Former Broadway dancer-turned-celebrity fitness trainer Isaac Boots was working with big-name clients including Jessica Chastain, Naomi Watts, Kelly Ripa, Vanessa Hudgens, and Lisa Rinna when COVID struck.
Boots first offered his 28-minute Torch'd class in March 2020 on Instagram Live. Around 100 people joined but it was a comment at the end caught his attention: "Thank you, from Guatemala."
"The WORLD had just shut down, and I was like 'Oh, this is interesting. I'll try this tomorrow,'" he said.
The next day over 500 people clicked in. Including Boots' longtime celebrity clients. What had been a fitness routine available only to Boots' personal training clients became open to anyone — and people flocked to the opportunity.
Trainer Isaac Boots, back to camera, keeps his exercise class in motion for 28 minutes non-stop during his famous workout July 21 on the lawn of the Wequassett Resort & Golf Club in Harwich. He has two classes remaining on Cape: Friday and Saturday.
Now that the pandemic's isolation rules have lifted, Boots is bringing Torch'D out into the world, including Cape Cod. He has been teaching at Wequassett Resort and Golf Club since mid-July and has two classes remaining. They are 8:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday at the Harwich resort, open to both guests and the public. Admission is $50 for non-resort guests and $30 for guests.
For tickets and more information click here.
"I just had to say thank you, I've been stalking you for like three years on Instagram and I finally took your class I am so excited, I just had to tell you," said Diana Tynan, one of the many participants who expressed her gratitude to Boots as a longtime follower.
Several participants said they have attended every class.
"We're coming back tomorrow," said Alana Amaral. "We were like 28 minutes, whatever, and then we're like looking at each other like 'What is happening?'"
"It was really hard," said her daughter Ava Amaral.
Isaac Boots calls on the stamina and charisma he developed working in Broadway musicals to lead his exercise class at the Wequassett Resort & Golf Club in Harwich.
Boots was a Broadway dancer for 12 years and was in the production of "Mamma Mia!", "Hair" and "West Side Story." The endurance and charisma he employed for that career serves him well as he is relentlessly encouraging to students in his Torch'D workout.
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Boots created this workout 10 years ago when on the set of "West Side Story" at the Palace Theatre. Having no idea of what Torch'd would become, it was solely meant for him.
"I think that's the reason I'm so passionate about it, the reason it's organic, the reason that it doesn't feel like work to me because even if I wasn't sharing it with others, I would be doing it myself because the proof is in the pudding, it works," he said.
At Wequassett one recent Friday morning, a sea of prepared yoga mats overlooked the stunning view of Pleasant Bay while the vibrant Boots breathed life into every move he made. With an invitation to take his class, I was up for the challenge — and that's exactly what it was.
Torch'd is a high-energy and rigorous workout that intertwines cardio, dancing and body weight resistance. Not only does this burn fat and build stamina, Boots said, it also strengthens your mental health.
In all honesty, when it comes to consistently working out I'm the on-again, off-again type. As painful as it was to hold that position or plank it was exceptionally liberating because of Boots. His endless encouragement, lively and engaging persona was all the motivation we needed to feel the burn and build that stamina.
For a year and a half, Boots taught his class for free. Instead of having people pay him, Boots said, he accepted donations and raised over $1 million in five months for the "No Kid Hungry" organization.
"Isaac has raised $1.2 million to support 'No Kid Hungry' and we're so grateful for the support," said "No Kid Hungry" media contact Allison deBrauwere.
Boots' following grew rapidly: Over 10,000 people now join his Instagram live class. Boots has a subscriber option on his Instagram account. For $9.99 a month you'll have access to a variety of his workouts ― including ones as short as 10 minutes.
"It created a community around the world, that during a very scary time, people had something to look forward to, had something to do that's productive, not only for yourself but for kids who needed it and we left COVID with our bottoms looking amazing too, so it was a win-win," said Boots.
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Find Torch'D founder Isaac Boots on Cape Cod for three more classes
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