Hidden Gems: Meet Jandar Ry of Journey II Fit

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jandar Ry.

Hi Jandar, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My journey with fitness and health did not start until I got into college. Like many teenagers, I was unsure of which path I wanted to take. Although I did not know what I wanted to do, I knew helping people was my calling. I decided Exercise Science was the direction that was fitting for me. After graduating from Cal State University of Long Beach, I landed my first job as a recreational site coordinator in the City of Pasadena, working with after school programs to help create fitness curriculums for inner city kids. I fell in love with it right away.

While working as a recreational site coordinator, I was also personal training my friends at the community park back in Long Beach. I started recording videos and posting pictures of my training on social media and that’s when I started to get a lot of referrals about my service and began to grow my clientele.

After a year of working both jobs, I decided it was time to choose which career path I wanted to do for the rest of my life. It was a tough decision leaving a job that provided security and benefits to creating my own opportunity and starting an actual business.

I found a local gym around Long Beach and trained there as an individual contractor. For over five years, my clientele outgrew the gym. My best friend, Ti Phan and now business partner decided that it was time to open our own. We encountered so many obstacles while looking for a location. Without any history of operating a business and the fact that we were young, more than 20 locations denied us a spot. We almost gave up until one of our good friends mentioned a place in the City of Lakewood. After visiting, we knew in our hearts that this was the place we needed to get no matter what.

The owner of the plaza saw our passion for fitness when we explained our business plan and gave us a chance. Fast-forward, we now have over 500 members attending and entering our 6th years. We have made a permanent impact in our community. Our mission for Journey II Fit is to continue to help people with their health all while creating a positive environment for all fitness levels. I am thankful to have the opportunity to help change the lives of many and to share my passion for fitness and health.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of the many challenges that I had to overcome during the last five years is losing both of my parents. Being a leader for our gym, I had to make sure I show up and be strong for everyone. Although it was hard, I knew deep down inside my parents would want me to keep going and follow my dreams.

My Dad passed away right before the Covid-19 pandemic happened. With my own personal challenges, our gym also had to switch gears due to businesses having to shut down for five weeks. Like many business owners, none of us were prepared for it. Our team decided to take our training online. We created challenges and zoom classes for our members to mimic the exact experience they would have had inside our gym. It was hard at first, but with the support from our members and community, we had over 20 attendees each time the classes were held.

It was a rough time during the shutdown but it forced our team to become more creative on how we can positively impact their lives from the comfort of their homes.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Journey II Fit?
We get it. Fitness isn’t always fun. Gyms can be intimidating, we are all busy, and training hard can seem daunting.

That’s why Journey II Fit is about making fitness as enjoyable as possible. Our trainers are dedicated and passionate about health and fitness and we know how to get results quickly and safely.

We work with all kinds of people looking to get in shape and stay healthy (including many who’ve never belonged to a gym). We’re all about getting you results and we’re committed to being a fitness home that you actually love. One of our main strengths is being able to build relationships with our clients that go beyond the gym walls – we’ve created a fitness family. A family that is supportive, encouraging, and there for you. We get to know clients for who they are, their professions, their families, etc.

We provide solid high-intensity workouts ranging from all aspects of fitness such as weight training, plyometrics, HIIT, and conditioning, just to name a few.

We have years of experience with clients at all fitness levels and provides each individual with the necessary tools, guidance, support, and knowledge for them to reach their goals. We have been recognized in the fitness industry through bootcamp, strength classes, personal training, charity events, outdoor events and physique/fitness competitions.

What matters most to you?
With Covid-19 still affecting our everyday lives, we have to take our health more seriously than ever before. It is our responsibility to strengthen the immune system, heart and lungs. Our mission is to educate our community about nutrition and the importance of exercising daily to lessen the risk of developing severe covid symptoms or even hospitalization.

Contact Info:

• Email: journeyiifit@gmail.com
• Website: www.journeyiifit.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journeyiifit/
• Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/journeyiifit/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/journey-ii-fit-lakewood-2

Image Credits
Photo Credit for individual profile pic: Marcus Gustafsson