If you don’t know who Rachel Fit is, you haven’t been paying much attention to social media lately. Rachel has been gaining the likes of regular social media lovers as well as celebrities all due to her flexibility. We sat down to find out how her social media brand became so popular.
How did you get your start as a professional contortionist and pole artist?
Two and a half years ago, I went into a pole studio down the street from my house looking for a new way to workout besides the typical boring gym routine. I immediately fell in love with it, not just as a fitness routine, but as an art. I started attending two to three pole and flexibility classes a day, whenever I had time between work and school. I made it happen because I was determined to be good and I was willing to do whatever it took. When I noticed my flexibility was progressing past that of my teachers, I wanted to develop my skills further, so I started training on my own. Working with circus professionals really helped with the development of my contortionist skills.
How has social media contributed to your overall brand?
When I initially started my Instagram [account], it was more to gain inspiration from other people who did what I did. I never started my Instagram with the intention of starting a brand. It sort of just happened, so I just took the opportunity and ran with it. No one would ever guess this by looking at my page, but I am extremely shy and introverted in real life. I would never have met the people that I have met if it wasn’t for social media. With social media, I was able to network and collab with tons of talented individuals that I would have never met otherwise.
At what age did you notice you were flexible?
I started training [to improve] my flexibility at the age of 25. I knew I could do a split on my left side since I was in high school, but that’s all I knew. Plenty of girls can do a split, so I didn’t think anything of it.
How long have you been into fitness?
I’ve been into fitness my whole life. When I was young, I had really bad anxiety and OCD [obsessive compulsive disorder]. Exercise is the one thing I do where my mind is completely free from constant worry and overthinking. The more intense the exercise is, the more therapeutic it is for me.
What is your fitness routine, and how do stay in shape?
I do CrossFit four to five times a week at a CrossFit gym for fun. I also train in hand-balancing, pole, Lyra, and contortion daily anywhere between one to three hours a day. What I choose to train on that day just depends on my mood and what I think my body can handle that day.
What can we expect from the Rachel Fit brand in the next two years?
To be honest, I’m not entirely sure. I’ve always planned on getting my nutrition degree and joining the Peace Corps to get away. I am finishing up my nutrition degree. Next year, I will be a registered dietician, and I will for sure practice nutrition for sure. Once I’m done with school, I will have a lot more time to travel and perform, so that’s an option. Continuing to train others in alternative fitness, whether it be online, in person or on tour, is something I see myself doing. I focused on training myself and developing my talent because there’s still a lot I would like to learn.
