My name is Benjamin Quijada. I’m a 27-year-old certified personal trainer with 4 years of experience and a drive to help people improve their physical abilities.
I started training because my best friend from high school kept pushing me to work out with him. We’d take the bus together, debate stupid topics fiercely, and somehow found common ground in the fact that we were both obese and needed to get in shape to get the ladies. 😅
He jumped into an LA Fitness contract headfirst without knowing the first thing about working out and just started. He tried random machines, exercises, and whatever he saw online — back in 2015, when good fitness information wasn't quite as easy to find.
A couple months later, I took the leap of faith that would change my life.
My friend and I would carpool to the gym every day, six days a week, with our moms alternating who was driving us. We’d spend four hours exploring the gym and following what the internet claimed was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s workout.
And we did this for almost an entire year.
Looking back, we were doing a lot wrong. We tried all the techniques, made all the mistakes, and learned through trial and error.
My friend even convinced me of a study saying screaming (grunting) would make you perform better. I hesitantly tried it and spent the entire day literally screaming through every rep.
I know... Extremely cringe
But despite all the mistakes, I started seeing immense changes.
Not because I knew exactly what I was doing — but because I TRIED.
Finding My Passion
I had someone pushing me to become a better person. At first, I hated it. I felt embarrassed, dealt with random aches and pains, and had plenty of days when I didn't want to go.
But I kept showing up.
Eventually, my friend and I had made a ton of progress. People at school and at the gym started asking what we were doing.
Before long, I became the guy encouraging my friends to join me for workouts.
And that's when I realized how much I enjoyed teaching.
I loved taking something I had learned and helping someone else understand it. Eventually, that passion became my career.
Why I Train Others
Today, I get to do what I once needed someone to do for me.
I know what it's like to walk into a gym without knowing what you're doing. I know what it's like to feel uncomfortable, make mistakes, and wonder if you're even doing things right.
I also know where showing up can take you.
You don't need to know everything before you begin. You don't need the perfect schdule.
You just need to try.
My goal is to give you the guidance, accountability, and encouragement I once needed — while helping you avoid the mistakes I had to learn the hard way.
If you're ready to see what you're capable of, I'd love to help you get there.
