If you’ve been inspired on your fitness journey by videos of workout legends, creating your own content is a natural next step. Whether you’re an influencer promoting your brand or a personal trainer trying to grow your clientele, video content is compelling and an interactive way to pass on your knowledge. Recording a workout video with your iPhone camera has never been easier. With a few pro tips, you can create content on par with the pros you admire. Here’s a brief how-to guide.
Prepare your video
Before hitting that record button, take some time to plan your presentation. In addition to the information you want to convey, think about the visual aesthetic of the video. Choose an uncluttered space to give viewers optimal visibility of your movements. Take the following steps to build out your content.
Have a short intro
A brief introduction is your opportunity to let viewers know what they can expect and entice them to get moving with you. Let viewers know if they’ll need any special equipment or clothing. It’s also a good idea to include a disclaimer, advising people to seek medical guidance before starting a new exercise program.
Decide what you want to demonstrate
Express the purpose or goal of your workout. Can the people who watch and move along with your video become more flexible? Can they improve their cardiovascular health? Are you showing them how to sculpt their muscles?
Choose your tone and positioning
Consider who your target audience will be. Depending on their fitness level and demographic factors like age and income, they’ll have different interests. Your energy level, tone of voice and speaking style should suit your intended audience.
Practice your exercise
Before launching into the recording session, rehearse the entire routine as it will unfold on your video. Experience the workout as if you were a viewer trying it for the first time. It may even help to have a friend act as a participant, giving you feedback on whether your instructions are clear and your movements easy to follow.
Choose your time
Your local gym, with its ample space and fitting background visuals, might be the ideal spot to film your workout. However, choose your shoot time wisely. Avoid times of day when there’ll be lots of people coming and going. The movement and extra voices can disrupt your recording and diminish your audio quality.
Set your camera properly
Decide where the video will be posted. For most platforms HD (1920x1080) resolution is the bare minimum. 4K would results in files so large that they’re cumbersome to store, transfer and upload to your hosting platforms, but may be worth considering because of their sharper and more future-proof quality. Keep your camera in manual mode while filming to control the ISO, aperture and shutter speed.
Take precautions
Before you start recording, take a few precautions to prevent disruptions during filming. Ensure the batteries in your iPhone, microphone and any other devices are fully charged. Check that your device has enough storage space for the videos you’ll be creating. Set your phone to airplane mode to prevent unexpected rings or notifications.
Choose your angle
When selecting your camera angle, consider how well it can capture the movements you’ll be demonstrating. Your viewers may need to see a particular movement from different perspectives to fully understand how to do it themselves. Be prepared to record the workout multiple times from different angles, then create a single video during editing. This workout tripod features a wide range of angles, allowing you to take photos at the precise angle you want. Another important aspect to consider with your camera angle is your lighting. The light intensity shouldn’t vary too much from one camera position to another. Choose a space where the lighting isn’t too harsh or too dim. If you’re using extra lighting, bring the light source as close to you as possible.
Who is filming?
Do you have a plan for who will film the video? You could enlist a friend or hire a professional, but you don’t have to. As long as you can set up your iPhone in a place that captures your movement without being shaken or shifted, your filming session can be a one-person operation. All you need is a small, portable tripod to do the job for you! This tripod is so compact and has such a small footprint that it won't get in the way of your shooting space. So you'll be free to move around as you please. Before shooting, do some practice runs to ensure you get your composition and positioning correct. Another benefit is that this tripod is inconspicuous, unlike big traditional tripods. So it won't attract too much awkward attention.
Where will you share your video?
Consider where you want to distribute your content. If you’re creating quick videos to demonstrate a single move, TikTok or Instagram are excellent platforms. If you’re creating long-form videos with full workouts, opt for YouTube. You can promote your YouTube video on other platforms by posting short clips as teasers.
Depending on the platform you use, you’ll need to set your videos for different aspect ratios. Instagram and TikTok host videos with an aspect ratio of 9:16. For YouTube, go for a 16:9 aspect ratio. Other recommended specs for YouTube are MP4 format with a minimum 1080P FHD video resolution.
Prepare your equipment: Use a workout tripod
Whatever camera you use to record your video, you must be sure that it’s set on a firm platform like a high-quality tripod. The tripod will hold the camera stable while recording. It also enables you to keep a consistent composition when recording the same workout multiple times. The Pocket Tripod Pro is the ideal workout tripod for all your recording needs. It’s unbelievably tiny but can hold your camera steady in different positions and at an amazing range of angles for all kinds of workout activities you need to shot. It can also be used with a microphone, making it ideal if you would rather avoid doing voice-overs.
This device can be carried anywhere in your wallet, so you won't even have to remember to take it with you, allowing great flexibility in your organization and even more spontaneity whenever you feel like shooting new content!
Do you need to use a microphone?
When you’re creating video content that delivers instructions, you need optimal audio quality. The microphone on your iPhone just won’t do. Invest in a small wireless mic for iphone, which you can hide under your clothing. Try to keep a consistent tone of voice and leave periods of silence between instructions. This will give listeners time to understand and apply what you’ve said. Alternatively, you can record the video without sound and then add a voiceover during the video editing process.
Edit your video
Once you have your video footage, you can use video editing apps to clip and combine the pieces you like into a complete production. Here are some popular video editing tools recommended by other fitness content creators:
- FlexClip is an online video editing platform with templates designed specifically for workout videos.
- iMovie from Apple enables easy editing for stylized videos with titles, transitions and music. It lets you add voiceovers to your videos, which may eliminate the need to use a mic during the demonstration.
- PicPlayPost can produce slideshows, video collages and more. It’s best suited to producing short-form videos. The video editing process is your opportunity to create a consistent visual brand that communicates your unique personality.
- DaVinci Resolve is a free app and super powerful when it comes to color grading, text effects, subject tracking and transitions.
A flexible tripod with maximum stability
Whether you’re recording your fitness video at the gym, in your living room or on the beach, the workout tripod promises stability and adaptability for your iPhone camera. It offers 90 degrees of tilt angle adjustment in each direction (front and back) in landscape and 45 degrees in the portrait orientation, allowing you to produce a whole range of creative videos. Tuck it in your gym shorts pocket, gym bag or wallet so it’s always within reach.
