Happy early birthday, YouTube. To celebrate the site’s 20th anniversary, we’re bringing you the InsideHook guide to YouTube, a series of creator profiles, channel recommendations, and details about the viral, controversial, and unstoppable video-sharing giant.
Is YouTube an effective place to revitalize personal health habits? Yes or no. I would argue that this is a useful platform for consuming health. It helps you find inspiration and guidance, track your fitness journey, and watch the world’s fittest people achieve amazing results.
But we need to be vigilant and watch. Like the rest of the social media world, YouTube’s health and fitness library is a minefield of misinformation. There are people selling you things like supplements, recovery products, and dangerous diets. Unsurprisingly, the cost per mile for this category is high, with advertisers willing to pay between $7 and $15 per 1,000 views to advertise on these videos.
It’s telling that impressions for so many wellness accounts have skyrocketed during the pandemic while we’re stuck at home, isolated from our trainers and teammates, and true health experts have bigger fish to fry. Masu. Back then, YouTube proved to be a useful link to the larger world of exercise, offering all sorts of follow-along workouts, documentary-quality vlogs, and stress-busting power hours.
That premium content is still there if you know where to look. I always champion the good old analog health benefits before encouraging anyone to spend more time on screens, but when used correctly, YouTube can improve your physical fitness, mental health, and social skills. It can be a practical starting point for your own journey. health. We’ve highlighted some key channels below.
running
Best Channel: Goran Winblad
Göran Winblad is a very talented amateur runner (low 16 minutes 5K). His videos invite followers to the forests and riverbanks near his home in Norway, where he reveals tips for running a successful business and debunks products he thinks aren’t worth the money. In true YouTube fashion, he also likes to have a little fun, testing popular running challenges and creating entirely new ones (check out his “Winter Miles”) please).
Start here: “How to Run a Faster 5K”
HIIT
Best Channel: Heather Robertson
For those lucky enough to have a home gym, or at least a screen and a spacious living room, Heather Robertson’s channel features hundreds of home workouts. A certified trainer and nutrition coach, she specializes in scorching HIIT circuits. This is the kind of thing most of us prefer to do away from observant strangers. In an era where online subscriptions cost $49 a month, it’s amazing how many workouts are free. Follow one of her 12 week programs or choose a video a la carte.
Start here: “Day 1 // The Daily10: 10-minute upper body workout”
yoga
Best Channel: Adrian’s Yoga
With nearly 13 million subscribers, yoga instructor Adrienne Mishler is one of the most successful wellness influencers in YouTube history. But it’s hard to tell from her videos, which have long featured simple scenes: Matt, his dog Benji snoozing, a sunny window and her casual instructions. For the past 10 years, she’s been uploading yoga flows for all your needs (abs strengthening, depression, surfers, etc.). Visit her channel whenever you need a physical or mental reset.
Start here: “Exercise Medicine – Energy Practices”
meditation
Best Channel: The Honest Guys
Honest Guys makes a convincing case for avoiding expensive meditation apps. There are no special tricks here. They’re two British guys with very soothing voices (Kevin Brown and Rick Clark, and screenwriter Sian Lloyd Pennell) who create simple relaxation videos. If you listen to it regularly, you’ll probably breathe more and sleep better. Their comment sections are always flooded with followers thanking them for their long commutes, exams, and even the death of a loved one.
Start here: “Guided Meditation – Complete Stress Relief!”
adventure
Best Channel Award: View Miles
This is a crowded category on YouTube. Because the platform’s algorithms are naturally suited to stunt backyard (and remote) challenges. YouTube fans love drones. But it takes a certain kind of personality to give these drone shots real humor, energy, and relatability. Bo Miles, a red-haired Australian with a PhD in outdoor education, is a master in this field. He walked 90 kilometers to work (on purpose!), built a cabin for $60, ran through the Australian Alps, and kayaked around the southern tip of Africa. This brand of “fitness” is pure entertainment and is often far more appealing than the expensive projects found on streaming services.
Start here: “Run a 1 mile marathon every hour.”
hybrid training
Best Channel: Fergus Crawley
Similar to calisthenics, hybrid training has become rapidly popular in recent years. Simply put, it’s for athletes who don’t want to choose between strength training and running, and who take pride in achieving impressive numbers with each focus. Fergus Crowley is one of the poster boys for the hybrid training revolution, documenting his efforts on his YouTube channel. It’s a great way to incorporate Goggins-esque content into your life without getting yelled at. How to handle content, either as a hint (like the start video linked below) or as an “aha” or “aha” moment, like when Crowley squatted 500 pounds and broke a 5-minute mile the same day. You can watch it to get an “aha” response.
Start here: “5 Mistakes People Make During Hybrid Training.”
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