I get a lot of questions on how to break into specific types of modeling niches. In recent years, by far the most popular one has been how to become a fitness model. In this short guide, I will go over some of the strategies for becoming a model that directly apply to fitness. This guide is intended to act as a foundation to answer some of your pressing questions about fitness modeling. It will hopefully, be helpful if you intend to continue in that direction for your career. It may also give you some new ideas and aid in additional research. Let us look at what you can do to start your journey as a fitness model.

1. Fitness Model Body Type

This is the most important question you can ask yourself when deciding if you can become a fitness model. It is important to understand that in the commercial and fashion industry, models are selected based on their looks and then their personality. You need to have an honest assessment with yourself about your modeling goals and your career in relation to your body type. Not only is this a great strategy for long-term development but if you are serious about modeling, it will help you get a better idea of your limits and expectations for becoming a fitness model.

2. Fitness Model Goals

Get specific with your goals. You should include one or two close family members or friends who can give you honest feedback about your desired career in the industry. As an easy example, if you want to be a yoga model but do not have much flexibility then yoga modeling is likely not a great way to kick-off your career as a fitness model. Think carefully about the jobs you want to book and the types of workouts you regularly do on your own.

Your fitness modeling should dovetail nicely with your current hobbies and workout regimen. That will help make the transition to modeling easier when you’re starting out. Over time, as your skills and physical abilities improve, you may find you can branch out into different activities that are also well-suited for your body type.

One final note on this subject is that when you book paid jobs, you may not always get the perfect job that fits your original intention. This is normal. Do not be discouraged and be thankful that you are getting paid to look great and work out!

3. Develop A Fitness Following

Today, fitness modeling goes together with your presence on social media. Your workouts should be public, and you should start to develop a brand personality that makes you relatable as a fitness instructor, model, and friend to the community. If you are uncomfortable sharing how you work out, what you eat, and how you look on a day-to-day basis then fitness modeling may not be the career choice of your dreams. While you develop your online persona, it is important to remember to tag brands and products that you use during your everyday routine. This will help with your growth and development and can occasionally lead to paid partnerships or collaborations as your accounts grow. Remember to strike a genuine balance between these types of product posts and more humanizing stories that showcase not just your body but your personality too. People follow other people on social media because they feel a sense of connection with you and your brand. The workouts will come typically be a bonus. Keep this in mind when making your social media profile and do not be afraid to show the world who you are as a persona and as a fitness model.

4. Fitness Models Stay Disciplined

Any great athlete knows that discipline and routine are half the battle. Getting up in the morning and putting yourself out there is what help spurs success and long-term development for fitness models. You need to be proactive every day to get in shape, develop your modeling chops, and showcase your brand with the world. It is a lot of work. Not only will you be going to the gym for several hours each day, but you need to also keep sight of your career goals. This quick tip is a reminder to stay on track and put sustainable systems in place to avoid burnout and physical or mental fatigue.

5. Practice Fitness Modeling

If half the battle is workouts and training, the other half is developing your skills as a model. Looks can get you far in the fashion industry but it is crucial that you also practice modeling. As mentioned in my guide to model poses, fitness models have the benefit of having a set of activities that make it very natural for them to start modeling and to build their portfolio around certain sports or fitness activities. Often fitness modeling is less of a workout and more of a balance between strength and beauty. You typically will not see advertisements that showcase fitness models as sweaty or tired. Although that is the realistic expectation, fitness models simply look good while also working out. You need to be at a point physically and mentally where you can work out for several hours without straining your body to its limits. Looking good one take one hundred and take one will go a long way in your success as a fitness model. Practice and a strict fitness routine are both great tools for your professional development.

6. Inspiration for Fitness Models

The internet is your best friend when it comes down to fitness model inspiration. This can include looking at fitness websites, specific brands, Pinterest, fitness magazines and simply searching for the activity of your choice. Familiarize yourself with how athletes and professional models look while they pose and test out some of those ideas in your spare time. It should come as no surprise that is not easy to look great while also being physically active. Going through some of the previous steps in this guide while you also build your mental database of images will help you figure out how to approach certain fitness scenarios and ultimately allow you to perform better on set. I will include links below for where to start your search for fitness models and fitness model poses. You can also look at my Pinterest page that has mood boards that are specific to fitness models and fitness photography.

7. Network with Other Fitness Models

It is not about what you know or how you look it is about who you know. In the model industry, networking is one of the golden rules to longevity. One way to develop your career as a fitness model is to network with other models and collaborate on social media. This could mean Instagram posts, podcasts, TikTok dances, and any number of additional partnership opportunities. Find your friend who you work out with regularly or talk to your local gym about a collaboration that can benefit both your account and increase the popularity of your collaborator. Depending on the number of followers and the influence that you command, collaborations are a sure-fire way to increase your odds of booking jobs and staying relevant in the hyper competitive world of fitness.

Be sure to also interact with your fan base when you host collaborative events. Individuals on social media love to interact and feel like they are a part of your fitness journey. Maintaining a strong presence for your followers and having a genuine personality will continue to strengthen the bonds of trust and connection that you have with your audience.

8. You’re Still Selling The Fitness Products

One more important note to remember is that even though fitness modeling does include showing off your physical appearance, you will typically be modeling with the intended purpose of selling specific products or services. This is an important point because not all of your fitness images need to fit the mold of displaying your abs, torso, legs etc. Some of the best fitness images and photographs for your portfolio will include you simply wearing fitness attire or athleticwear leisure wear. That way, consumers can see what they’re getting when they buy a specific product. Take a look at some of the examples I have listed on the side for a better idea of fitness campaign photographs.