Challenge Yourself Johnny Tieu Pushing through the struggle of sweat

“My junior year in college was a turning point in my life. My good friend signed me up for a local neighbourhood race and even though I looked fit and was doing the routine exercises for what I thought was beneficial for my body, it was a rude awakening to experience first hand what being aesthetically fit and actually fit is,” admits Tieu.

The race was one of the toughest challenges Tieu endured, and he loathed every moment. Never wanting to feel that level of mental and physical collapse again, Tieu began to re-educate himself and his understanding of fitness. “I didn’t want to just look fit, I wanted to move, be functional and excel,” he says.

It began as a personal hobby but quickly became a journey that ultimately saw him shift from a career in finance to a path in fitness. “The strength in my belief that making a change and impact to someone else’s life is something that I find happiness in. Fitness is not just about an aesthetic, it’s a lifestyle and that is what I’m here to change and bring about.”

His relentless drive is inspiring and comes from the personal motivation to share and educate one person at a time. “The driving factor I wake up to and the motivation that keeps me pushing everyone I meet, is to teach them that their body is capable of so much if you open up to the possibilities,” he says. “Motivation is the drive and essential proponent that helps you hone in to that laser focus, that quiets the small voice in your mind that might otherwise lead you to doubt yourself. Motivation is the beauty that guides us to make change and exceed expectations.”

As a strong advocate of practicing what you preach, Tieu doesn’t just train from the sidelines. He jumps right into the workout to show his clients that he experiences the pain and the struggles of the workout just like everyone in class. His daily fitness mantra to get through his classes? “Stay positive, no regrets, drink water and sweat it up.”