Meet Kentrell Reynolds and Jared Holliman of Ape Fitness Elite in Marietta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kentrell Reynolds and Jared Holliman.

Kentrell and Jared, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Growing up in a small country town where athletics was very prominent, we both were always very active. This made getting into fitness very easy. How we actually came up with the brand Ape Fitness Elite was on a long working day at Hertz Rental Car. We both were managers for the company, and we were still in the process of figuring out what we really wanted to do in life. During this time, we both were consistently going to the gym after working 10-12 hour shifts on the job. We were dedicated to fitness and made it a priority to continue to challenge ourselves to get into the best shape we could. It was a lifestyle for us.

On this day, we came to the conclusion that personal training would be the perfect occupation for us. We began to brainstorm on brand names and logos that would fit just for us. That is when Ape Fitness Elite came to fruition. We shot our first workout video in compression shirts with our logo, and social media gave us so much great feedback. We knew we had something special. We then took the proper steps to gain our personal training certification. While doing this, we made a commitment to continue going to the gym, taking what we were learning and implementing the knowledge learned into ourselves. This even further demonstrated how passionate we were about fitness and how committed we were to show that we don’t just talk and that we put the work in. Today we both are in the best shape of our lives, have consistent clients that believe in us for them to reach their body goals, and are available for virtual training as well.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Anything in life worth having will not be easy, so struggles are something we all have to go through to get to where we want to be. Our biggest struggle was at the beginning of our journey. While working 10-12 shifts made it very difficult to focus primarily on gaining clients, as well as maintaining a consistent beneficial schedule for the clients we did obtain. Being overworked at a job and trying to start a business can be very challenging, but we both never lacked perseverance. We remained focused on the ultimate goal at hand and never once doubted ourselves.

When COVID-19 hit the U.S, we, too, were among those who lost their jobs during the pandemic. No one plans on losing their job, but in this case, we used that time to really focus on our brand. Gyms were all closed, so that did make it difficult for us as trainers. That is when we took it upon ourselves to become mobile.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Ape Fitness Elite – what should we know?
Ape Fitness Elite is our personal training brand where we are truly passionate about the fitness lifestyle, and our ultimate goal is to pass this lifestyle on to others because we know how beneficial fitness can impact lives. We added Elite to the brand because we are not one-dimensional. We do everything down to strength and conditioning, weight loss programs, weight gain programs, as well as assistance with meal plans. We are very versatile and can accommodate any client for what they are seeking to gain. We are most proud of the number of people that look up to us for that extra motivation to get into the gym and to live a healthier lifestyle. What sets us apart from others is that we are mobile. If it is more convenient for us to come to a client, that is no problem for us. We keep everything as far as dumbbells, kettlebells, resistances band, jump ropes, and anything we would need to get a good workout in our vehicles at all times. We would meet at your home, a local park, or wherever it is suitable to get some work in. We make it a priority to make things convenient as possible for every client.

We also educate clients on how fitness is more than just physical. We are even bigger on training the mindset. The mentality you come in within the gym determines what type of results you will receive. We promote discipline, perseverance, consistency, and self-awareness. These components play a huge part in fitness. With Ape Fitness Elite, you will gain a stronger mindset that you can take and apply outside of the gym in whatever you do.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The most important quality to our success is definitely how passionate we are about fitness and what we do. We both have consistently day in day output in work to get our physique to where we are today. It is mostly recognized through our social media platforms. Since the beginning of this journey, we consistently post on our platforms to demonstrate the type of commitment we have for this lifestyle. Whether it is a complete workout video, just a clip of us doing an exercise, or even a boomerang on the treadmill or bike, this shows no matter what we are in the gym consistently, and we have been doing this for years now. This shows people we are the real deal, that we are passionate about what we do, and that no one will outwork us. This is the mindset we have every single day, and after working with us our clients also gain that mentality.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.apefitnesselite.com
• Instagram: ape_fitness_elite_llc

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