The Early Days of Fitness Influencing
In the early 2010s, the rise of fitness influencers began quietly on platforms like YouTube and Instagram. As smartphones and social media exploded, so did the ability to document progress, share workouts, and build community around movement. The term “fitness influencer” conjured up visions of abs, ring lights, and supplement codes. It was aspirational, but also distant. Carefully curated feeds, not real connection. But what started as aesthetic inspiration has evolved into something much deeper.
From Curation to Real Life Impact
In the past few years, there’s been a cultural pivot away from performance for the algorithm and toward performance in real life. Cold plunges have replaced cocktails. Run clubs have replaced bar crawls. People are turning vacations into endurance challenges and beach bootcamps, not just photo ops. And wellness — real, grounded wellness — has taken center stage.
In that landscape, fitness influencers have evolved too.
Redefining What it Means to Influence
At its core, influencing is about having a real impact on someone’s well-being. Not because you posted the perfect caption, but because you shifted their mindset. Not because your feed is pretty, but because your life is powerful. That’s the kind of influence that sticks.
Why Rick Migliarese Represents the Best of This Shift
That’s why we’re proud — but not surprised — that our co-founder Rick Migliarese is a finalist for Philadelphia Magazine’s “Fitness Influencer of the Year” Award. If you told him that ten years ago, he probably would’ve laughed. Not because he doesn’t believe in impact, but because he’s never been in it for the spotlight.
Rick has trained his entire life in Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, built Balance Studios (widely regarded as one of the best in the world) with his brother, Phil, and quietly helped shape some of the toughest athletes this city has ever produced. He lives in Philly, works in Philly, and loves this city so much we practically have to beg him to leave it for an event. (We’ve tried. It’s not easy.)
What Influence Looks Like in Action
Rick doesn’t just teach. He lifts others up. Walk into one of his Tatsu Tea + Techniques seminars and you’ll see it immediately: the way he integrates life-saving skills into moments that feel light, funny, disarming. One minute he’s talking about the weather, the next you’re deep into a lesson on escaping an attacker’s grip — and you feel your confidence growing with every word.
That’s what influence looks like when it’s done right. Quiet. Expert. Disguised as a casual moment.
Even on social media, his approach is unique. His @animalblackbelt accounts on Instagram and TikTok are treasure troves of elite-level BJJ knowledge, but they’re never showy. They’re useful. Smart. Full of humility and humor. And through his “Technique Tuesday” series on @tatsutea, Rick brings these same lessons to the broader public — often staged inside local Philly businesses to shine a light on the people building this city from the ground up. Learn to stop a cookie thief at Taylor Chip. Practice situational awareness at Main Squeeze. Rick’s influence is never just about him. It’s about using his platform to pull others up.
That generosity runs deep. From his students to his neighbors to his fellow business owners, Rick genuinely wants others to succeed. He’s constantly teaching, constantly mentoring, constantly making sure the people around him are better off than they were five minutes ago. That’s not a strategy. That’s just who he is.
So when we say Rick is a fitness influencer, we don’t mean he plays the part. We mean he defines it. Not because of likes or follows, but because of the lives he touches. Influence, when it really comes down to it, is about creating real change in real people. And Rick’s been doing that his entire life.
