Step It Up

Philip Wheaton is the founder of Xtreme Hip Hop with Phil. His goal is to change how people view fitness, one energetic step at a time.

Wheaton is proof that it’s possible to make a living doing what you love. Before turning to a career in fitness, he worked in a factory. It was a good job, but he wasn’t happy. So one day, he decided to take a chance: “I clocked out at lunch and never looked back,” he told Your Hot Job.

In 2013, Wheaton opened a gym in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. At first, he offered traditional step classes, even though he wasn’t a fan. “The music was boring,” he explains. “I didn’t feel the energy.” Then something clicked. While at home doing chores, he heard a song that reminded him of dancing with friends when he was younger. “I thought, ‘Maybe I can tie this kind of music with step and it would get people’s attention,’” he says.

Wheaton tested it out, and just as he’d hoped, the workout was a hit. His social-media videos went viral, and his classes started filling up fast. Soon, Wheaton was getting offers from big companies that wanted to buy his program. That’s when he knew he had something special. He turned down the offers and decided to do it all on his own. He named the program Xtreme Hip Hop, and began traveling around the country on weekends to teach. In 2019, he launched an instructor certification program. Today, Wheaton says, there are more than 4,000 certified Xtreme Hip Hop instructors around the world, including kids as young as 10.

Wheaton is the founder of Xtreme Hip Hop with Phil.

COURTESY XTREME HIP HOP WITH PHIL

Follow along on Wheaton’s day as a fitness instructor.

Rise and Sweat

Wheaton starts his day early. He wakes up and gets ready, then grabs a protein shake and heads to his gym. The first thing he does is his personal workout. At 10:00, he leads a class called Xtreme Sculpt: Think yoga mats, weights, and a heated room. “You’re sweating as soon as you walk in,” Wheaton laughs. At 11:00, he eats lunch before teaching Xtreme Hip Hop at noon.

Afternoon Hustle

At 1:00, Wheaton records segments for his next round of virtual streaming classes, called Ultimate Burn Challenge. Then it’s time to pick up his son from elementary school. Sometimes, the two of them go home to tackle homework. Or they go back to the gym together. On the day Your Hot Job spoke with him, Wheaton was at the gym so he could say hello to kids who take a free boxing class. After class, he gave them each a high five.

Evening Energy

By 5:00 p.m., Wheaton’s back at it, working out again, then teaching a 7:00 p.m. Xtreme Hip Hop class. After class, he records more online content for Ultimate Burn Challenge, responds to messages, and schedules social-media posts. When he’s really busy, his days can stretch to midnight or later. 

“I know it seems like I work 10 days a week, but this is what keeps me going,” says Wheaton, who’s struggled with his mental health. “Working out saved my life.” That’s why he encourages people to leave their stress at the gym: “When I say, ‘Don’t stop, don’t quit, don’t give up,’ I mean it.” 

For Wheaton, it’s important to know the names of everyone who works out at his gym so he can cheer them along on their fitness journeys. “You never know what people are dealing with when they come to take your class,” he says. “I want them to keep coming back, keep working out.” 

If you’re interested in a fitness career, Wheaton has simple advice: “You have to love working out, and you have to love helping others. They go hand in hand.” He also reminds young people to step away from screens and “find joy in moving their bodies.”