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How BodyByMark Built a Massive Social Following by Asking People About Their Workout Routines
A boffo brand born of curiosity
As a fitness trainer with more than 20 years of experience, Mark Langowski is well aware of what his clients do to stay fit. But he has always been curious about how other jacked people get in such good shape. So, a couple of years ago, he began asking the physically fit for their workout tips and tricks when he spotted them on the streets of NYC. He filmed the resulting conversations and posted them on social.
As it turns out, lots of people are interested in free advice on gym routines and protein powders. Today, Langowski’s BodyByMark Instagram account has 1.7 million followers, while his TikTok account has amassed an audience of over 600,000.
“I didn’t start doing these interviews with the mindset that I wanted to gain millions of followers and go viral,” says Langowski, who runs an in-home wellness company with clients from coast to coast. He also designs, builds and operates fitness centers in offices and residences throughout New York. “I thought it would make for an interesting video concept, and then I just kept doing it.”
Here, Langowski, who also does interviews in Los Angeles, Miami and elsewhere, talks about why he doesn’t actually appear on camera and what viewers learn from his interviews. He also shares his dream brand collab.
MUSE: Did it take some time for you to get good at talking to people, or is that a skill you had already developed as a fitness trainer?
I am a shy introvert, actually. And if you were to go back and see my first video, I am so nervous that I’m holding the camera basically pointed at their waist, and my voice is cracking. What makes my videos different is that I simply approach the person with the camera rolling and don’t ask for their permission before recording. I want to capture their true reaction when I tell them they are fit. Sometimes that goes well, and sometimes it doesn’t. But that’s my style and I’m sticking to it.
Why do you stay off camera?
The first reason is that I am interested in what others do—I can create a new star every day. I was sick of how social media had turned into one giant “look at me! look at me!” in the fitness industry. And it felt narcissistic to constantly be posting photos of my abs or my workouts. And the reality is that people get sick of seeing the same person over and over. The nice thing about my page is that you’re seeing someone new every time. Also, it’s nice that people don’t know what I look like, so I can approach them without them knowing it’s me. This gets their true reaction. The other nice thing is that I can walk around in complete anonymity if I want to. Or, I can wear a BodyByMark shirt, and some people will stop me and ask if I’m him. So, it’s nice to be able to turn that on and off.
Even though we don’t see you, you give off good vibes.
It has always been my intention to bring out the best in people and never critique what they do or make fun of them. Even though the comments can get pretty nasty on social media, I feel like my page is one of the more positive pages online.
What do you want viewers to get out of your interviews?
I want viewers to realize that there is no single best path to achieving fitness goals. There is no one size fits all, and people can relate to the different body types that I feature and can try applying some of the things they learn.
Tell me about someone you interviewed recently who inspired or impressed you.
I recently interviewed an Amazon driver who went viral, and I was surprised by a number of things. Not only his personality, but more so that he had never seen my page, so I knew he wasn’t acting for the camera. Those are always the best—the ones that are being their true selves.
Have you worked with brands? And do you have any dream brand collaborations?
During my first year of doing the videos, which was only two years ago, I turned down about 300 ads and collaborations because I didn’t want to be known as another influencer who takes any money that is thrown their way. I turned down a lot of money. But it paid off once I finally started doing ads and collaborations because it improved my overall value. I only do ads with brands that I truly stand behind. I would like to do an ad with Nike. So, if you’re reading this, Nike, send me a DM. Regarding collaborations with celebrities or athletes, I genuinely prefer running into everyday people. I turned down about 5 to 10 celebrity requests per week that just simply want PR.
What sets you apart from other fitness creators and influencers?
My page is not about me. It is about others, and most influencers can’t set their ego aside to turn the camera on someone else. I feel that this is what will give my brand staying power over the next few decades. Even some of my favorite people that I follow online—I get sick of them after I’ve seen the 30th post of them flexing or posing on their yacht. I always preferred the variety box of cereal, and I feel that my page gives people a new bowl of cereal every time they watch.
Where does your brand go from here?
Even though I love doing the interviews, I am really focused now on building my fitness operations division of my company and scaling that to eventually be managing hundreds of large office building and condo building fitness centers that are branded BodyByMark. It allows me to take my 20 plus years of experience in the fitness industry [and combine that] with my passion for design and meticulous operational skill. I want to also continue doing the interviews and expand into podcast interviews with experts in the field and other interesting people.
(The biggest night in sports marketing is almost here. Celebrate this year’s creative champions at the 2025 Clio Sports Awards, hosted by ESPN’s Katie Feeney. Tickets available now.)
