Inspiring Conversations with Garba “MisterG” Onadja of StudioG Fitness & Wellness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Garba “MisterG” Onadja

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started training individuals and sport teams in my early 20s in Niamey, the capital of Niger (West Africa) while still competing in sport taekwondo, basketball, and occasionally, Track & Field, Soccer, and Handball.

During my competitive years, I became a 3-time high-school National Basketball Champion, was admitted in the Nigerien National Taekwondo Team, and earned my 2nd Degree Black Belt accredited by the World Taekwondo Headquarter (Kukiwon) in Seoul, South Korea.

I then, dedicated himself full time to fitness training and athletic coaching from West Africa, to France, and eventually, to Los Angeles, California where I became known as “Mister G”.

My clientele included officers of The French Gendarmerie National and the U.S. Marine Corps Security Guard Detachment as a body conditioning and self-defense instructor, and other foreign diplomats to Niger.

I was voted “Most Motivational Instructor” by the L.A. Daily News Readers, received his 1Oth Degree Master Black Belt in 2004 and induced in the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. I also holds a Doctorate in Martial Arts Philosophy and Martial Arts Science and a Business Degree from the Kaplan University.

My past and current celebrity clients include, Julianne Nicholson, Katherine Heigl, Nikki Sixx, Nia Peeples, Ernie Hudson, Tia and Tamera among others.

I am the creator of gTonnicks as an innovative fitness system and The Sleekest Workout videos.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Upon my arrival in Los Angeles in June 1992, I encountered a few challenges. One of the major hurdles was mastering American English. While I had a decent grasp of English, my proficiency wasn’t sufficient for effective communication or thorough understanding. Additionally, my entire education had been through the French educational system, and I had no experience with American schools.

In the fall of 1994, I enrolled at Pierce Community College, majoring in business and minoring in theater. To improve my English, I first took classes for English as a Second Language, which was an excellent recommendation from my academic advisor. The business classes provided me with valuable insights into American business practices, culture, and way of life. With this knowledge, I opened my first martial arts and fitness studio in July 1997. Two years later, I expanded the studio into a 3,600 sq. ft. gym offering group fitness, martial arts classes, and private training sessions.

Having my then-wife working full-time as a teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District was a tremendous support, as her salary and benefits covered most of our living expenses.

However, in early 2009, I faced another challenge: the financial crisis.

This coincided with my divorce. Fortunately, I had already closed my lucrative gym a year prior for personal reasons and was training clients and teaching group classes at a local gym. All my personal training clients stopped their sessions due to the economic downturn, leaving me with very little income. So, I filed for bankruptcy and took advantage of the unexpected free time I had to return to school, earning my business degree from Kaplan University while continuing to train clients and teach group fitness classes at another local gym.

The third major challenge came with the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought the fitness industry to a standstill. I exhausted my savings, despite receiving modest government assistance. Fortunately, a few months into the pandemic, some of my clients requested outdoor training sessions. Additionally, I was able to access a gym run by the City of Calabasas thanks to an existing contract I had secured with them prior to the pandemic.

The pandemic’s impact also created new opportunities, such as the availability of rental real estate. I took advantage of this and opened StudioG Fitness & Wellness in September 2023.

What a ride it has been!

As you know, we’re big fans of StudioG Fitness & Wellness. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
StudioG Fitness & Wellness is the latest and newest boutique studio in Calabasas owned and operated by Celebrity trainer and fitness instructor MisterG. StudioG specializes on strength & toning with emphasizes on women’s fitness and wellness.

StudioG is where exercising takes an art form, the mind and the body most connect, the spirit elevates.

StudioG is located in Calabasas on 26560 Agoura Rd near Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains adjacent to the Malibu Creek; a little heaven for the mind and the soul.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
A mentor makes think of it in the classic meaning of the word. That is an experienced and trusted advisor who provides guidance, support, and advice. I had no such thing. Rather, I sought and found my “mentorship” from individuals in various fields, including education (teachers, athletic coaches), business courses, and personal development activities such as sports competition, fitness training, books and magazines, including biographies of successful personalities, athletes, movie stars, and historic figures.

As I progressed in life, I found that I had to hone not just my mind and my spirit, but my body as well. My natural athletic prowess and my love for the game allowed me to excel in basketball. I joined my High school basketball team and we won the national championship three times in a row. It was not until I was tested by bullies a few times that I felt the need to acquire combat skills and forge my body into a fighting machine.

What I have learned is that no matter what part of the world you were born in or what culture you happened to be raised in, there are countless numbers of trials and tribulations to be faced in childhood. But out of the countless numbers of childhood trials and tribulations the ones we face become the experiences that we use to shape us into who we are. With the help of our parents, and the tools provided for us by our cultures as well the resources nature all around us, we shape and forge our bodies and our minds into an individual self that cannot just survive, but can navigate and thrive in its particular milieu.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.studiogcalabasas.com/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVZYlp9s3LGRke6CZI1bo8Q
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/studiog-fitness-and-wellness-calabasas