Joel Bushby: The Fitness Coach Who Went Viral for Dancing

Some fitness coaches get famous for their abs. Others for their monstrous deadlifts. Joel Bushby got famous for his dancing, which, let’s be honest, takes a completely different kind of courage. The Australian online fitness coach, bodybuilder, and social media personality, born on April 28, 1983, is also the founder of The Natural Transformer (TNT) transformation system. He built a massive global following sharing functional training, lifestyle advice, and family-focused fitness content. And then, of course, there are the dance videos.

Who is Joel Bushby?

Joel Bushby is an Australian fitness coach, bodybuilder, and entrepreneur who founded The Natural Transformer (TNT) transformation system in 2008. In fact, he rose to fame on Instagram and TikTok with workout routines, nutrition advice, and viral family fitness videos, and he now coaches clients around the world. The man stands 5’11” (180 cm) and competes around 205 to 215 lbs (88.5 to 93 kg). There is, in other words, a lot of man to dance.

The comeback story: expelled, in debt, and done being doubted

Joel’s road to the top was not paved with protein shakes and perfect report cards. Although he was an avid sportsman, school was a daily battle. He was dyslexic, hyperactive, and had an extremely short attention span. He repeated a year, got expelled from two different high schools, and heard more than once that he would never amount to anything.

Then he made the decision that terrified everyone around him: he left a perfectly secure job to chase his fitness dream. In 2008 he launched his coaching business. The first year was brutal. With a mortgage, loans, living costs, and no clients, his debt passed $100,000. Friends and family begged him to go back to real work. Still, Joel, as stubborn as a barnacle, kept going.

After years of struggle, the business finally turned around. He paid off the debt, found a new confidence, and started stacking competition results: 5th at the 2011 Queensland novice titles, 4th at the Universe titles, podium finishes through 2012 and 2013, and then, in 2014, first place in INBA bodybuilding and first in the fitness model category. Not bad for the kid who was told he would never amount to anything.

How Joel Bushby trains: push, pull, and a morning walk

Joel’s training philosophy is refreshingly practical. First, every day starts with a 45-minute walk in nature. He says it is just like breathing to him, and that it charges his batteries for the day ahead. Then it is off to the weights for a push-pull program five days a week, hitting up to four muscle groups per session. High intensity, high focus, no messing around.

A sample push day

• Leg press, 4 sets of 10
• Dumbbell chest press, 4 sets of 10
• Standing barbell shoulder press, 4 sets of 15
• Cable flys, 4 sets of 12
• Triceps dips, 4 sets of 15

A sample pull day

• Deadlifts, 4 sets of 10
• Pull-ups, 4 sets of 10
• Bent-over rows, 4 sets of 15
• Reverse cable flys, 4 sets of 12
• Barbell biceps curls, 4 sets of 15

Finally, on the last day, Joel hits his calves and abs, plus whatever else is still sore, which, according to him, is basically everything. He says he loves it. We believe him. Mostly.

What’s on Joel Bushby’s plate?

Joel keeps his nutrition simple and organic. He buys most of his groceries at the farmers market and jokes that if he ever went to a supermarket, he would stick to the perimeter and never touch the aisles. Protein comes from lean red meat, eggs, chicken, and fish. Meanwhile, healthy fats come from avocados, coconut oil, and nuts. For carbs, he sticks to fruit, brown rice, sweet potatoes, and oats. Plus a serious amount of water.

His supplement list, meanwhile, is short and sensible: vitamins, fish oil, protein powder, and greens powder.

The real reason Joel Bushby went viral: the dancing

But here is the part the trophy cabinet does not explain. The thing that made Joel Bushby properly famous, the thing that made the internet sit up and pay attention, was his dancing. Gloriously, unapologetically hot dancing.

First the muscles got him noticed. Then the moves made him a star. Toss in viral family workouts, including training sessions with his mother, and you have a recipe the algorithm cannot resist. After all, there is something about a shredded 5’11” Australian busting out dance moves that people simply will not scroll past.

What we can learn from Joel Bushby

Joel’s own words sum it up better than we ever could: “Be grateful and appreciate all that you’ve got right now. Remember, the luckiest person in the room is always the hardest worker.”

He is also funny about the online life: “The best part about running online companies is I can run them anywhere as long as I bring my laptop. The worst part is I can’t go anywhere without my laptop.”

In the end, the lesson from Joel Bushby is simple: believe in yourself, work hard, and maybe learn a few dance moves. They might just change your life.

Quick facts about Joel Bushby

• Born: April 28, 1983
• Nationality: Australian
• Height: 5’11” (180 cm)
• Competing weight: 205 to 215 lbs (88.5 to 93 kg)
• Profession: fitness model, transformation coach, entrepreneur
• Brand: The Natural Transformer (TNT), founded in 2008
• Best result: 1st place in INBA bodybuilding and fitness model, 2014

Follow Joel Bushby

You can find Joel Bushby on Instagram at @joelbushby, where the workouts and the dancing live side by side. Meanwhile, for a deeper look at his competition history and physique, check out his profile on Greatest Physiques. While you are here, browse more stories in our Daily Buzz section, or meet another fitness-minded star in the tale of the MMA fighter who turned trash day into the hottest show in Montreal.