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Victor Self has been a superstar trainer for more than 25 years. "I began working out at the gym when I was a junior in high school and instantly fell in love with training, and how it made me feel and look," he tells us. "When I entered freshmen year of college, I began teaching aerobics, and the rest is history."
After graduating from the University of Virginia, Self continued to pursue his passion by teaching and training full-time. He briefly left the industry to work in financial services as a broker for a few years, but lucky for us, he hated sitting behind a desk and returned to his true calling five years later.
![[8/18, 11am] LA's Hottest Trainer 2015 Contestant #13: Victor Self, Flywheel Sports](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ny5k0EtIJd4oQYeorKxZcSWqSGY=/0x0:4890x3493/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:4890x3493):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3958118/IMG_6085.0.jpg)
These days, Self is a master instructor and West Coast creative director at Flywheel Sports, where he teaches his many loyal students how to "sweat with gratitude" and "get comfortable being uncomfortable." He decided to focus solely on indoor cycling in 2012 because "it's what resonates with my body," he explains. "Also, I truly believe that it's the best full body workout around. I love every single pedal stroke!"
Word to the wise when working out with Self: come with well-pampered hands. "I'm obsessed with manicures and pedicures," he reveals. "Hands are the first thing I look at when I meet people! Unkempt hands and feet make me cringe."