• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The BarBend Logo in white.

BarBend

The Online Home for Strength Sports

  • News
    • CrossFit
    • Strongman
    • Bodybuilding
    • Powerlifting
    • Weightlifting
    • HYROX
  • Reviews
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Mini-Massage Guns
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein
        • Best Vegan Protein Powders
        • Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders
        • Best Mass Gainer
        • Best Protein Bars
      • Best Pre-Workouts
        • Best Pre-Workout for Women
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Men
        • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workouts
        • Strongest Pre-Workouts
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Electrolyte Supplements
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Meal Replacements
      • Best Nitric Oxide Supplements
      • Best Fat Burners
      • Individual Supplement Reviews
    • Cardio Equipment
      • Best Treadmills
      • Best Rowing Machines
      • Best Exercise Bikes
      • Best Ellipticals
      • Best Recumbent Bikes
      • Individual Cardio Equipment Reviews
    • Strength Equipment
      • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Weight Benches
      • Best Resistance Bands
      • Best Leg Extension Machines
      • Individual Strength Equipment Reviews
    • Apparel
      • Best Weightlifting Shoes
      • Best Cross Training Shoes
      • Best Running Shoes
      • Best Gym Shorts
    • Fitness Tech
      • Best Running Apps
      • Best Fitness Trackers
      • Best Workout Apps
      • Best Smart Scales
    • Support Gear
      • Best Lifting Straps
      • Best Gym Bags
      • Best Lifting Gloves
      • Best Wrist Wraps
  • Nutrition
    • Diets
      • Carb Cycling
      • Vertical Diet
      • Reverse Dieting
      • Carnivore Diet
      • Ketogenic Diet
      • Intermittent Fasting
      • IIFYM Diet
    • Muscle Gain
      • How to Dirty Bulk
      • Go From Cutting to Bulking
      • Eat These Carbs
      • How to Eat for Muscle
    • Fat Loss
      • Macros for Fat Loss
      • Calorie Deficits
      • Natural Fat Burners
      • Cut 2 Pounds Weekly
    • Supplement Guides
      • Pre-Workout
      • Whey Protein
      • Mass Gainers
      • Greens Powders
      • Creatine
      • BCAAs
    • Daily Protein Needs
    • Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
    • Foods With Creatine
    • Bulking Tips
  • Training
    • Exercise Guides
      • Deadlift
      • Bench Press
      • Back Squat
      • Overhead Press
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Shoulder Exercises
      • Chest Exercises
      • Ab Exercises
      • Quad Exercises
      • Biceps Exercises
    • Training Guides
      • Beginner’s Guide to the Gym
      • How to Build Muscle
      • Guide to Muscle Hypertrophy
      • How to Train on a Cut
    • Workouts
      • Back Workouts
      • At-Home Workouts
      • Chest & Back Workouts
      • Full-Body Workout
      • HIIT Workouts
      • Bodybuilding Workouts
      • Farmer’s Carry Workouts
    • Programs
      • 5×5 Program
      • Bodybuilding Programs
      • Push-Up Program
      • Pull-Up Program
      • 5/3/1 Program
      • Powerbuilding Program
      • German Volume Training
      • Build Your Own Program
  • Calculators
    • Protein Intake Calculator
    • Macros Calculator
    • BMR Calculator
    • Squat Calculator
    • Calorie Calculator
  • Community Forum
Home » BodyBuilding News » Critiquing the Most Followed Fitness Influencer's Workout & Diet

Critiquing the Most Followed Fitness Influencer’s Workout & Diet

Could the touted training program incorporate heavier weights and more equipment variety?

Written by Terry Ramos
Last updated on May 28th, 2025

Australian fitness influencer and personal trainer Kayla Itsines is one of the most prominent figures in the social media fitness world. Known as the Bikini Body Guide (BBG) creator, she has amassed over 15 million Instagram followers.

In 2016, Time Magazine named Itsines one of the 30 most influential people on the internet. Her success stems from focusing on her followers and their fitness journeys, offering women workout and nutrition tips online.

Having a good time in the gym is a big deal.

—Dr. Mike Israetel

Dr. Mike Israetel of Renaissance Periodization reviewed Kayla Itsines’ training routines and dietary guidance, analyzing her workouts that utilize dumbbells, weight plates, and household equipment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkPsnrmBFXA&ab_channel=RenaissancePeriodization
JOIN THE BARBEND COMMUNITY FORUM

Looking to connect with fellow fitness lovers like you? Head to the BarBend Community Forum to ask questions, share advice, and talk all things training.

Join the Conversation

Dumbbell Shoulder Press & Bent-Over Row

Dr. Israetel praised Itsines’ dumbbell shoulder press technique in a split stance, which provides balance and stability.

Dumbbell bent-over rows primarily target the lats but engage the entire back.

Believe it or not, lats and back are not synonymous.

—Dr. Mike Israetel

Itsines’ technique involved rowing with high elbows through the concentric toward her hips. Conversely, her eccentrics allowed for a deep stretch.

Avoid a straight downward motion when performing dumbbell bent-over rows. Aim for a slightly forward angle to help maintain an upright chest by engaging the lower back. Doing so provides better stability for a deeper stretch. Keeping the chest lifted while releasing tension from the scapula at the bottom.

Dumbbell Romanian/Stiff Leg Deadlift

Itsines’ stiff leg deadlift technique is impeccable.

The stiff-legged deadlift and the Romanian deadlift are the same movement.

—Dr. Mike Israetel

An anterior pelvic tilt is recommended to better engage the hamstrings. Push the hips upward to create a pre-stretch in the hamstrings.

Plate-Only Workouts

  • Plate Clean & Press
  • Bent-Leg Jack Knife
  • Single Leg Extension

Plate Clean & Press

Performing 12 reps is excellent for cardiometabolic stimulus, hypertrophy, and strength. (1) Itsines’ movement isn’t technically a clean & press per se, but is “very economical, efficient movement,” Dr. Israetel said, recommending it for those with less time to train.

Bent-Leg Jack Knife

Bent-leg jack knives are an effective ab exercise because “bent legs tuck the hips,” which engages the abs.

Maximum force occurs during the stretch when the legs are straight; minimum force occurs at the top. The weight functions as a counterbalance, helping maintain stability.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by KAYLA ITSINES (@kayla_itsines)

Single Leg Extension

Single-leg extensions engage the obliques and abdominals. Dr. Israetel advised that including more than one ab exercise per workout is typically unnecessary.

She could have skipped both ab workouts and lost nothing on her physique.

—Dr. Mike Israetel

At-Home Chair Workouts

  • Mountain Climber
  • Elevated Glute Bridge
  • Decline Shoulder Tap 

Mountain Climber & Elevated Glute Bridge

Dr. Israetel appreciates mountain climbers’ scalability and effective cardio when warming up.

Glute bridges are fundamentally underloaded and easy for most. To make them more challenging, perform them unilaterally. For even greater resistance, load the movement.

Decline Shoulder Tap

Decline-shoulder taps are isometric and don’t offer much for the effort required. Decline push-ups from the knees are likely a better alternative.

Itsines’ Diet Tips

Dr. Israetel believes Itsines’ breakfast could incorporate more protein sources and disagrees with her stance on not counting calories; her macros are approximately 1,600 to 1,800 calories, implying that she does track to some extent. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by KAYLA ITSINES (@kayla_itsines)

Calorie tracking is effective for monitoring progress and making necessary adjustments. Helpful resources like macro or protein calculators can simplify this process.

Takeaway

Dr. Israetel praised Itsines for providing good fitness advice, suggesting her diet and exercise programs can help others achieve fitness goals. The areas for improvement include:

  • Using heavier weights
  • Training closer to failure
  • Going to a gym for better equipment
  • Utilizing a diet app for better results

More Bodybuilding Content

  • “It’s an Eyesore” — Hany Rambod Rates Nick Walker’s 2022 Mr. Olympia Physique
  • Nick Walker’s Antagonistic Upper Body Training for the 2025 Pittsburgh Pro
  • Jay Cutler Can Fix the 3 Common Squatting Mistakes You’re Making

Reference

  1. American College of Sports Medicine (2009). American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 41(3), 687–708. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181915670

Featured image: @kayla_itsines on Instagram

About Terry Ramos

As a personal trainer and writer, Terry loves changing lives through coaching and the written word. Terry has a B.S. in Kinesiology and is an American College of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer. Find out more about Terry's training services here: terrys-training.ck.page/b777772623

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Latest Reviews

Featured image for the Ironmaster Super Bench Pro V2 Review

Ironmaster Super Bench Pro V2 Review (2025): Our Expert’s New Favorite FID Bench

Titan T3 Power Rack Review

Titan T3 Power Rack Review (2025): An Expert-Approved Rig Beckoning to Budget-Minded Athletes

Our tester works out at the beach in preparation for the Rogue Resistance Bands Review

Rogue Resistance Bands Review (2025): Tested by a Certified Personal Trainer

Barbend tester Jake Herod works out on a Force USA Trainer

Force USA G3 Review (2025): Our Experts Tested This Compact All-In-One Rack for Small Home Gyms

BarBend

BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Sections

  • CrossFit
  • Strongman
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Training

More

  • BarBend Newsletter
  • BarBend Podcast
  • The Ripped Report
  • 1RM Calculator
  • BMR Calculator
  • Macros Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Squat Calculator

Policies

  • Accessibility
  • Advice Disclaimer
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimers
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2025 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap