Have you guys seen the new Captain America movie?
I don’t like gratuitous nudity or objectification of the human body, but daaaaaaamn — Chris Evans, please feel free to take off your shirt as much as you want. Really.
Everybody who starred in this movie was on top of their fitness game. Co-stars Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, and Cobie Smulders were fitspiration icons who encouraged me there and then — in the cool darkness of a half-filled cinema auditorium with a large bucket of popcorn in one hand and a sugary iced coffee in the other — to kick start my workout regime for the umpteenth time. But only after I finish my large bucket of popcorn.
This is where Neila Rey comes in. The American fitness guru is an author and fitness guru whose claim to fame is her eponymous website, which offers completely free workout guides for burning fat and toning muscles. I really like her philosophy behind making her workout materials free on the internet:
I believe in making fitness accessible so all of the materials on this website are free and will always remain so [looking into the horizon, cape flying behind my back]. It’s a conscious choice which I did not make lightly and although it would indeed make my life a lot easier if I made this website subscription based or put pay-per-download it goes against my principles.
The visual workout guides are basically sets of high intensity interval training (HIIT) guides, but hers are more fun and inspiring because she repackaged them to appeal to couch potatoes by giving them instantly recognizable titles. I think you’ll see what I mean when you set your gaze upon them.
(Not sure what HIIT is? Read out article on it by clicking this link)
If superhero movies aren’t really your thing, don’t worry: there’s a workout for every fantasy, sci-fi, dystopian young adult fiction fan. If you roll in the Game of Thrones (blood of my blood!) or Hunger Games wagon, there’s a workout for your particular fandom too:
But who am I kidding? I’m probably one of the laziest people in South Jakarta, and on days when I’m really filled by the spirit of sloth, there’s always this perfect guide for getting my reps in without leaving the comfort of my couch:
See? No more excuses now that we proud couch potatoes can watch all the television we want while still getting our exercise in.
Check out the complete archive of Neila Rey visual workout guides here. She also has some really useful tips for novice runners as well as nutrition tips, nutrition guides, and even healthy recipes that will not leave you hungry.
