Today we’d like to introduce you to Cedric Jones.
Cedric, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My story starts like this. I was born in Macon GA. I didn’t have much but I was rich in courage, dream and talent.
I left Macon to pursue an acting career. I had danced professionally with several A-list artists for a little under 10 years.
My dreams didn’t go as planned. with little money and no family, I ended up on the streets for about a year. A female saw me and asked me a few questions about my accent and why I was in my situation.
She asked why didn’t I just go back home to my family. I told her that is not an option. To be honest doubt creep in my mind at times but I prayed for strength to move forward. The lady (Ethel Smith) who asked me the questions was a VP for a temp service. She interviewed me in what I had on and found me work at a company called Beach Body-Fitness company. This is where I learned a lot about fitness, nutrition and motivation. I later moved into a drug rehab housing facility to get off the streets. friends I met along the way were a big help. I began boxing a block away from where I lived in Pasadena Villa Park.
I started training at this gym where the coach (Fausto De leTorre) didn’t charge me a dime. He just asked me to work hard and stay consistent. I explained to him I was here to pursue acting. He understood and a year later through hard work I found myself going to the Olympic trials in Colorado. I never thought I would even be ranked but I was and had an opportunity to be a professional fighter.
Several fights later and a loss I realized I had been side tracked from my dreams. I flew back with a game plan and that was to chase my dreams until I reached them.
I enjoyed training and working with others. I started training people for free at the forum and at parks for free. I really enjoyed inspiring people and seeing how I could affect someone’s life. It grew from 1 to 10 to 20 or more. I never advertised myself as a trainer but word a mouth worked in my favor. my first client, I charged only 20.00 an hour. I wasn’t working or acting at the time. I just had a passion for training. With little of nothing, I was given the opportunity to get my own gym in Manhattan beach. All kinds of opportunities opened up for me. I became an ambassador for Lululemon, cryowave, vega and IV solution. I have been featured in several movies with actors such as Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal, Forest Whitaker and a great director Antoine Fuqua.
If I haven’t learned anything else it’s this persistence is the key to success and if you are not where you wanna be its because you are not doing what you need to do. Keep fighting for your dreams, they are your dreams nobody else is going chase them for you. I have cried, I have been courageous, Scarred and motivated all at the same time but I chose to be motivated and that should be your choice every time.
I have worked with some great individuals like Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal, Roy Jones Jr., Benard Hopkins, Anderson Silva, Usher, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawk etc…
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I was homeless with no food or family for about a year.
Please tell us about Beastie.
BEASTIE is the name of my gym which means Bravely Executing All Set goals To Inspire and Ensure success.
we are next level fitness with next level motivation and trainers. We are a one-stop shop for total body transformation. We are well experienced in boxing, circuit, nutrition.
My gym is a reflection of the trainers and it makes so proud to hear about their struggle and the resilience to keep going forward.
Motivation is not just a word at our gym but it is an action…. that’s what sets us apart.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would have done it all earlier, everything up to know has helped build character. I have learned that a wife and 3 beautiful kids will always be enough motivation for me. My dreams affect them so I have to make it.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2317 North Sepulveda Blvd
Manhattan Beach CA 90266 - Website: http://www.beastie247.com/
- Phone: 323-3794316
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: _cedricjones
- Facebook: Beastie247
- Twitter: beastie247
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