Review of The Fit Show

Based in California and sponsored by BodyBuilding.com, the Chapman Media Group has been creating annual 15-episode seasons of The Fit Show since 2003.

While the online show was its first project and still remains one of its few forays into original webcasting, the primary focus of Travis Chapman’s production company is corporate content, like advertising, promotional DVDs, internet marketing, and product placement.

The series has become one of the most watched and appreciated of its ilk, filling a niche spot in sports coverage with scarce competition and an untapped audience of devoted fans.

Spanning over four seasons, the well-produced episodes of The Fit Show run from 10 to 20 minutes and feature event coverage, fitness routines, and interviews with bodybuilding giants.

Big-name competitors like Mr. Universe James Lewis and trainers like Milos Sarcev get the star treatment, telling viewers about the ins and outs of fitness tournaments and what it takes to stay in award-winning shape.

From the response on The Fit Show’s forums, the specialized routines that appear on the show get a lot of attention from amateur and pro viewers alike (Sarcev’s workouts in particular are discussed in detail). The series has several hosts and interviewers, including Hannah, Kim, and Jerome, among others, who are obviously knowledgeable about bodybuilding.

The Sarcev workouts get so much attention from fans that he appears in the show’s first DVD release from the series “Secrets of the Pros,” and for good reason. Check out Episode 47, where Milos and his willing troupe of muscular overachievers perform their leader’s “Hardcore Leg Workout” that’s exhausting just to watch.

Personally, I’m a fan of the episode where Tournament of Champions winner Gina Aliotti shows us the glutes and hamstrings routine that somehow elongated her body for the 2006 competition, which seems scientifically impossible, but what do I know?