With fitness and gym being the 8th most popular Instagram niche, according to Dash Social, this industry is projected to generate a total revenue of over $240 billion by 2026.
As this profitable niche continues to expand into gym gear, supplements, workout routines, equipment, and more, both creators and brands have an opportunity to grow their audience by tapping into Instagram’s powerful visual storytelling, authentic engagement, and influencer-driven marketing.
So, how are these established brands using Instagram for their advantage and how can you, as a creator, be a part of their growth? In this article we’ll tackle our top 10 Instagram fitness brands to navigate which key players are making waves in the fitness industry, and how influencers can be a part of this industry.
For a niche that thrives on showcasing routines, tips, guides, transformations, and more, Instagram's visual focus provides both brands and fitness influencers a unique opportunity to inform and motivate audiences.
Here are 3 key reasons Instagram stays relevant for fitness brands:
While platforms like TikTok offer engaging short-from videos and stories, Instagram multiple content formats like lives, carousel posts, reels, and stories enable brands and creators to showcase transformation stories, nutrition tips, get ready with me videos or workout routines to retain an audience and boost their engagement rates.
A great example of this is “mind-body wellness" brand Alo as a brand who, by running Instagram partnerships with celebrities like Kyle Jenner, Kendall Jenner, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, has held its spot as the official "wellness partner" at New York Fashion Week since September 2021.
According to a study done by Statista, Instagram remains the most used platform by marketers for influencer marketing. Its ability to provide creators and brands a platform where they can create long-lasting relationships with an audience makes it a favorite to target a specific demographic.
With its built in shopping feature, Instagram allows its users to create shoppable catalogs with tagged products in posts and stories. This fosters product discovery and a simplified purchase experience.
Explore our top 10 gym influencer affiliate programs and discover partnership opportunities with leading brands.
About the brand: Founded in 2012 by Ben Francis, Gymshark is a British fitness apparel and accessories brand known for its innovative and stylish workout clothing. The brand emphasizes community and has grown rapidly through influencer partnerships and a strong online presence.
Instagram followers: 7.6 million.
Why They Stand Out: Gymshark built a powerful community-driven brand by leveraging fitness influencers and social media authenticity, creating a cult-like following among Gen Z and millennial fitness enthusiasts.
About the brand: Nike offers a range of athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment designed to support various training activities. As part of the global Nike brand, it focuses on innovation and performance to help athletes achieve their fitness goals.
Instagram followers: 301 million.
Affiliate program review: Nike affiliate program in-depth review
Why they stand out: As an iconic sports brand Nike dominates high-performance innovation and emotionally resonant campaigns that empower athletes of all levels to "Just Do It."
About the brand: Co-founded by actress Kate Hudson in 2013, Fabletics is an American activewear brand that offers stylish and affordable workout clothing through a membership model. The brand aims to provide high-quality, fashion-forward activewear for women and men.
Instagram followers: 1.9 million.
Why they stand out: Fabletics disrupted the market with a flexible membership model and celebrity-backed approach, making stylish activewear more accessible while maintaining a sense of exclusivity and trend-savviness.
About the brand: Girlfriend Collective is a sustainable activewear brand that creates ethically made clothing from recycled materials. They focus on inclusivity, offering a wide range of sizes and promoting body positivity.
Instagram followers: 518K.
Why it stands out: The brand prioritizes sustainability and inclusivity, gaining attention for its transparent supply chain and commitment to body diversity.
About the brand: Founded in 1906, New Balance is an American sports footwear and apparel brand known for its commitment to quality and performance. The company offers a wide range of athletic products and emphasizes a blend of function and fashion.
Instagram followers: 8.2 million.
Affiliate program review: New balance affiliate program in-depth review
Why it stands out: Maintaining its reputation for quality craftsmanship, New Balance earns streetwear credibility through smart collaborations and timeless style.
About the brand: Alo Yoga, commonly known as Alo, is a Los Angeles-based activewear brand specializing in yoga clothing and accessories. The brand is recognized for its stylish designs and commitment to promoting mindful movement and wellness.
Instagram followers: 3.2 million.
Why it stands out: Alo bridges fashion and mindfulness by promoting yoga as a lifestyle, pairing sleek, Instagrammable aesthetics with wellness content and influencer partnerships.
About the brand: Adidas focuses on fitness apparel and equipment. The brand combines performance technology with modern design to support athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
Instagram followers: 29.3 million.
Affiliate program review: Adidas affiliate program in-depth review
Why it stands out: The brand consistently merges sport and style with cutting-edge technology and cultural relevance, standing at the intersection of athletic performance and fashion-forward streetwear.
About the brand: Founded in 1998 in Vancouver, Canada, Lululemon is a technical athletic apparel company known for its high-quality yoga and fitness wear. The brand emphasizes performance, style, and community engagement.
Instagram followers: 5.2 million.
Affiliate program review: Lululemon affiliate program in-depth review
Why it stands out: Thanks to its fabric technology, customer experience, and strong community initiatives, Lululemon becomes synonymous with premium activewear.
About the brand: Established in 1996 by Kevin Plank, Under Armour is an American sports equipment company that manufactures footwear, sports, and casual apparel. The brand focuses on innovative products designed to enhance athletic performance.
Instagram followers: 8.3 million.
Why they stand out: Performance-driven innovation, with a focus on athletes, delivering gear engineered to support endurance, strength, and resilience.
About the brand: Founded in 1948 by Rudolf Dassler, Puma is a German multinational corporation that designs and manufactures athletic and casual footwear, apparel, and accessories. The brand is known for its fusion of sport and lifestyle.
Instagram followers: 13 million.
Affiliate program review: Puma affiliate program in-depth review
Why it stands out: Puma’s bold branding and fusion with pop culture, through collaborations with icons like Rihanna or Dua Lipa, make it a standout for a sports brand.
Check out our top 20 fitness affiliate programs and discover more brands actively seeking influencer partners on Instagram.
Partnering with top fitness brands enables Instagram creators like you to increase their credibility as a trusted voice in the fitness industry, and tap into an already fitness-focused, engaged audience.
Your uniqueness as a creator and storytelling skills allow brands to connect with both existing and new audiences from a genuine perspective while influencing their purchasing decisions.
1. Build a Clear Personal Brand: In addition to delivering high-quality visuals consistently, building a strong online persona enables brands to understand what you stand for and why partnering with you may be a coherent choice, aligned with them.
You can maintain a fitness-centric approach by delivering clear visuals of workout routine reels or gym motivational posts, and interact with your audience regularly.
A perfect example is Cassey Ho (@blogilates), building her Pilates and body-positive message as a personal brand to empower people to love their bodies. Her Instagram offers a mix of Pilates tutorials, fitness challenges, and motivational content.
With brand partnerships, more brands are prioritizing how an audience interacts with you rather than a big following. Explore this topic further by discovering 10 fitness brands that work with micro influencers.
2. Pitch Yourself Professionally: Tools like a media kit enable creators like you to showcase their performance based on measurable analytics. This simplifies a brand’s process into identifying you as a valuable partner who can deliver meaningful results.
You can design your media kit to fit your visual identity while including:
3. Leverage Affiliate and Ambassador Programs: Many fitness brands like Gymshark, Alphalete, or MyProtein offer both affiliate and brand ambassador programs for creators ready to monetize their influence. Even local fitness brands or startups are great partners to build experience and success stories.
Affiliate Programs: With this partnership type creators drive sales through a commission based model. Affiliates have a little more control over the promotional content created than ambassadors.
Brand Ambassador Programs: With this partnership type creators represent a brand and often get perks like exclusive codes or memberships, fitness gear, and more.
As an example, David (@davidlaid) started as a Gymshark affiliate promoting their clothes through his transformation videos. As his audience grew, Gymshark noticed his value transitioned an affiliate creator into a brand ambassador/athlete.
Today, he represents Gymshark, receives exclusive drops, and personalized promo codes to share with his audience, helping him and the brand mutually grow.
Take it a step further and explore the differences between influencer marketing and brand ambassadors. How are these monetization strategies different?
Check out these top 3 fitness Instagram influencers who are already working with brand partners and spot relevant trends or content gaps within this niche. Explore Massy, Whitney and Ulisses’ content style, tone, and aesthetic for motivation, and take a look at what types of content do brands like Gymshark or Herbalife Nutrition invest in.
Because of its visual-first approach, built-in shopping features and influencer-friendly algorithm, both fitness brands and creators continue to grow on Instagram. By working on your personal brand and learning from top influencers, creators like you can grow their presence while building authentic partnerships.
Tools like Creator Hero can help you discover profitable affiliate programs to monetize your content and connect directly with fitness brands seeking collaborations. Whether you're just starting or looking to level up, the Instagram fitness industry can offer endless potential to inspire, influence, and monetize.
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