Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesse Mercado.
Hi Jesse, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Started off as a high school wrestling & football coach at 19yrs old. I got involved with Olympic weight lifting and crossfit. I began using everything I was learning from my training programs on my athletes and immediately saw the difference in performance on the field/mats. Within a couple months I started attending seminars and getting certifications to help my growth in programming knowledge for youth. In mid 2013, I attended an event in support of a younger member of a gym I was attending at the time, the event was called the “Gauntlet”, and it was a youth only competitive fitness event. After seeing all those kids do things like Handstand walk, Deadlift over 400lbs and bar Muscle Ups, I knew in my mind that’s what I wanted to do with youth, train them to tap into their highest level of potential and confidence. The event was held at a facility in Ramona CA called BRAND-X GYM. Eventually, I saved up enough to open my own facility in 2014 in Whittier CA. Back then it was called Crossfit BAM, the intention was for it to be for youth training, but at the time that wasn’t something that interested most people so I focused soley on adults for awhile with the occasional parent who also had their teenager join as a member with them. In 2020, I changed the business name to BAMFIT ATHLETICS because I had a new vision for my dream to start including a youth program, which didn’t exactly go according to plan in terms of growth so I stopped it for a bit, but I had a few kids that stuck around for awhile and became very athletic teenagers. The BAM in Bamfit stands for Building An Athlete Mindset. In early 2023, One of my member’s asked me about training for her two sons and to maybe build it up as a kids program in the long term, and that’s when the BAM SQUAD youth program was born. I’d like to give thanks to Adriana Gomez for asking me that day to start it up because it led to the beginning of something I didn’t think would grow in the direction it did or call to my heart the way it would. I had always been following The Brand-X Method gym and their founders: Mikki & Jeff Martin since I attended their event back in 2013 so around that same time that I started bam squad I reached out to the Martin’s about getting certified through their certification course the PYCC, Professional Youth Coach Certification. As my youth program grew so did interest for specific training for athletes in sports, speed and agility training, which was a field I was familiar with from what I learned in college for my exercise science degree but I felt that it would be in my best interest to brush up my education in it by using a certification that specializes in it like Parisi Speed School, USR or OTA. In early 2024, I stumbled upon OTA, Overtime Athletes on YouTube, led by Chris Barnard over in Florida. His style of training was exactly what I was looking for to help my athletes achieve faster speed and better agility movement so I invested in myself and my youth athletes by taking their course. Not too long after going through the cert I decided to reach out to sports coaches so I can help their athletes with speed and agility training since the majority of sports coaches have very limited knowledge or expertise in this field. Eventuality I met Coach Eddie, who had a travel softball team at the time. His team became the first sports team I began officially training at my new facility over at 11510 Whittier Blvd, which then started a domino effect of more teams becoming part of my guidance for athletic performance training like: CDA Slammers Banda, FCG Force Soccer, Whittier Bulldogs Basketball, and multiple baseball & softball teams from Norwalk Pony League, Pico Fastpitch, La Habra Girls Softball Association, Whittier Girls Softball League, La Mirada Girls Softball, and Travel teams like Ohana Tigers and Firecrackers softball. Most recently was the East Whittier Trojans Pop Warner Football Team which I’m truly excited to help develop this year. Needless to say I’ve been privileged enough to have so many opportunities to help youth develop their physical literacy and athletic abilities with my youth specific training. I wish more coaches and parents would honestly outsource their training to youth development coaches like myself and others like Will Johnson from Grind Time Facilities. There’s an entire fundamental baseline that’s missed by almost all youth who go into sports: balance, strength, speed, power, coordination and most of all physical literacy. Of course I don’t mean to say just reach out to any “trainer” or “youth coach” you find online because from what I have seen is that most of them don’t actually specialize in “youth training” so they have youth do workouts or exercises that are meant for adults or higher level athletes who have already developed their fundamental baseline. Search for a youth coach who is going to build your kid from the ground up, not just have them do “Elite level workouts” from day one, you’re just asking for your kids to get injured early on. I always offer 2 free training sessions at my facility every Tuesday and Thursday at 5pm or 6pm so stop on by and see how we can help your kids develop their performance with our youth specific training. We also offer private team and 1 on 1 training too. You can reach out by following our Instagram page @Bamfit_athletics_youth or by texting the word “sport” to 562-569-4253. We work with both athletes and Non-Athletes, because every kid deserves to feel confident about themselves.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Almost going out of business in 2020 due to covid restrictions and limitations. People just not being interested in getting training for their kids. Not having help (more youth coaches) to expand our program at my facility.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My business offers both adult fitness classes and youth fitness/athletic performance classes at the same time in the evening so that parents are able to find that “time for themselves”. As a new parent myself I know now more than ever how crucial it is to make time for myself and my health so that I can continue being there for my kids and do anything they want to do that requires energy and physical demand. We offer family and sibling discounts, we want to encourage more family involvement when it comes to fitness because it should be a part of daily life. I am most proud of my staff Kat, David, Mario and Vanessa who’ve helped me grow my gym into what it is today, non of my growth as a leader or as a gym owner would have been possible without their individual contributions. They helped me secure what’s most important for our brand at bamfit athletics: professional, friendly coaching. That’s what you’re paying for when you come to Bamfit and why we don’t purposely “pack” our classes and keep it to less than 12 people at a time because we believe in the quality of our services, which other gyms unfortunately have lost sight of.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
First, I want to acknowledge my wife, Britni, who has watched everything unfold from the very beginning to where I’m at now. Her advice from taking member surveys to putting feminine hygiene products in our restrooms to make available for free to my member’s to coming up with new ideas to make my coaches and members feel recognized. I owe it to her, she is my rock and honestly should be a business coach/mentor. I love you amor.
Donny Garriott of Cerritos College Wrestling. Of all the coaches I’ve ever had the privilege of being coached by, I owe my entire coaching existence to him. He taught me to always be loving, genuine and professional but most importantly, to just be myself. Thank you for inspiring me to want to become a coach.
Mikki & Jeff Martin of the Brand-X Method. Your knowledge and guidance in youth development and youth gym business has allowed me to reach new heights with helping youth and families.
Chris and Emily from Overtime Athletes. Thank you for growing my knowledge in speed and athletic performance training as well as my business as a youth performance gym, your mentorship is worth every penny.
Lastly, my parents, Jesus and Vicky Mercado. As small business owners yourselves you knew what lied ahead of my journey so thank you for your guidance and support to help open my own business. Dad, you put smiles on families faces with your cooking. Mom, you help families find their homes. Now it’s my turn to help families too by staying healthy and bond together through generational fitness.
Pricing:
- Adults: $162 monthly or Bi-weekly payment option of $81
- Youth: Ages 6 and up $138 monthly or bi-weekly payment option of $69
- Adults & Youth: 1 on 1- 30min for $45 and 60min for $75
- Discounts available for added siblings and family packages
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Bamfitathletics.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bamfit_athletics_youth?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560549501095&mibextid=ZbWKwL
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@bamfit-athletics?si=P9P5wihVQ5quavEW
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/k44C5jO5DH
Image Credits
Kevin- Rolling Photography
John McCrary- John shoots it
