Black Fitness Professionals You Need to Know

Yoga can be intimidating for newcomers who think they can barely reach their toes. But for Abiola Akanni, yoga is less about being the most flexible person in the room and more about creating a safe space for all of her students. With Yoga By Biola, Akanni creates an inclusive environment that honors different fitness levels and body types. Her online courses are specifically designed to engage marginalized communities.

One look at LA-based fitness trainer Brittne Babe’s Instagram page, and you will immediately know that she does not play around in the gym. The self-described “Queen of Home Workouts” has a YouTube channel with quick-hit videos that target every part of the body. And if you’re looking for more, her app, BrittCamp, is loaded with easy-to-follow workouts and Spotify playlists that will make you want to get up and move. The app’s community feature allows you to share your progress and ask questions.

Trudie German says it was Angela Bassett’s arms in What’s Love Got to Do With It that inspired her to start working out. But her initial desire for gorgeous guns developed into a love of fitness and a mission to help other women achieve their fitness goals. Her approach is less about depriving yourself and more about developing an overall healthy lifestyle that you can maintain over the long haul. Her website, Body Envy by Trudie has great diet and exercise tips. And she shows extra love to women over 40 with tips on losing weight as your metabolism slows down.

If you’d rather twerk than do a bunch of pushups and mountain climbers, check out Simone Sobers, a Miami-based professional dancer. She started her Boss Chick Dance Workout, a hip-hop, dancehall, and afrobeat-infused workout for women in 2013. Her classes are available in several gyms around the country, or they can be live-streamed from her website. With classes that range from Twerk 101 to more complicated Twerkography, beginners and advanced twerkers alike are sure to find a workout that is perfect for them.

Brooklyn-based personal trainer and all-around fitness badass Roz The Diva wants to make pole dancing more accessible to all body types. After taking pole dancing classes as a hobby, she has made a career out of helping others and established herself as one of the best. She produced Dangerous Curves, the first pole dancing competition for plus-sized dancers. Check out her website for videos of her past pole performances or to book a personal training session. Her pole performance to And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going is nothing less than amazing.

Nothing makes a workout feel less like work than good music, and Selena Watkins knows that better than anyone else. As a professional dancer, she has performed with Pharell, Busta Rhymes and Janelle Monae. Watkins is the founder of Socanomics, her brand of cardio, strength and yoga classes fueled by a high-energy soca soundtrack. With live virtual and on-demand classes available, you can feel like you’re at Carnival any time of the day.

Chrissy King is a writer, speaker, fitness and strength coach. She started working out with the hope of rocking a two-piece bathing suit. But even after losing the weight, she still wasn’t satisfied and fell into a vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting. Today, King speaks out on body positivity and conducts workshops on diversity and inclusion in the fitness industry. Her Body Liberation Project on Instagram is designed to help people stop obsessing about the scale and love the skin they’re in.