually making the recipe:
Notice how the video is well-lit and is shot in the kitchen. Jen also makes the video entertaining for her audience—notice the banana telephone thing? The music also adds an exciting element to the video. Imagine the same video being played in silence; see the difference? Fortunately, adding transitions and music and exporting high-quality videos is a breeze with a cloud-based editor like InVideo.
However, you can also choose to share the recipe through a template video instead of shooting it yourself. Here’s a template you can use to create a recipe video for smoothies (one of our many recipe templates) within the next five minutes:
Once you start editing, you’ll be able to edit all elements, including the background video, the images of the recipe, background music, and the text. You’ll be able to use InVideo’s massive stock music library to select a fun music track to jazz up your recipe video.
4. Motivate your audience
Everyone’s fitness journey is different. Some people require more motivation than others, and they’ll proactively seek out motivation when they engage with content from fitness professionals on Instagram… and guess what? That could be a great addition to your list of fitness Instagram post ideas. You can choose to post them as a reel or as a feed video, but a story’s duration might fall a tad short for motivational content.
Many fitness professionals post motivational content, but a lot of that content lacks authenticity. People can always read quotes online; they don’t need you for that. Always aim to motivate your audience through personal experiences and by connecting with them at a deeper level.
Kayla Itsines, Co-Founder and Head Trainer of Sweat, posted a video about why you shouldn’t overwhelm yourself by comparing yourself to others:
It’s a fairly simple video where Kayla talks to her audience trying to make them understand why they shouldn’t compare themselves with others who may be ahead in their fitness journey.
She does this walking on a treadmill, underpinning the point she makes in her video that fitness is her job, and that’s why she’s able to achieve a lot more in terms of fitness than other people.
She doesn’t use a script and speaks what she actually believes, which is great for authenticity, but sometimes you may end up with additional footage when you don’t have a script. Also, whenever you’ve got a video that has a lot more verbal communication, it’s best to add captions so your audience is able to read parts that they don’t understand.
You don’t need to write captions yourself or hire someone, you can use a transcription tool and add captions to your video with InVideo within a couple of minutes. You can also use InVideo to trim your videos and take out parts that you believe don’t add a lot of value.
If you’re a gym or a fitness brand, you might also want to add some branding to your motivational video instead of directly jumping to the footage. You don’t need to spend hours creating a catchy intro, here’s an intro template you can use:
Just add your footage on InVideo’s editing timeline after the intro template and you’ll be able to export your high-quality video with the appropriate aspect ratio, ready to post on Instagram. Using the InVideo timeline is fairly simple, but if you need some help, here’s a video tutorial.
5. Before and after shots
A staple among fitness influencers, before and after pictures show proof that your fitness solution works. They’re one of the quickest fitness Instagram post ideas on the list and are excellent Instagram story material. You can create them as an image by adding a before shot on the left and an after shot to the right using a tool like Canva.
However, don’t limit yourself to images. Going the video route with before and after shots is an excellent idea because you’ll have a lot more flexibility. Instead of just one picture, you can create a slideshow of several pictures of different people’s before and after shots. Sure, you can use the carousel, but you can’t add music to carousels.
Alternatively, you can get creative and try something similar to what Anna Victoria, a fitness trainer, posted on her Instagram:
Sharing your own fitness results helps you connect with your audience at a deeper level. It shows you weren’t always in shape, but hard work got you there over time.
Anna’s video actually has two footages, each shot a year apart. Doing this requires a video editor, but you don’t necessarily have to be a professional. InVideo will help you create similar videos quickly, and also allow you to add a background track that you can select from its massive library of stock music tracks.
If you’re a trainer or a business, you should also consider adding an outro with a CTA. Instead of designing video elements from scratch for an outro, here’s a template you can add at the end of your video:
6. Giveaways
When you see an option to get something for free with very little effort, you do it, don’t you? Even if the odds aren’t great, a simple cost-benefit analysis encourages you to do it, and that’s exactly why giveaways can give you a huge push to your follower count on Instagram.
Giveaways can take several forms. They can be images or videos, and they can be posted as stories or feed posts. For instance, here’s how Jeff Seid posted a giveaway video on his Instagram:
Jeff’s video is pretty to the point. That’s excellent, but it could use a bit more editing. A good start would be adding a transition effect wherever the video has been trimmed. Plus, it’s also great to have an intro or outro where you can put your name or logo with the logo of the brand you’re collaborating with for the giveaway. Here’s a quick template you can use to add a catchy intro to your giveaway video:
Just click on ‘Use this template’ and add your footage to the InVideo editor’s timeline. However, you should also keep some basics in mind while creating a giveaway video:
1. Show your audience what they stand to gain by participating.
2. Clarify how they can participate.
3. Mention a deadline for the giveaway, i.e., until when you’ll accept participants.
4. Mention when and how you’ll reveal the winner.
The engagement on your giveaway video is largely driven by the value you provide. If you’re giving away something your audience doesn’t care for, they’ll pass. So, make sure you make it worth their time.
7. Collabs
Collabs are a great way to tap into another fitness professional’s network and gain followers. If you’re a fitness trainer, you can collab with another fitness trainer who also has a similar audience. You both stand to benefit from the collab because you’ll be able to put your faces in front of a new and relevant audience.
That’s exactly what Jeanette Jenkins does in her collab with Kenta Seki:
The video content is just a fitness routine—something all fitness trainers post—but with another fitness trainer. The content itself isn’t much different, but being present with another trainer with a large Instagram following brings plenty of benefits.
You don’t necessarily need to create content that’s wildly different from what you normally post, but it’s important to beautify your video and make it vibrant to make sure you earn the full benefits of being on another fitness professional’s video.
You want to make a good first impression and show that you’ll be able to provide that’s valuable and professionally created. Posting raw footage that lacks editing will make you look lazy. Notice how Jeanette has trimmed the video and shown different angles. Plus, the cameraman keeps moving to add a touch of liveliness to the video. The video has been shot outdoors so it’s well-lit and has a background track that adds a jazzy element to the video. It’s an excellent, polished video and a great example of something you can take inspiration from.
8. Interviews
Interviews can be one of your fitness Instagram post ideas, but you’d first need to establish yourself enough to receive interview invites. Once you’ve gained some traction, an interview post can help you prepare your Instagram account for take-off because it adds a lot of authority.
Ebenezer Manual, a fitness trainer, was recently interviewed by Jennifer Cohen for her podcast Habit and Hustle. Ebenezer created a video interview snippet out of the most interesting part of the podcast and posted it on his Instagram account:
Watching the interview immediately makes it clear that people view him as an authority on the subject of fitness. It makes people confident that they’ll benefit from your content should they follow you.
However, notice how the video isn’t just raw footage. It has footage from two cameras playing side by side, a title at the top, captions at the bottom, and some text animation in the beginning of the video with Ebenezer and Jennifer’s names. Typically, adding those elements would require some leg work, but you’ll be able to do that with only a few clicks with InVideo.
If you’re going for a reel and don’t mind the video being a tad longer, you can also add a cool intro to your interview video. It doesn’t have to take forever, just use this template and add your footage to the timeline:
9. Show your team to your audience
If you own a gym, fitness studio, or have a team of fitness professionals working for your business, show them off to your audience. This is one of those fitness Instagram post ideas that will help your audience get to know your business better and feel more confident about it.
Plus, it doesn’t take a whole lot of brainstorming to create this type of content. All you need is raw footage of your team in action or a photo of all your team members. You’ve got all options open here in terms of how you post it. You can go big with a video and or simply add an image to your story or create a carousel on your feed.
Here’s how Edgbaston Priory Club does it with a video of their team helping people get fit:
You’ll need to edit the raw footage, of course, but that shouldn’t be a big problem with InVideo because you’ll be able to trim the video, add music and transitions, and export the video in excellent quality within minutes. However, you can also choose to simply post a picture like Odett does with her team:
10. Give a glimpse of your personal life
You should preserve your Instagram account’s relevance by posting content that circles around fitness, but every once in a while, sharing something personal goes a long way in showing your audience that you’re a human just like them.
If you haven’t shared something from the personal aspect of your life, it could become one of your fitness Instagram post ideas. It could be anything from a picture of you brushing your teeth, a boomerang of you waking up, or a video of you having a meal with your friends.
Massy Arias, a health coach, gives her audience a glimpse into her Sunday meal with her friends and daughter:
Massy goes with a carousel, but if you don’t have multiple pictures, you can also just post an image on your feed or in your story. A feed post offers better visibility for a caption and has a longer shelf life, but if you want to post similar pictures a tad more frequently, you might want to go with an Instagram story as well.
11. Showcase your wins
Humility is a fine trait, but if you don’t show your wins to the world, you won’t grow. You don’t have to brag about it, but sharing your achievement confidently gives you authority. If you’ve received an award, scored a celebrity client, or got coverage in a newspaper, posting about it on your Instagram could earn you ample credibility.
Here’s how Luke Worthington, a fitness trainer, shared his win when he was featured in Evening Standard:
Adding a long caption bombarding inspirational content might make the post look condescending, but Luke takes a simpler approach. He goes for a humble post with a subtle caption by tagging Evening Standard.
Your win doesn’t have to be glorious to make it to your Instagram though. Even if you’ve been featured on an audience member’s Instagram post thanking you for helping them achieve their fitness goals, that’s a win too.
Now that you have a fair idea of the different things you can post on your fitness Instagram page, let’s go ahead and take a look at a few key pointers that you should keep in mind when you’re creating these posts.
Pro Tips for Creating Fitness Instagram Posts
There are hundreds of fitness creators on Instagram. So how do you ensure you stand out amidst the crowd? The answer lies in the quality of your posts and your content and marketing strategies. To that effect, here are some tips that will help you create high-quality fitness content for your Instagram audience.
Tip #1 - Use a high-quality camera and mic
Instagram is a very visual platform where all your posts will require an image or video. A blurry or low-quality image isn’t just unprofessional, it’s off-putting.
That being said, while getting a more powerful camera is always helpful, you don’t need to invest in a $1,000 camera. You can still use your phone’s camera, but make sure it’s capable of taking full HD pictures at a minimum. Oh, and it’s also great if you can include your face in your Instagram pictures and videos. The same holds true for your mic. It doesn’t have to be a top-of-the-line microphone; just good enough to be able to record clear and good quality audio.
Tip #2 - Don’t rush through writing the caption
There’s no one-size-fits-all length for captions. Some posts may warrant using a short caption that readers can quickly skim through as they scroll, while some posts might justify writing a mini-blog post (but with plenty of whitespace).
You can use either, but don’t forget to add a call to action where it’s relevant. A CTA helps encourage your audience to engage with your content. The more your audience interacts with your content, the more your account will grow.
Tip #3 - Strategize your hashtags
With hashtags, relevance is key. But how do you find relevant hashtags? Start by scanning your competitor’s Instagram profiles and look at the hashtags they’re using. That’s the easiest strategy. Once you’ve scanned competitor profiles, try brainstorming keywords you think might be relevant and perform a search to see what shows up in the suggestions.
Avoid very generic hashtags. For instance, a hashtag like #morning might bring you a ton of spam comments. Instead, go for something more niche, along the lines of #healthymorningroutine or #morningsunrise – that is more relevant to the image you’re sharing. You can also use a service like All Hashtag to generate related keywords quickly. But be sure to pick ones that are most relevant for your post.
Tip #4 - Engage with your audience
Even if you’ve got 500 followers, engaging with your audience is just as important as if you had 1 million followers. Engaging with the audience does two things – it helps you build a better connection with your community and it helps boost your reach through the algorithm.
Plus, DMs and comments are more persuasive than what a brand’s ad says. If someone asks a question about your fitness service or product, respond to them through comments or a DM and make sure you give them a thorough answer.
Don’t keep it strictly business though. Answer any comments for which you have a witty response—something that leaves a mark on your audience. That being said, it’s okay to not respond to all comments if there are hundreds of them.
Tip #5 - Use a good editor
Having a good camera and mic is a good starting point, but editing can give your video a facelift. Edited videos are more engaging and look professional. It’s understandable that you don’t have the time to learn Adobe Premiere and spend hours editing your videos.
The good thing is, you don’t need to. You can use InVideo to quickly beautify your videos and export them in high quality. It has everything from ready-to-use templates to stock assets and lets you trim and crop your videos, add background music, add transitions, and add animations.
Tip #6 - Mix up the types of posts
Sure, a big chunk of your content should be about fitness since that’s what your audience expects. But don’t be reluctant to share images from your trip or a poolside Sunday evening every once in a while.
You can even share memes, but try and ensure that they’re somehow about fitness, rather than a random meme. Even within the fitness space, mix up your content by focusing on different ways of staying fit. Instead of making everything about exercise, also post about other aspects of fitness and health like nutrition, sleeping well, and even mental health.
Tip #7 - Post at the right time
Much like other social media platforms, your Instagram posts will earn the best engagement rate when posted at a time when your audience is most active. The best time to post depends on a number of factors such as your location, the location of your audience, as well as user behaviour. The best way to determine what is the ideal time to post, you will need to study your audience’s behaviour over a certain period of time. But if you’re looking for a starting point, check out this blog.
Wrapping Up
Instagram is growing at a brisk pace. It brings plenty of opportunities for fitness professionals, but Instagram is also an ever-evolving platform. If you’re a fitness professional on Instagram, you should keep an eye out for changes in the platform’s algorithm to make sure you’re optimizing your posts and staying consistent.
If you’re out of fitness Instagram post ideas, this guide will help you unclog your creative block and give you some inspiration for your next Instagram post. Since Instagram is a visual platform, you need to pay a lot of attention to how your posts look.
If it’s an image, you’ll want to make sure it’s high quality and fine-tune the contrast, brightness, and other abstractions. If it’s a video, you’ll want to use elements like transitions and music to make it more engaging and aesthetically pleasing. Don’t worry; you don’t need to work overtime for editing. Just use a video editor like InVideo. It’s fairly easy, but should you need help, we’ve got plenty of tutorials for you on our YouTube channel.
This post was written by Arjun and edited by Adete from Team InVideo
