The best trainers are the ones who have extensive fitness knowledge but make their coaching approachable and accessible to everyone — just like each of the Fit Body trainers do in a variety of workout programs on the app.

And now we’re adding one more powerhouse trainer to the roster: Meet Maggi Gao, NASM-certified personal trainer and level II RKC-certified kettlebell instructor.

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Her Background

Maggi found her love of physical activity as a high school athlete — she played an impressive four sports throughout the school year! Then, in college, she played for the USA University Netball Team. But along with racking up the Ws, she also collected a bunch of injuries.

“At first, I started researching how to sort out my own injuries,” she says. “I got really into human physiology and started helping my teammates with prehab and corrective exercises.” 

And that, along with the expertise she gained from consulting professionals about her injuries, led her to personal training. “I realized I could turn my passion into a full career!”

She shadowed her trainer for a few sessions — asking tons of questions throughout — and he eventually became her mentor and, later, her boss.

Her BLAST Kettlebell Program

Initially, kettlebell training was a way for Maggi to stay active after breaking her foot. The fun she had while training, along with the injury recovery and prevention, led her to get certified as a kettlebell instructor. 

Now, she’s bringing her expertise to the Fit Body App with 30 Day Blast, a kettlebell strength-training program, consisting of 45-minute workouts.

“My goal is to help people to feel strong and comfortable in their capabilities!” she says. “Kettlebells can seem intimidating, but it really is the best and most versatile tool, especially for busy people or for those who can’t get to a full gym.”

According to Maggi, it’s the best two-in-one workout program you can do: “Blast should help you not only increase your strength, but also build your cardiovascular fitness.”

Her second — and equally important — goal with this program is to empower you! Her coaching style not only guides you through each of the exercises but explains why she structures her workouts the way she does.

“That way, when you want to train on your own, you have a good idea of how to build your own workout!”

Her Fitness and Nutrition Philosophy

When it comes to her own training sessions, Maggi’s mantra is, “Input reflects output.” In fact, it’s the lock screen on her phone as an ever-present reminder. “Whatever you put work toward will always come out a little bit better on the other side,” she says. 

That’s also her approach to nutrition: “I always have the mentality that whatever I put in my body is just going to help me reach my goals.”

To fuel her body for her training sessions, she prioritizes protein first, then vegetables. She rounds out her plate with a portion of carbs and/or starches that reflects the intensity of her workout for the day.

“How you treat your body really will show in how you feel, not only through workouts but in your day-to-day life,” she says.

And on the days when she just doesn’t feel like working out, she has a trick: Just get to the gym. “Usually it’s the act of just getting to the gym that’s tough,” she says. “Once I’m there, though, and I start with some stretches and activation exercises, usually I’m good to go!”

Her Quick Picks

• Morning, afternoon or evening workouts? 
• Morning! Once it’s done, it’s done.
• Cardio or strength training? 
• Strength training, all day
• Gym or home workouts? 
• Gym workouts
• Indoor or outdoor workouts? 
• Outdoors
• Dumbbells or kettlebells? 
• Kettlebells (obviously)
• Free weights or weight machines? 
• Free weights
• Chocolate or vanilla protein powder? 
• I’m a chocolate gal!
• Protein smoothie or bar? 
• Smoothie
• Tacos or pizza? 
• Both! How can I choose?
• Soup, salad or sandwich? 
• Soup