Shaun T is one of the most relatable fitness trainers of our time. As someone who gained a significant amount of weight and then lost it, he found that working out was more than just a way for him to get physically healthy. It was also his outlet for getting in shape mentally as well. Now, the exercise series guru is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of his signature workout, Focus T25.
"It was this fun, youthful way of leading people through fitness. It was incredible," Shaun T says about the success of his brand. "I still, from the core of who I am, never really looked at weight loss as the biggest success in fitness. I've always felt like if you just move your body, you will mentally feel better. Many people don't know this, but I was once on depression meds, and fitness was that thing for me, that made me get out of that cycle of not feeling good about myself. Now, here we are more than ten years later."
"I've always felt like if you just move your body, you will mentally feel better."
Shaun T
After finding the key to success in the fitness industry, he's now taking a more intentional approach on ensuring his fans and clients are tapping into how they feel mentally. With such alarming statistics within Black and Brown communities relating to mental wellness, the workout star not only implements tips into his workouts, but he also hosts a weekly podcast, "Trust and Believe," that takes the conversations ever further.
"It's more than fitness, it's a wellness approach. In the new T25 Delta, I have a new way of getting people to connect with their body while accepting where they are in the moment, and leaving everything else where it is," he continues. "Enhancing and prolonging your life, is the most important part, to me. Fitness is a vessel for me. The minute I see people moving and taking that step to bettering themselves, it leaves this insane feeling in my soul. That's the evolution of me, if you will."
"We can change or bodies, but our minds have to change along with it. In fact, our minds should change first."
Shaun T
"I don't congratulate people on their weight loss, I ask them how do they feel. That is my first question because oftentimes shedding the weight is one thing, but you didn't shed the baggage in your life, too. We can change or bodies, but our minds have to change along with it. In fact, our minds should change first," he adds. "If you simultaneously work on your mental health, for me, I go to therapy, if you work on that along the way you begin to love yourself and that new body becomes secondary. That is the best way to go about it. And, if you need some extra motivation, I try to get people to simply trust and believe in my weekly podcast."
Living by the mantra, accept your life as it is, or accept your responsibility to change it, he urges people to simply take the leap to better themselves.
Below, Shaun T shares a snippet of one of his newest, hard-hitting T25 workouts for us to try at-home or on our own in the gym.
T25 Full Body Workout
"Turn on your favorite hype playlist, grab a mat, some water, a sweat towel, and two dumbbells (something moderately heavy), and let's dig deeper," he says.
Repeat the entire workout (not including the warm-up) 3 to 5 times. Choose dumbbells that challenge you to the point of failure at the end of each set, recommends the fitness guru. Take breaks as needed. Don’t forget to engage your core, breathe and drink plenty of water.
Warm-up
Do 3 sets of the following exercises at 30 seconds each
- Jumping jacks
- Shuffle in place, reverse lunge right, reverse lunge left
- High plank to downward facing dog
Lower Focus
Do 3 sets of the following exercises at 30 seconds each
- Slow and controlled squats holding one heavy dumbbell at your chest
- Alternating reverse lunges, holding one heavy dumbbell at your chest
- Single squat to calf raise (holding one heavy dumbbell at your chest)
Upper Focus
Do 3 sets of the following exercises at 30 seconds each
- Alternating front shoulder raise
- Wide bicep curl
- Wide bicep curl to overhead press
Dynamic Core
Do 3 sets of the following exercises at 30 seconds each
- Standing straight leg kick, alternating right and left (using your core to crunch as you reach for the toes)
- Low elbow plank, alternating reach right and left arm to the front of your room
- Burpee (no push-up) stand, front kick right and left
Burnout
Do 3 sets of the following exercises at 30 seconds each
- Single squat to calf raise (holding one heavy dumbbell at your chest)
- Wide bicep curl to overhead press
- Burpee (no push-up) stand, front kick right and left
