Meet Daniela Celi of Fuego Fitness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniela Celi.

Daniela, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My story starts in the sunny state of Florida with my parents, both of whom moved to the U.S. from Venezuela as young adults, and my three siblings. I remember waking up every morning to the smell of delicious flavors, accompanied by the loud, lively music blaring throughout the house. My dad has always been a huge fan of sports and was the one who introduced me to tennis at the age of three. At that time, the tennis net was twice my height and the racquet was too heavy for me to carry in one hand. Before I knew it, I was training four days per week and spending most weekends competing in tournaments.

As a result of the long hours on the tennis court and training sessions, I was fortunate enough to earn a scholarship to play at the collegiate level in New York City. Being a college athlete taught me how to train at a whole new level both on and off the court. I became obsessed with the benefits of exercise and how it correlated with my physical performance.

Living in New York, I was given the opportunity to work as a tennis instructor at some of the most prestigious country clubs in the U.S. This is where I discovered my passion for helping others perform to the best of their abilities and reach their full potential. My tennis clients started asking me to help them improve their physical fitness so they could become better tennis players. The more I trained them, the more I realized how satisfying and fulfilling it was to see both the physical and emotional results in each of them. This is when I knew I had to make this more than a side-hustle.

I toyed with the idea of pursuing a career in fitness for a long time before I worked up the courage to give it a real shot. I packed my bags and moved to California with a plan and a dream. I knew that moving to LA, although far from my family and friends, was the step I needed to take.

I received an extensive education through the National Academy of Sports Medicine while teaching tennis to pay the bills and ultimately earned both my Personal and Group Training Certifications. Shortly thereafter, I landed jobs as a group trainer at several gyms and built a client base both in personal training and tennis. Everything was going great! I had a fantastic routine, jumping from the gym to the tennis court….and then COVID-19 happened.

With a competitive tennis player mentality and my “you better believe I’ll figure it out” attitude, I knew I had to make a plan to adjust to this new normal. I took to Instagram Live, taught live workouts on Zoom, offered FaceTime sessions to my personal clients, and tried to keep not only my but their spirits up. Unfortunately, some of the gyms had to make the tough decision of letting a lot of us go and while it stung a little at first, more than anything, it lit a fire in me to create something of my own. As S. Baker wonderfully puts it, ‘Don’t wait for opportunity. Create it.”

Immediately and without question, I reached out to an amazing friend and fellow instructor, Luis Cervantes who has the same fierceness and motivation as me. I asked him if he wanted to figure out how to navigate this new virtual world together, and so Fuego Fitness was born!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
As a fitness instructor living in Los Angeles, the mecca of celebrity trainers and a booming fitness industry, I’ve often struggled by comparing myself to them and falling into a trap of self-doubt. Despite this, I always keep my chin up, remember my purpose, and trust in everything that got me to this point. I stay true, honest, and real with myself and everyone who comes to me for help. What you see is what you get, and I wear that confidently and proudly on my sleeve.

Fuego Fitness has had its own set of challenges as starting a new business is probably the most terrifying thing I’ve ever pursued, but I can’t think of a better partner to have by my side than Luis. We work long, hard hours, but we hold each other accountable, we inspire each other, and we laugh A LOT in the process. Any bystander that heard us in a meeting might think we were just goofing off, but it’s those enjoyable moments that keep us coming back. To us, it’s about loving and appreciating every part of it, even the brutally time-consuming work, even the challenges, and especially the learning process.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Fuego Fitness – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
As a Personal Trainer, I specialize in making my clients have a positive relationship with movement and with their bodies. Whatever their goals may be, whether it’s a change in body composition or a lifestyle change, my ultimate focus is on building their body in a way that allows them to function at their optimal level. My goal is to promote a mindset wherein they feel strong, capable, and confident in their bodies and minds, and for their relationship with fitness to be empowering, energizing, and nourishing.

As a Tennis Instructor, similarly, my goal is to make everyone that steps onto the court fall in love with the game as well as the technique, strategies and intricacies that make it so special. Every person that comes to me for lessons has a different story and reason for being there, but regardless of their skill level or reason, I want that hour to be their favorite time of the week.

And then of course, our new baby, Fuego Fitness. By offering strength, cardio, and dance cardio classes for all levels, we’ve built an incredible community, our Fuego Fam. Our clients join us virtually from the US, Germany, Venezuela, Canada, and more to sweat out daily stresses and move to upbeat music amidst this uncertain time. We’ve created a safe and inclusive space where anyone, regardless of fitness experience, is able to move, laugh, and dance.

At Fuego Fitness, we are committed to educating our community through functional training exercises and form-focused personal attention so that they can take the best care of their body. For us, it’s all about making sure each and every member feels like the best possible version of themselves.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
2020 has without a doubt brought its challenges and setbacks, but it has also put many entrepreneurs to the test. This year has forced me to stand on my own two feet by working for myself, and it has taught me to trust myself, my abilities, and how to make tough decisions. The way I see it, my journey as a fitness instructor is just getting started because I’ve now opened the dreaded door with the sign that reads, “Beware of potential failure… road less traveled!” and it turns out that it’s not so scary.

Luis and I plan on continuing to expand our Fuego Fitness brand and incorporate both of our personal training backgrounds, strength & high-intensity interval training, dance cardio, tennis, and yoga. As of now, we will continue teaching group virtual classes and hope to eventually bring the fuego live and in person!

Contact Info:

• Website: Fuego-Fitness.com
• Phone: 4076872461
• Email: [email protected], [email protected]
• Instagram: @deeceli, @fuegofitnessla

Image Credit:
Madeline Rosenthal, Michael Frazier

Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.