There’s no denying the endless benefits of social media. It connects us to the world, allows us to share our experiences with our networks, and provides genuine experts a platform to reach the masses with important messages. It has evolved to become the centerpiece of our media consumption, and with great power comes great responsibility. The impact social media has on our lives, even subconsciously, is scary, and for every positive there is an equal and often infinitely more dangerous negative. In the never ending hunt for ‘likes’ and validation, social media has become the domain of narcissism, backed by larger corporations tapping into ‘expert’ opinion to push their latest product, service, or agenda. To see the potential dangers presented by platforms like Instagram and Facebook you need look no further than the Belle Gibson saga of 2016.
Used correctly however, social media can be one of your greatest sources of knowledge and power. When it comes to health, there are no laws to stop anyone making outlandish claims, and the lure of abs, endless beach parties, and expert advice are abundant on the Gram. However there are some genuine health experts out there, sharing great workouts, real advice, and educated opinions. When looking for the real deal on social media, look for authenticity, passion, education and the value they’ll add to your feed. You want the fitness accounts you follow to benefit your life, not the face behind them. We’ve shuffled through the selfie takers and fake accounts to bring you a list of our top 10 accounts you should be following today to boost your motivation and education.
Is your favourite account not on the list? Tag @menshealthau and let us know the others we should know about!
We're huge fans of Thor (aka Game of Thrones' The Mountain) and his strongman approach to fitness. It isn't pretty, and that's exactly the point. He's tough, he lifts heavy and he eats big.
One of the most educated trainers in Australia, Janis isn't scared of sharing his knowledge with his followers. And he doesn't feel the need to dumb it down. He will explain what he's doing, and why he does it as a part of his programming. Extremely personable, if you don't understand his fitness jargon, he'll attentively reply to his followers and explain his theory. Legend.
Marcus Filly is jacked, and he shares how he gets there. His functional bodybuilding approach to training is realistic, achievable and requires hard work. But his instructional videos leave you in the know and ready to chase his gains.
Gym Jones "exist not only to create better athletes, but better humans". If that sales pitch doesn't hook you in right away, read some of their workouts and success stories. Transforming lives at any age, and building some of the greatest modern athletes at the same time.
Having been crowned the Fittest Man on Earth twice at the Crossfit Games, Fraser is not the pretty boy of fitness, he's the epitome of true grit, hard work, and chest hair.
After overcoming addiction, as covered by Men's Health, Jay found fitness and completely transformed his life. He now shares it with his 200k+ followers, staying true to his love for bettering himself and those around him.
One of Australia's top gym, 98 Riley is worth a follow for their no-BS approach to their workouts to help you 'train like an athlete'. Home to the countries top athletes, give them a follow and keep up with the workouts... if you can.
Levi is an Australian triathlete, and whilst he won't always share his workouts, his times and events are motivation enough. The intensity of his events means you won't get manicured selfies, but inspiring images of a man pushing through the pain barrier.
Whilst not strictly a fitness account, healthy chef Dan knows more than a thing or two about fitness, and the food needed to maintain it! His 'Dude Food' recipes will keep you fueled and motivated to get in the kitchen. That's supposedly where abs are made we hear?!
As a former fitness model, Matt has turned his focus to strength, and he's taking Australian powerlifting to new international heights. Extremely educated, he's worth a follow for the tips he provides in his Insta Stories.
Shameless plug, but as a compilation of health and fitness videos, tips and information how could we not strive to be included on this list!