The Mayo Brothers, John and Brad, are Canada-based Instagram trainers who infuse their calisthenics with good old Canadian humor.
I interviewed the two for Organic Spa magazine. They were naturally affable as their online personas suggest.
And for each video of them performing challenging exercise sequences or gleefully jumping into a hole they made from a frozen lake nearby, they are succeeding.
Their Instagram page, which has amassed a 13,000-strong following within six months of its creation, was originally meant to hold the two accountable in their own fitness goals. “[I wasn’t into it because] it was one more social media platform that I didn’t really care about,” remembers John, “the better-looking brother.” He was convinced by Brad (the one who is “better at calisthenics and pretty much everything else”) to fully commit themselves into it.
The channel grew after they found an audience that appreciated their minimalist approach to fitness—as well as their brand of feel-good vibes. “It’s about educating people about various forms of movement like gymnastics, calisthenics, and bodyweight training,” says John. “But you can’t take yourself or life too seriously. We are being ourselves; which means light-hearted, pale, and goofy.”