Fitness Trainer Superfans May Have Found the Best Way to Vacation

It's 8:45 a.m. as people trickle in for a yoga class in a chapel overlooking the ocean. It's one of the most beautiful views imaginable, the kind of view that begs for a horizontal position on a lounge chair. But I, like the other attendees, didn't come just for the beach. We came for the opportunity to do an upward dog with Karena Dawn, co-founder of Tone It Up.

For some, going on a beach vacation is an opportunity to check out from responsibilities, but for a growing number of people, their well-earned time off is being spent on a scheduled itinerary that includes boat pose before brunch. Wellness tourism is on the rise, with many hotels offering a slate of workout programming. Some properties are leveling it up by partnering with celebrity trainers whose fans will travel thousands of miles to work out with them.

This was the case for Dawn's wellness series at the Four Seasons Resort Oahu, which is essentially a pop-up at a larger resort. Dawn is no stranger to having her fitness followers rack up frequent flyer miles to see her. Before the pandemic, she led multiple-day retreats with hundreds of attendees, and even headlined workouts at major events like Popsugar Play/Ground.

"It's beyond fitness. It's about connecting and realizing that we're in this together," Dawn says. "And it's easier to get that when it's a more intimate experience." Because she teaches her classes online through the Tone It Up app, Dawn looks forward to the face time with her subscribers — especially at a resort like Four Seasons Oahu, where the stakes, for her, are lower. When Dawn has organized her own retreats, "that's six months or more of planning" for her team to set up eight hours of programming for each day. Whereas coming to a resort, "you're like a piece of the puzzle as opposed to the whole thing," she says. In addition to classes with Dawn, guests can enjoy the other amenities of the beachfront resort, including a spa, tennis courts, and sound baths.

Working out in person with a trainer you've followed for years can feel like seeing a celebrity. If there's a trainer that oozes A-list rizz, it's Akin Akman, co-founder of AARMY, an elite sports training online platform with a studio in New York City. At his recent pop-up at The American Club in Kohler, WI, I spotted him at the hotel cafe before his workout. His black outfit was a juxtaposition in a sea of pastel-colored polos.

Akman went on to command his workout stage looking like a fourth member of the Jonas Brothers; attendees swarmed him for a post-workout selfie like he was, indeed, a music icon. I overheard one woman say she'd travelled from Portland for his pop-up. Another attendee greeted him by saying she'd participated in a previous event he led in Chicago with 7,000 attendees and was excited about the opportunity to meet him this go-around.

While these destination workouts might seem over the top, attendees often find it transformative to spend time with a trainer who is pivotal in their life. As Akman points out, "I get messages afterward saying how [my class] has changed people's lives." That's part of the design. Both Akman and Dawn told me that their goal for these pop-ups is to make an impact. Akman, for example, goes into each class thinking, "How am I going to be so intentional with what I say and how I'm doing it that you take something from that 45 minutes and change your life?" In an age of constant distraction, I commend his commitment to getting people to care about their fitness.

The workouts these trainers create are just as much about mind as body. As Akman explains, "I think movement is just a vehicle you can use to unlock someone's mind." There are endless fitness trainers, but "not everyone can pull out someone's greatness, make them feel something, and get them to go harder than they've ever gone before," he continues.

As I watched attendees of Akman's class move through a relentless series of plyometric exercises, I saw the collective striving for greatness. I even tried my hand at a few plyo-burpee variations (which I'd sworn off a few years ago). His workout was more intense than anything I've done in the last year (and I do a lot of classes while overseeing PS Fit videos.) Akman leans into the "performance aspect of what I'm doing on stage to show possibilities." This wasn't your everyday workout; it was like the five-course tasting menu that you only eat on vacation.

The rise in popularity of fitness-centered trips has led to more hotels and destinations offering this type of programming. If you have decision fatigue, traveling for a specific wellness pop-up can be a motivating way to finally pull the trigger on taking a trip. A solo traveler may find a trip centered around a trainer allows them to find a strong community while traveling. There's also the opportunity to visit somewhere that might not have otherwise been on your bucket list. Living in Los Angeles, Wisconsin wasn't a destination I dreamed of going, but after experiencing it, I'd love to go back. Whatever your reasons, you may return home feeling a little sore and a lot more motivated.

Genevieve Farrell Roston (she/her) is an award-winning filmmaker and the director of video at PS. She oversees the Webby-nominated PS Fit video series, which makes fitness fun and accessible. She has more than 10 years of experience in the entertainment industry. A certified personal trainer, she loves running, Pilates, and rest days. As a mom of two, she is an avid reviewer of children's gear and products.