The average attention span of millennials is 12 seconds. Apparently. In retrospect, therefore, it should have been a huge risk to build a brand around a whopping 15-second Instagram clip of a bloke throwing ingredients into a pan followed by the immortal line: lean in fifteen.
But the gamble paid off, and The Body Coach, aka Joe Wicks, now has a fully fledged empire comprising of cook books, newspaper columns, TV appearances, personal training and, of course*, a YouTube Channel: The Body Coach TV.
The Body Coach TV channel comprises plenty of HIIT and tabata style workouts, occasionally utilising light dumbbells / kettlebells, plus vignettes of Joe cooking with celeb mates. The action takes place in Joe’s studio, home and increasingly bizarre and exotic locations including Niagra Falls, atop London’s O2 arena and Necker Island.
But first, we need to talk about Joe. Specifically, his voice. Like a buff version of Russell Brand desperately trying to hail a cab, it takes some getting used to. Yelling a list of ingredients then screaming “LEAN IN FIFTEEN” in a 15 second video on Instagram is one thing. Sustaining a 30 minute workout video is another matter entirely. Remember this isn’t Yoga with Adriene, so just smash through the aural pain barrier and reap the rewards later on.
Many video workouts are 15 minutes in duration, giving you a short blast. The HIIT sessions often use a simple format of 4-5 exercises, repeated in a loop a few times to make up the workout. Earlier videos lack variety so it is a welcome relief that the Body Coach expanded his repertoire over time, adding spice to his body of work.
Indeed, the ideas fairy has been working overtime recently at Body Coach TV. Take the following examples:
Kids workout
Fun workouts with the kids during summer holidays. Child #1 was entertained for 15 minutes – just the right length before the lure of Paw Patrol proved too great.
Baby workout
Before you ask, this is not about coaching your 6 month old to become the next Evian baby. Joe is joined by postnatal exercise expert Vern Hill of CARiFiT and does a workout with his newborn baby in a sling. Nice and gentle, but as anyone who has carried an infant in a sling knows, it doesn’t take much to break a sweat with a little nipper strapped to your front.
Beat The Body Coach
A series of videos where you do lots and lots and lots of reps. Burpees, kettlebell swings, squats, press-ups. Fun times.
Fitness Schools Week
A laudable attempt to get the lazy, Xbox obsessed school children of the UK on their feet and moving around. At least that was the subtext that floated into Mr Stingy’s head as this video auto-played. In all seriousness, hats-off to the Body Coach for his efforts.
Meditation
One of Joe Wicks’ minions (“Support Hero”) guides us through some meditation. An excellent example of delegation.
*well done for making it beyond this point. Your attention span is in the top 2% of the population.