A fitness influencer has hit back at critics who accused her of showing off and acting inappropriately after replacing traditional gym sessions with sexy workouts on the beach.
The comments were made by Emelly Souza, 25, from Salvador city, in the state of Bahia, Brazil, and were released in February 2026.
Emelly said she made the decision to abandon traditional gym training and instead exercise on the beaches of Salvador, swapping air-conditioned rooms and machines for sand, sun and heat in a bid to build greater physical resistance.
She said the move quickly turned her into a target on social media, where critics accused her of training in an “inappropriate” place and claimed beach workouts were pointless and only about showing off.
Emelly said: “They said the beach wasn’t a place to train, but that’s where I truly felt my body working.”
According to the influencer, the criticism was relentless, with comments questioning the effectiveness of her workouts and suggesting she was stepping outside what was considered acceptable or serious fitness training.
Despite the backlash, Emelly said her body responded differently and more intensely to the change, describing the beach environment as far more demanding than a gym.
She said: “At the beach, there are no machines helping you. It’s your body against soft sand, wind and heat. That’s where I felt my resistance increase.”
She said training outdoors also transformed her relationship with exercise, removing mirrors, air conditioning and equipment and forcing her to focus on breathing, rhythm and physical limits.
Emelly said the experience proved that there is more than one way to train and that changing environments can push the body in unexpected ways.
She added that while she does not intend to abandon the gym entirely, outdoor workouts can be a powerful alternative, especially during the summer.
She said: “There isn’t just one way to train. Sometimes changing the environment makes the body respond in a completely different way.”
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below. Story By: Aloysius Fernandes, Sub-Editor: Simona Kitanovska, Agency: Newsflash
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