Far-right wellness influencers of X

This paper examines the emerging convergence between wellness and reactionary ideologies on X. Concretely, it identifies how a subculture of bodybuilding enthusiasts—self-identified as the "barbarian right"—increasingly adopts extremist political stances while maintaining intense focus on holistic nutrition and physical fitness. By combining social network analysis with critical discourse analysis, this research tracks how far-right influencers and publishing platforms systematically integrate reactionary ideologies into health and fitness discourses. Specifically, the analysis focuses on three dimensions: (1) the rightward radicalization of online bodybuilders through targeted influencer engagement, (2) the strategic role of publishing platforms styled after 1940s adventure magazines in facilitating ideological transmission, and (3) the platform mechanisms on X that vehiculate these connections. The findings reveal how metapolitical actors within this ecosystem transform legitimate health concerns into vehicles for white nationalist and eco-fascist ideologies. This case study demonstrates how the contemporary hybrid media system enables the reframing of personal vitality discourses to promote violent national renewal narratives, contributing to our understanding of how reactionary infrastructures operate within digital spaces to achieve cultural hegemony.