Israel’s newfangled crop of celebrity trainers

Growing up in New York, I've sprinted next to Victoria Beckham at Barry's Bootcamp, lifted weights a few feet from actress Katie Holmes, and nearly kicked former pro athlete Sean Avery in the face when he was behind me in a Tracy Anderson mat class. In all cases, the celebrities in question made clear efforts to be as inconspicuous as possible. Fast forward to today, I live in Tel Aviv and the only reason I know anything about Israeli pop culture is because of my workouts. Local Israeli celebrities loooove to draw attention to themselves, meaning that every time someone starts dancing in the middle of a class, yelling that they're unhappy with the music, or shows up excitedly jumping 15 minutes after the workout has begun, I come to find out they're on a local TV show or a model. The hunger for attention is great news for plebeians looking to shed calories and melt away fat next to some of the country's most recognizable faces. Whether you're looking for an intense HITT session, a flexibility-boosting yoga one, or you just want to do your own thing at the gym, we've rounded up the Israeli workout spots celebrities love. Liky's When supermodel Sara Sampaio came to Tel Aviv, she came to Liky's. Ditto for supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid's sister, designer Alana Hadid. Gal Gadot is another fan. And there are plenty of great reasons why. Owned and run by Liky Rozenberg, who oversees almost all of the classes, the gorgeous studio is located in the Tel Aviv Namal (Port). Each class maxes out at around 15 people, but there are two trainers per class, meaning you can feel comfortable no matter how in shape – or not – you are that someone will be there to give you attention. The challenging HITT workout, popular with both men and women (including pregnant ones!), combines short runs with TRX, body weight, kettlebell, and dumbbell exercises. Tel Aviv Port, likys.co.il Tomer Tenzer While Liky Rozenberg has a reputation for being welcoming and affable, Tomer Tenzer has a reputation for being somewhat rude and standoff-ish, but that's exactly what his army of devoted female followers love. Yes, female. He does not train men, which will certainly sadden a large crop of them, given that washboard abs and a svelte physique seem to be a prerequisite to working out at his studio alongside the likes of supermodel Bar Refaeli. Hayarkon 262, Tel Aviv, instagram.com/tomertenzer_studio Nati Avidan Nati Avidan runs two personal training studios – one in Tel Aviv and one in Netanya – where you're near guaranteed to run in to local models or personalities as you zip in or out. Among his clients are Israeli actresses/personalities Rotem Sela, Bar Zomer, Yael Shelbia, and Romi Frenkel, all of whom love his vibrant personality as much as his challenging workout, which, depending on the client, can involve anything from Pilates, dance or yoga, to cardio and traditional weight training. Avidan is also known to train a solid crop of male celebrities, including Israeli singing sensation Omer Adam and a slew of current and former athletes, including football players from Israel's national team. If one-on-one training isn't in your budget the celebrity trainer just recently opened his first group exercise spot on Einstein Street in Ramat Aviv where, in addition to working out, you can get beauty services courtesy of Mimi Luzon, as well as nutrition and physiotherapy consultations. Studio locations in Tel Aviv, Ramat Aviv and Netanya, nati-avidan.com Pe'er Gym On any given day, you might see Israeli actor Yehuda Levi chatting up the trainers, like Tal Cohen, at Pe'er while his small dog runs around freely dodging weights. Or you might see Israeli celebrity chef Omer Miller from Susu and Sons burning off calories, or the Amazing Race's Ron Shahar lifting weights. While it's a relatively no-frills gym, it's popular among the glitterati and in addition to the bi-level open gym space, they have three workout studios with classes throughout the day. Further, while it's a traditional gym, you don't need to be a member to go, as there are daily, weekly and monthly pass options. Yisha'ayahu St 1, Tel Aviv, kolnoapeer.co.il Pink Room The aptly named Pink Room is, in fact, pink all the way down to the dangling TRX straps. You won't see many men partaking in the challenging HITT class, but you will see plenty of models and Israeli beauty queens. Plus, founder Ira Dolfin is a celebrity in her own right; a regular on red carpets, she recently appeared on Survivor VIP. Studio locations in Tel Aviv and Ramat Aviv, pinkroom.co.il Zuza Training Wondering where Israeli Instagram sensation, model and Bananhot co-founder Neta Alchimister – who basically lives in bikinis – gets her enviable curves and flat stomach? Peep her social media feed and you'll see she's committed to working out. When she's not exercising on her own at hotel gyms around the world, she's in Israel doing treadmill runs, planks, weight training, and kettlebell work with Eran Hagag, who leads personal training sessions at Zuza Training. Rishon LeZion, instagram.com/zuza_training

Israel’s newfangled crop of celebrity trainers

Now you, too, can work out with Bar Refaeli and Gal Gadot – or at the very least, with their trainers.

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Israel’s newfangled crop of celebrity trainers

Now you, too, can work out with Bar Refaeli and Gal Gadot – or at the very least, with their trainers.

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