Relentless Fitness: “It’s Just Different”
By Asha Burwell
According to the CDC, 37.6% of Black men, and 56.9% of Black women, aged 20 and over, have been diagnosed with obesity. There are many open dialogues that take place regarding health within the Black community, however, a crucial and often overlooked component is physical health. Twenty-four-year-old Nyme Manns, of Baltimore, Maryland, is a young, determined personal trainer and entrepreneur that selflessly aims to assist others with not only accomplishing their fitness goals but giving them confidence and a warm wave of positivity. A brother of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated, and a fellow HBCU graduate (Bowie State University 2016), he has overcome adversity and used his athletic capabilities to be a positive influence within the DMV community. He recently celebrated the one year anniversary of his brand “Relentless Fitness.” Ever since then, he’s used his experience with fitness training to inspire others to become stronger, both physically and mentally. Here is his story.Asha: When did you start the “Relentless Fitness” brand and begin training people?
Nyme: I started my personal training brand last August.
Asha: What made you interested in becoming a fitness trainer?
Nyme: All my life I’ve been an athlete; I grew up playing basketball and football. I had the opportunity to play at the collegiate level and unfortunately, my dream of going to the NFL did not come true, but I’ve always been the type that stayed in the gym 24/7. So, you know, maybe my destiny wasn’t to be a professional athlete but to be able to give back and help other people achieve their fitness goals, and just help them relieve stress. Giving back and helping people means a lot to me.
Asha: What does it mean to you to be “relentless”?
Nyme: Being relentless is all about the mindset you have to have, you know, not just training, but just in life in general, because we live in a very competitive world…in the work world, in the athletic world, in everything…there’s a competitive nature. So just being relentless, having that mindset that you’re the best and that no one can tell you that you’re not the best. You have to have that relentless attitude and mindset. If you have that, then that equals greatness.
Asha: As you probably know, there are a lot of personal trainers out there. What makes you unique and why should people choose you as a trainer?
Nyme: “It’s just different.” That’s the motto I live by. All my workouts are very different and they challenge you in different ways, that normal workouts may not. All my workouts hit different angles, they are very high paced, they have a lot of plyometrics, a lot of high intense (HIT) workouts, and also a lot of strength training as well. So, I cover and touch every little thing in my workout, in every session.
Asha: Why do you believe it is important for people to invest in their health?
Nyme: Your body is your temple. If you don’t take care of your body, then you don’t really care about yourself. Fitness is very important. Even when you’re getting older, you don’t want to be getting all weak and feeble so early; you want to be able to live a long life, so just taking care of your health and staying in shape and being physically fit will pay off in the long run.
Asha: What is your vision for your brand as a whole?
Nyme: My vision for my brand is definitely to expand all the way across the world. I want to expand to everyone, including the youth and senior citizens and of course people within my age bracket. I definitely want to take over and just be an icon; be something different that a lot of people haven’t seen before, give them a different feel.
Asha: Who are some of your role models or influences?
Nyme: Some of my role models are my mother and my father and one of my influences is my prophyte Shawn. I grew up with both parents in the house and they showed me the ropes and tough love. [I got] a little bit of soft love from my mother and a little bit of tough love from my dad. So that combination made me into the man I am today. My parents are great people and they’re hardworking. You know, we may not be the richest people in the world, but one thing I can say is that their love is genuine and they appreciate the little things, they definitely taught me to cherish that. My prophyte, he’s very successful. He’s young, he’s 27 years old out here doing it man. He’s a team leader or a manager overseeing individuals that are in their 30’s and 40’s and he’s only 27. He played a big part in my entering into the IT field as well.
Asha: What are some failures or obstacles you’ve faced to get to where you are now, and how did you overcome them?
Nyme: One would be tearing my ACL my junior year in college, number two would be losing two back-to-back conference championships in college, and three would be not making it to the NFL. I always told my mother I would buy her a big house once I finished college. I’m not saying it’s not going to happen, but my goal was for her to have it by now. God moves in mysterious ways and everything happens for a reason so it’ll definitely come to surface very soon.
Asha: Investing in black business has been a huge asset to the black community. Why do you think this is important, and what advice would you give to young black students that hope to start their own business?
Nyme: The advice I would give is: if you have a dream just push forward. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. Don’t let anyone tell you that it sounds foolish or stupid, because if you believe in it, that’s all that matters. All it starts with is a dream. Once you have that dream, it’s on you to make it happen.
Asha: Becoming fit is a journey that requires a lot of dedication. In the process, some people may become discouraged and unmotivated. What advice would you give to anyone out there feeling hesitant or incapable of reaching their fitness goals?
Nyme: I would say just keep pushing, it takes time. Just say, for example, you’re new to training, it’s just like anything…when you started riding a bike, you weren’t the best at it, but after a period of time and repetition, you got it. Just stay focused and put the work in. They always say those that work hard, good things come to them. So just stay focused, stay dedicated, and keep driving. At the end of the day, most importantly, stay relentless.
They say when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade! Nyme is a perfect representation of the importance of overcoming adversity, and turning life’s challenges into something positive. The relentless mindset is contagious. When you surround yourself with people that are encouraging and hold positive mindsets, you will be surprised with how far you go in life. Nyme has been making a name for himself and gaining popularity throughout the community because of his ability to encourage those around him to be the best they can be. Who wouldn’t want a trainer with that type of personality?! I wouldn’t wait too long before hopping on the #RelentlessFitness wave!
Website: https://www.gorelentlessfitness.com/
Instagram: @ochodada