As soon as COVID-19 hit and all of the gyms across the country closed their doors, we were forced to find alternative modes of fitness to fill the void. There were plenty of great home fitness guides to choose from, with celebrities around the world enabling us to take advantage of their free mobile apps, Youtube videos and fitness blogs.
I was one of the many people who jumped on the bandwagon, scrambling to find the best and most effective fitness app out there without having to sign up for an expensive monthly or annual subscription.
Not having much luck, I reached out to a fitness conscious friend who happily recommended Youtube and Instagram influencer, Pamela Reif, who provides hundreds of free fitness videos targeting different areas of the body through various genres of fitness. With nothing to lose, I jumped onto her Youtube channel to check her out.
Who is Pam Reif?
Pam is a 24-year-old influencer from Karlsruhe, South West Germany who has built a fitness empire through her Instagram presence and remarkably popular workout routines. With over 7.7 million followers on Instagram and 6.9 million subscribers on Youtube, Pam’s success quickly reached the ears of Forbes (yep, THE Forbes) who inducted her into their famous 30 under 30 list.
Pam’s quick ascent to fame started when she was only 16 years old, posting gym seflies and pictures of her healthy food on Instagram which quickly garnered her a massive following of loyal fans. After hitting over 500,000 followers on Instagram, Pam decided to evolve her food and fitness hobby into a fully-fledged business plan, which has since seen her attract millions of followers on both Youtube and Instagram along with over 45 million views on some of her top videos.
Off the back of her successful Youtube and Instagram presence, Pam released the fitness website ‘Pamstrong’, along with the accompanying app and has since released a recipe book and biography. She has also signed onto massive deals with hugely popular brands such as GHD.
Surprisingly, Pam is not a qualified PT, but her enviable physique has left a lasting impression on fans around the world, with millions of fitness enthusiasts and health seekers entrusting her with their home fitness regime.
The Workouts
So, I decided to follow Pam’s workout plan for a week, giving myself plenty of opportunity to feel out the new style of fitness. Pam provides week-long plans for three different levels of fitness, Beginner and 35 & 45-Minute workouts both of which are made up of ‘intense level’ exercises.
Given I wasn’t exactly new to intense levels of exercise, I decided to jump on the 35-minute workout plan which I would soon learn was a rookie mistake. The 35-minute workout plan is comprised of three exercise routines a day, each one around 10 – 15 minutes in length to stop you from overexerting yourself.
My first routine was the 10-Minute Toned Arms workout, which requires you to use two full bottles of water as weights. As I stood at the end of my mat, waiting for the inevitable onslaught of pain, the first thing I noticed about Pam, was her well-kept and composed demeanour. She smiles innocently at the camera as if she’s not about to help you discover muscles you never knew you had.
The water bottles are deceptively heavy after the first five minutes, making for great makeshift weights. The workout was tough, but just the right amount of time to increase your heart rate and get you sweating. With throbbing arms, I knew workout number two was going to be a doozey.
- Step & Box
- Step & Biceps Curl
- Step & Chest Press
- Shoulder & Chest Press
- Arm Hold & Shoulder Press
- Step & Arm Opener
- Step & Biceps Curls
- Step & Hold
- One Arm Row (both sides)
- Row & Side Left
- Push Up On Knees
- Superman & Reach Out
- Bottle Back & Forth
- One Arm Row & Triceps Push (Both sides)
- Biceps Curl & Shoulder Press
- Shoulder Press & Triceps Push
- Flappy Bird
- Hold
My second workout was the 12 Minute Happy Sweat workout, which focuses on cardio and was hands down my favourite of the three! With upbeat, catchy music playing over the video, it’s easy to get into the groove of the workout and feels much more like a dance routine than hardcore cardio fitness, however, the rush of endorphins, sweat and muscle pain definitely still reflects a high intensity workout.
- Jumping Jack
- Knee & Toe Touch
- Squat Punch
- Squat Hold & Arms
- Reach Up & Put Down
- Plank & Toe Touch
- Lift It Up Plank
- Up & Down Plank
- Reach Out & Cross Touch
- Ab Hold
- Sitting Kicks
- Half Squat & Box
- Half Squat Hold & Arms
- Jumping Jack & Burpee
- Arm Circles
- Squat Hold & Kung Fu
- Ampelmann Jump
- Mountain Climber
- Plank & Pike
- Plank Jacks
The third and final workout for the day was the 8 Minute Six Pack workout. If you are keen to feel the full wrath of Pam’s ab strength, this is the workout for you. This routine helped me to rediscover my dormant abs and truly represented just how much core body strength this tiny blonde fitness influencer is actually packing. For days following the routine, my entire body was crying out for magnesium to ease the ache in my tired muscles… I guess that’s how I knew it had been worth it!
- Crunch & Knee Lift
- Jack Knife
- Knife Variation
- Flutter Kicks
- Heel Touches
- Elbow Plank
- Bear Hold & Walks
- Elbow to Elbow
- Cross Crunch
- Reverse Crunch
- Ab Hold
- Plank
The verdict
Pam’s workouts are deceptively difficult. Although she’s not a qualified PT, her routines hit all of the right spots and provide you with an encouraging burn throughout different areas of your body while you’re working out.
Pam does not speak during her workouts, which you will either love or hate dependent on whether you require more thorough direction or motivation. Personally, jamming out to her workout music while trying to perfect each move is preferable to a chatty or overzealous trainer.
The work outs are not for the fainthearted, so if you’re new to home workouts, start with Pam’s beginner workout plan and work your way up! All in all, I loved them. They were fun, exciting and exceptionally tiring which is exactly what want from a decent work out; so, if you’re looking for a new home workout guru, Pam’s your woman!
