Chloe working out, ideally featuring a key cardio technique in the video

Research, sketching and ideation

Background development

Photo retouching - remove black spots, slightly enhance the clarity of the image

Photoshop

– Subject cutout & photo compositing

– Color grading & background cleanup

– Smart object scaling for quality retention

– Exporting

ChatGPT + YouTube

– Idea refinement & headline testing

– Visual storytelling research from trending thumbnails

Twitter & Discord

– More inspiration

– Style references from creators in the fitness niche

I wanted it clean, motivating, and high-energy. The goal was to communicate intensity without feeling intimidating, and “CARDIO HIIT” felt like the most commanding caaption to build around.

I chose a pastel indoor setting with natural light to keep things fresh and approachable. The window and plant in the background added calm. Then I positioned the subject mid-exercise, in a reverse plank pose, visually strong and dynamic, showing both core engagement and control. The all-white outfit helped her pop against the soft background and didn’t compete with the typography.

For fonts, I went with extra-bold, all-caps for “CARDIO” to make it immediately readable and dominant. I paired that with “HIIT” in a lighter weight and tighter kerning to add structure without taking away focus. I chose the pink shade to convey feminine energy while still feeling modern and friendly.

I aligned the text and subject carefully, placing the text around her without overlapping her head or legs too much. This made sure the composition could be easily understood and still be beautiful to look at. Once I was happy with the balance and clarity of the message, I exported it in 1280x720 and saved layered PSDs for any future edits.

A pose showing lower back

Research, sketching and ideation

Background development

Photo retouch to enhance lighting

Photoshop

– Subject cutout & photo compositing

– Color grading & background cleanup

– Smart object scaling for quality retention

– Exporting

ChatGPT + YouTube

– Idea refinement & headline testing

– Visual storytelling research from trending thumbnails

Twitter & Discord

– More inspiration

– Style references from creators in the fitness niche

I wanted this thumbnail to feel calm, confident, and clear. The goal was to promote flexibility and mobility in a way that felt beginner-friendly and visually inviting. “Flexible LOWER BACK” was the focus, so I built everything around those words.

I used the same indoor pastel setting as the previous thumbnail to keep a consistent visual tone across the channel. The soft background and natural light helped keep the focus on the subject without overwhelming the viewer. I positioned her facing slightly away from the camera, showing off her back to support the topic.

For the text, I chose bold, white all-caps for “LOWER BACK” to make it instantly legible. I added a soft drop shadow to make the letters stand out against the neutral wall. “Flexible” was tucked into a green box in sentence case, which gave it a gentle but noticeable presence. The green also connected with the subject’s outfit and tied the color palette together.

I added “15 MINUTES” on the side to set clear expectations, and rotated it vertically so it wouldn’t steal attention from the main message. The green bar balanced the layout and framed the composition nicely.

Once everything felt balanced and easy to read at a glance, I exported the design at 1280x720 and kept a fully layered version in case I needed to reuse the layout or tweak any elements later.

One pose or more showing a workout or a pose that highlights HIIT cardio results

Research, sketching and ideation

Background development

Photo retouch to enhance lighting

Photoshop

– Subject cutout & photo compositing

– Color grading & background cleanup

– Smart object scaling for quality retention

– Exporting

ChatGPT + YouTube

– Idea refinement & headline testing

– Visual storytelling research from trending thumbnails

Twitter & Discord

– More inspiration

– Style references from creators in the fitness niche

The goal was to communicate intensity right away through layout, color, and motion. “HIIT CARDIO” was one of my top captions, and I started by choosing a bold yellow that immediately draws the eye and conveys urgency.

I knew I wanted multiple poses to highlight different stages of the workout. I created a split layout with three shots: a standing pose showing Chloe's cardio transformation, a mid-step shot to show movement, and a floor pose to show variation and full-body engagement. I arranged them using vertical and horizontal divisions to make each section feel structured.

I placed the subject on the left looking straight into the lens. That made the thumbnail feel direct and personal. I used the other two images to break symmetry and inject motion. One shot captures a knee raise, which adds momentum, and the other shows core strength with a reverse plank. That contrast helped build visual interest and hinted at workout variety.

For typography, I kept it all-caps and bold, with thick black shadows to punch through the background. I tilted “HIIT” slightly to make it feel like it was in motion. “INTENSE” sat above it in a smaller yellow box with dark blue text for extra emphasis. That little label helped reinforce the difficulty level without taking over the design.

I made sure the lines separating the image sections were clean and intentional. Once everything felt balanced, high-impact, and clear even at smaller sizes, I exported it at 1280x720 and saved layered PSD files for reuse or adjustments later.

One pose or more showing a backhand flick

Research, sketching and ideation

Background development

Photo retouch to enhance lighting

Photoshop

– Subject cutout & photo compositing

– Color grading & background cleanup

– Smart object scaling for quality retention

– Exporting

ChatGPT + YouTube

– Idea refinement & headline testing

– Visual storytelling research from trending thumbnails

Twitter & Discord

– More inspiration

– Style references from creators in the fitness niche

I wanted the viewer to instantly feel like they were missing out on a game-changing tip. That urgency shaped everything from the title choice to how I positioned the subject and motion cues. The phrase “YOU NEED TO LEARN THIS” felt like a strong hook, so I made it bold and stacked, using white and yellow to create contrast and make it stand out on the blue court background.

The shot of the player was key. I picked a frame where he was in motion, mid-action, paddle raised, eyes focused. It added intensity without needing exaggeration. I positioned him on the right side to let the eye naturally follow his line of sight across the frame. I liked how his posture hinted at anticipation and readiness, so I leaned into that.

To emphasize the technique being taught, I added a big curved red arrow that flows from his paddle arm across the net. It helped guide attention and gave a sense of motion, like the ball was being flicked in a specific arc. That visual storytelling made the viewer feel like something precise and important was happening.

I circled the player’s wrist with a red ring to zoom in on the small detail, the flick, what the video is teaching. That little addition helped drive curiosity without needing extra text.

For the background, I kept the court vibrant and saturated. The clear sky and vivid green field added energy but didn’t distract from the subject.