Fitness Heroes 2015

You often mention your grandmother a source of fitness inspiration. Why's that?

My grandmother raised me for about seven years and I watched her pretty much kill herself with cigarettes and diet soda. She died in her early 60s, and she could've taken her health into her own hands and lived longer.

Clients call you the Smoothie King. How'd you earn that title?

I started a Facebook group called “We Dig Green,” that started with me just posting smoothies and getting people into the movement. I absolutely love smoothies, I have one every morning and sometimes twice a day. The movement is centered around eating healthy and drinking healthy.

Favorites

gym/fitness activity

Definitely burpees. They're a full-body exercise and they never get any easier!

healthy snack

Blueberry banana chocolate smoothie

unhealthy snack

French fries

fitness motto

“If you stay ready, you ain't gotta get ready.” — Will Smith

cool down activity

I love massages. I go to a massage therapist every two weeks or so. It's time to myself with somebody totally pampering me. I can fall asleep and listen to my own music. I get to listen to some Coltrane uninterrupted.

Client Love

“He's created a fitness company like no other. I've worked out with people where it's really disconnected, but with him, it's a personal feel — a lot of love and support, it's like a family. Not only does he have a heart of gold, he somehow encouraged all of us to care about each other, too. What he's created is something so unique and different.”

- Arlene Knowles, 45, Elkridge

What makes your approach or technique successful?

I really show people that I care. I've been where they are, so I'm not sitting high atop a mountain and shouting down at people. Everybody has a story, so it's about getting to know where they come from.

People say you have the best boot camp music. What's on your playlist?

It ranges from hip-hop to pop. Jay Z makes the list a lot, Maroon 5, Red Hot Chili Peppers, some Michael Jackson and Rick James. My love for music translates through the list. I change it daily.