There’s no doubt that 2012 is going to be a great year. Thus far, we’ve survived the Mayan Calendar prediction, but what’s next to be excited about? This elite top 40 list, duh. Seriously, the people on this list are changing the way that fitness is done. They care about helping people get better results in less time, and make themselves accessible to the public to share their kind message. Without further adieu, let’s start with number 1:
1. Tim Ferriss
Body hacking? Ya, that’s a synonym for “Tim Ferriss”. His blog is read by millions, he’s a best selling author, and he’s not afraid to experiment on his body. Ever heard of The 4-Hour Body? That’s Tim. In 2012, his new book, appropriately titled, The 4-Hour Chef: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life promises to change the way we cook, eat, and learn. Get ready 2012.
2. Dr. John Berardi, Nate Green, Krista Scott-Dixon, and the whole Precision Nutrition team
The premise of PN is: life-changing, research-driven nutrition coaching for everyone. Judging by talking to former coaching clients, and current PN coaches, I would have to agree. These guys know their stuff. PN promises to breakout and expand this year, offering $75,000 in prizes to clients…and we all thought that having a hot body was good enough? BONUS!
3. AKA “The Man Behind the TRX Suspension Trainer”. Over the past few years, Randy has grown awareness for the TRX Suspension Trainer to a magnitude he probably couldn’t have ever imagined. Here’s the scary thing: he’s only getting started. Lookout this year as the TRX takes over a gym near you.
4. TC Luoma, Chris Shugart, and T-Nation
When it comes to quality content, the guys at T-Nation always deliver. They deserve this number 4 spot because they are always an impact. Whether it’s the average person, or the elite trainer, their site helps people build a stronger, healthier, massive body. Respect.
5. What do you get when you mix an elite fitness trainer and a wicked Scottish accent? A wicked Scottish fitness trainer named, Alwyn. Owner and operator of one of the highest grossing fitness businesses in America (and one that actual gets their clients’ results), AC is your go-to fitness guy. Add in the titles: Best Selling Author, Business Mentor, and Taekwondo master, and you have a sure spot at number 5.
6. One of the top trainers in America? Check. One of the top training facilities in America? Check. New strength coach for the Boston Red Sox? Check. Coach Boyle has a huge history of changing his mind. This is a good thing. He’s always striving to be the best coach he can be. Keep your eye on the Red Sox in 2012. Things to look for: less injuries, faster players, and more home runs in the later innings.
7. You may know him from Men’s Health, Turbulence Training, or Kettlebell Workouts. Whatever Craig puts on the market, it’s gold, and it sells like gold. Starting in 2002, Craig revolutionized the fitness market showing people that they can get a kick-ass workout in under 45 minutes. Judging by his picture, or by the thousands of client testimonials: they work.
Finally, someone who is funny as hell, but gets their clients results. Roman trains everybody from lawyers to “strippers who danced for the lawyers.” All kidding aside, 2012 marks the year of the Roman Empire Expansion. Are you ready, bru?
9. Joe Dowdell
Founder and CEO of the largest one-on-one fitness facility in New York, Joe is one of the coolest fitness experts in the biz. He’s trained elite athletes including the Vitor Shaolin Mixed Martial Arts Team and Olympian Tim Morehouse, and has written in pretty much every important fitness magazine. My prediction is that if you flip through a fitness magazine in 2012, you will find Joe somewhere.
10. Rachel Cosgrove
Breaking in at number 10, Rachel is the first girl on the list. Where’s Jillian Michaels? She didn’t make the list. Sorry. When it comes to female fitness, Mrs. Cosgrove is your girl. She gets her female clients results without injuring them. Enough said. Watch out for her new book in 2012. It could change your life.
11. Dan John
Dan John is the man. There’s no other way to put it. Dan is the only fitness professional in the world who will write an article that both the average person and other fitness professionals can read, understand, and relate to. His simplification of the weight room is from his wisdom in the trenches. With the release of his new book, Easy Strength, Coach Dan John will change the way we get our clients stronger in 2012.
12. Eric Cressey
Eric is the “baseball guy” and the “shoulder guy”. No one can compete with him. Eric has changed the way that we look at mobility, and is making us stronger because of it. Last year, he released an awesome article series on rising MLB star, Tim Collins. When you put on some serious mass onto a future All-Star pitcher, you get noticed. Whatever Eric does in 2012 will be gold.
13. Jason Ferruggia
Want to build tons of muscle, get stronger, in 2-3 workouts per week? JF is your guy. Operating one of the top training facilities in New Jersey – all from the comfort of California – Jay is already planning on dominating 2012. Add in the fact that he upgraded his website, and is looking to start up another training facility, Jay will be a superstar.
14. Gray Cook
Over the past decade, Gray has truly changed the way that we look at movement, assess movement, and improve movement quality (that’s a lot of movement). Gray’s next move will be to completely dominate movement assessments of professional athletes and everyday clients. Will 2012 be his year?
15. Vince Del Monte
When Vince released No Nonsense Muscle Building, his plan was to dominate Clickbank.com in the muscle building category. It took him 6 months. Since then, Vince has become a superstar. He models, has released tons of quality fitness products, and is just an overall good guy. Everybody could benefit from listening to what Vince has to say.
16. Martin Berkhan
If you haven’t heard of him, it’s because you’re probably still eating every 3 hours. Martin has helped thousands of people get ripped and lean by skipping breakfast, training fasted, and only eating 2-3 times per day. His website is beautifully crafted with quality research and field tested methods.
17. Mike Roussell
In his recent study, Mike crushed the theory that red meat is not a viable option when trying to lose fat. Every year, he betters himself, and provides social proof that he is emerging as one of the leading nutritionists in the industry. Need proof? Check out his new book, The 6 Pillars of Nutrition – A Simple Diet Solution for Permanent Weight Loss, Better Health, and a Longer Life.
18. Mike Robertson
Want to get strong as hell, decrease joint pain, all in the fastest way possible? Enter Mike Robertson. Through his expertise, Mike is helping people alleviate knee pain and back pain all over the globe. His facility – located in Indianapolis – is the perfect place for sports performance. Hopefully the GM of the Colts is reading this (hint, hint).
19. Bret Contreras
HE’S THE FOUNDER OF THE HIP THRUST! Ya, that’s right. He is the reason that your girlfriend will have a nice ass in 2012. Bret is continually trying to do things better, and improve himself. This past year, Bret has been studying with fitness professionals in New Zealand, and has released an awesome published study. I imagine that this year will top last year with ease.
20. Ben Bruno
Ben has the strongest lower body out of anyone I’ve ever seen. If you’ve seen any of his Youtube videos, you know what I’m talking about. This past year, Ben’s blog has exploded, and he’s been pumping out awesome articles left, right, and center. If 2011 has any indications of what’s to come, then I seriously think that we are going to be blown away.
21. Pavel is the “Modern King of Kettlebells”. Everything this man says is gold. Some people brush off what he has to say, later to realize that he was right all along. Pavel has experience, dedication, and knowledge that we all wish we could have. His new book, Easy Strength (written with Dan John), is an instant classic and will be one of the best fitness books read in 2012.
22. Neghar Fonooni and Girls Gone Strong
This group of girls is showing females everywhere that it’s important to lift weights in order to get the body that they want. No boring cardio, no Tracy Anderson, just good old fashioned iron. Girls Gone Strong is such a motivational and results driven group that they will do something fantastic this year – making men all over the globe happier.
23. Smitty is one of the most innovative guys I’ve ever seen. He thinks of the coolest fitness ideas on the planet. Who else does pullups with softballs, integrates mobility drills into a complex, and gets people bigger, stronger, and healthier? No one but Smitty. Add in the release of his new DVD with Joe Defranco (Extreme), and you have a winning man in 2012.
24. Tony Gentilcore
Tony is Eric Cressey’s wingman at Cressey Performance. I strongly believe that without Tony G, CP would be missing their top Strength Coach. He’s the master of the deadlift, and probably one of the funniest fitness guys around. “Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work” should be everyone’s reading staple this year.
25. Dave Tate
Dave is living proof that there is hope left for good nutrition in the sport of powerlifting. Since working with John Berardi, Tate has leaned out and become an icon to bodybuilders and powerlifters alike. He operates one of the most badass sites on the web – one which gets better and better each year. This year is no exception.
26. Coach Dos is the Strength Coach for College of the Canyons, a TRX guru, and a guy who will teach you how to get super lean, super fast with Cardio Strength Training. He’s also been featured in Men’s Health. Watch out for him this year – he’s going to popularize the new TRX Rip Trainer within his cardio strength circuits.
27. Joe Defranco
Joe revolutionized the strength and conditioning world when he perfected the Westside methods for getting athletes bigger, stronger, and faster. With the release of his DVD, Power last year, and Extreme (both with Smitty) this year, Joe will be showing the world how to get more powerful and athletic than ever before.
28. Nick Tumminello
Nick has been featured in pretty much every important fitness magazine in North America. He specializes in training athletes in combat sports, and fatloss clients. 2012 will be the year of the 7-4-7 Fatloss Rep Scheme. You wait and see…
29. Jonathan Goodman
When Jon started the Personal Trainer Development Center, “No more than 20 people were viewing the page each day and 10 of the views were by [himself]” (Goodman). Since then, the site has grown to the 560 thousandth most viewed site in the whole world. This year, it will continue to grow and change the way that Personal Trainers learn…forever.
30. Patrick Ward
Three words: One…smart…dude. Patrick has numerous certifications (good ones too), and can make any client move better, reduce pain, feel better, get stronger, gain endurance, [insert goal ANY goal here], etc. If Patrick releases a product this year, it will be huge.
31. Geoff Girvitz
Owner and operator of Bang Fitness in Toronto, Canada, Geoff is a fitness genius. One conversation with him will blow your mind, make you laugh, and make you want to be as smart as him (one day). Geoff recently upsurged his internet writing, which makes this man’s knowledge bombs more accessible than ever before.
32. Jim Wendler
As the author of 5/3/1, Jim is helping coaches and clients all over the globe get stronger…way stronger. With the release of the second edition of 5/3/1, Jim’s strength strategy will solidify itself as a classic this year.
33. Jamie Lewis
Jamie is the most vulgar, scientific, entertaining fitness writer you could ever read. His lifting philosophy is super interesting, and backed up by social proof and excellent science. Jamie lifts huge amounts of weight, and has some of the biggest traps I’ve ever seen. He recently released his first book (hopefully of many), Issuance of Insanity. You have to read it.
34. Flavia Del Monte
Nurse turned fitness professional, Flavia promises to help girls everywhere get leaner, healthier, and sexier by strength training and eating more. Flavia has gained huge popularity in 2011, and this momentum will continue to bring her to the top in 2012. Girls, get ready to get sexy.
35. Mike Mahler
Mike Mahler is the king of hormone optimization, a kettlebell guru, and a master of positive thinking. He has released numerous DVD’s and ebooks, and provides quality content to his readers and viewers via his website, his products, and awesome workshops. This year, whatever Mike releases will be of high quality content and worth every cent.
36. Dr. Mark Cheng
Dr. Cheng is the “Get-Up God”. Mark is a movement specialist, and teaches trainers, coaches, and other fitness professionals how to get their clients moving more efficiently – specifically with the use of kettlebells. With the release of his new DVD, Applied Combat Kettlebells For Maximum Martial Power, Mark will help combat athletes everywhere to excel in their sport.
37. Craig Liebenson
The DNS king. Craig is so smart that he will indirectly affect every single person on this list this year; whether they are aware of it or not. Craig’s books and DVD’s have some of the most priceless content on the net.
38. Jen Grasso
Jen is Jason Ferruggia’s other half. Without even trying, she is flawlessly helping girls get leaner and sexier while performing fun and intense workouts. She is notorious for posting her workouts, and favourite recipes online, inspiring girls to lift weights and eat organic.
39. Shon Grosse
With his published case studies, Shon is helping fitness professionals, physiotherapists, and athletic therapists everywhere to get their clients better, sooner. In 2011, Shon got his name out there. In 2012, Shon will be a huge success. Remember: you heard it here first.
40. Jason Maxwell
(You didn’t think that I would leave myself out of this list, did you?) Just making the cut, Jason Maxwell will greatly impact the fitness world in 2012. Launching his site in August, JMaxFitness.com has grown rapidly in popularity. Whether it’s because Jason is so good looking, or because he makes you laugh, there’s a reason why you’re reading this page. Get ready 2012…life is about to get a bit more interesting.
Who would you rank in the top 10? Know someone that you think should have been added to this list? Leave a comment below. I’d love to know.
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