Every so often, a fitness trend comes along that everyone talks about. Right now, that’s Chloe Ting.
The fitness influencer has seen her workouts go viral and boasts more than 19 million subscribers on YouTube. According to Google’s 2020 trends roundup, her no-equipment workouts were the most searched for in the UK after only Joe Wicks.
Here’s everything you need to know about Chloe Ting, her Two Weeks Shred Challenge – and how writer Liz Connor, who enjoys high-intensity fitness, got on when she put it to the test.
Who is Chloe Ting?
Ting is an Australian YouTuber and fitness influencer who has gained huge popularity in recent months thanks to TikTok. It’s little wonder really, as the app is where most viral trends now start, from the Dalgona coffee to the Savage dance.
Fitness vlogger Ting has been posting her workout videos online since 2011, but TikTok users sent her ‘Chloe Ting Challenge’ viral on the platform by sharing videos of their impressive results.
Ting has posted loads of different challenges on her website, but the one that’s most famous on TikTok is her ‘Two Weeks Shred Challenge’.
Many users have praised the sweat-inducing regime for sculpting their physique during quarantine, while gyms were closed. Notably, people have claimed that the #ChloeTingChallenge has helped them achieve a defined stomach in just a fortnight.
What is the Two Weeks Shred Challenge?
During the 14-day challenge, there are usually between two to four workout videos to do per day, all of them hosted on YouTube. Users can break the videos up and complete them across the day, but Ting says it’s worth just getting it all done in one session if you’re able.
The overall time of the workouts per day ranges from 25-50 minutes, and of the 14 days, two are scheduled rest days. Some days also include optional videos if you fancy an extra challenge.
Ting has posted the full ‘Two Weeks Shred’ schedule on her website so it’s really easy to follow along with the plan.
What’s it like?
People online have commented about how tough Ting’s workouts are and, as someone who enjoys high-intensity fitness, I was keen to put her challenge to the test.
Just finished day 1 of chloe ting challenge literally dying
— Mia's girlfrend ana's best friend (@amaryllishope23) January 12, 2020
The workouts themselves are a mixture of cardio and strength training, using just your bodyweight as resistance, so you don’t need to spend loads of money on expensive fitness gear to take part. I really rate that Ting’s workouts are free and accessible to everyone; all you really need is space to move and a workout mat if you’re on hard floors.
One of the first videos in the programme is a 10-minute abs workout, which sounds like it should be relatively easy, but the moves are in supersets so there’s little rest, which really burns my midsection in a short space of time.
The 30-minute full body workout videos give me a bit more breathing space. Super difficult exercises like plank jacks and burpees are followed by less intense ones like high knees and star jumps, so I don’t feel overwhelmed. However, there are only 10 seconds of rest between exercises, so my heart rate is constantly in the fat-burning zone.
I like that the videos are split up into smaller chunks than a full 50-minute class, so I can easily fit them into my working day. Some of the videos are repeated on several different days though, meaning it can get a bit samey.
The verdict
Overall, I got a really decent sweat on while doing the challenge and I’d really recommend taking a short break between each workout video, as I found it nearly impossible to do three back-to-back.
There’s no denying that each video is beautifully shot, and I liked that there was a progress bar at the top of the screen so you could see how much of the workout you had completed.
I also liked that some of Ting’s more intense workouts offered a low impact alternative for people prone to injury (also handy if you have neighbours you don’t want to annoy).
As someone who works out to feel strong, I found some of the language on Ting’s channel a bit reductive – like ‘flat stomach challenge’ and ‘slim thigh challenge’. No matter how much I work out, I realise I’ll never be able to achieve her natural hourglass physique, but I worry other young women might not know this.
However, these workouts are free, really effective – and a nice way of having two weeks of fitness training planned out for you.
