Today we’d like to introduce you to David Ihedigbo.
Thanks for sharing your story with us, David. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My mother and father were immigrants from Nigeria. They both came to study and to build a future for their family. They had three small children when they came here, and then my younger brother and I made a total of five kids. I’m very proud to say that both of my parents hold doctoral degrees.
Growing up in our household was interesting. My family has four brothers and one sister, so my sister got the big bedroom all to herself and all four of us boys shared the small room. Money was tight of course. My parents were working college students, raising five children in America, so we learned how to save money on pretty much everything. Through everything that we experienced together as a family, the thing that my mother and father always stressed to us was the importance of having a relationship with Jesus Christ. Faith was the glue that held our family together and kept us strong. We would have Bible study every Saturday morning, first thing in the morning, even when we had friends sleep over, they joined too! My parents exhibited and taught us a servant’s mindset because Jesus came to serve and not be served. They taught us things that the Bible says about putting other people’s needs before our own, loving our neighbors as ourselves, honoring your mother and father and your days will be long, etc.
My father worked very hard to provide for our family, but he still had time to do things with us. My dad passed away my freshman year of college and it hit me very hard. I miss him a lot, but some of my favorite memories with him were when we would play sports together. He really liked tennis and soccer. I would play tennis with him a lot, and I would never win, but along the way, he taught me so many lessons. “Hard Work” – was one of the many lessons he stressed. He would always say, “When the sun goes up and comes down, you will never get that day again.” And he always told us to compete to be the best at everything we do.
I think playing sports with my dad is one of the reasons I became an athlete. All of my siblings played a sport or two, but my younger brother and I probably took it the most seriously. Growing up, we would go at it playing basketball in the front yard every NBA finals season and were always competitive. I played arena football for a bit, but my younger brother James played professional football for ten years and won a Super Bowl Championship with the Baltimore Ravens.
After my dad passed away, my mother became even more of a super woman and began to hustle even harder to continue to support her five children. One of the most impactful things she did was when me and my brother played college football. She would never miss a game, even if it meant driving from one college to the next college on the same day. One of the things my mom hammered into me is that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” In addition to being a Super Mom and a leader in the early education field, she is also a published author. She currently has three published works, with a few more coming out soon. One of the books is about my family’s story in transitioning from Nigeria to the US and all that has transpired; it’s called “Sandals in the Snow.”
I graduated with a bachelor of science in sports management from American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts. After college, I played professional arena football in Texas and Green Bay until a lockout. In 2008, I went into corporate America at LA Fitness. I worked hard there and was promoted to Vice President of Personal Training Sales. I worked in that position for about 12 years. Along the way, I got married to an amazing woman Cislyn Ihedigbo and things were going well.
Gradually, it became apparent to me that I did not want to stay at LA Fitness. I decided to pursue fitness training one on one, but all of my time was devoted to my corporate position. God told me to quit my job and walk away from it. I called my mother and told her and to ask for counsel and she said to me, “like God told Moses, use what’s in your hand.” And what was in my hand was personal training. I was praying about it and I believe God guided me to call my company Ihedigbo Fitness (IF). Outside of it being my name of course, the meaning of IF is that IF I trust in the Lord every step, that He would get me through any obstacles. So even though it’s my name, it’s also a reminder of God’s promises. The obstacles have definitely come, and through it all, God has been faithful and I have been growing through each challenge and I am so thankful.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The process of building is rarely a smooth road. It comes with many ups and downs. I will share the biggest challenges I have had thus far as it pertains to my business:
I tore my Achilles tendon, not once, but twice. One time on each leg. As a fitness trainer and having exercise as my profession, both of these events were quite a setback. I had to have surgeries of course and go through recovery and rehab, etc. I had to teach myself how to walk again. It had a big impact, not only on my body but also on my psyche. I was on bed rest for three months and gained over 40 pounds. I worked hard to get myself healthy again and be in proper shape to be able to serve my clients at a high level. Although this was a very hard thing to experience, it has helped me be able to relate to my clients who have had injuries since I know how difficult it can be, and also how to overcome complacency and doubt.
I worked for a well known gym in the New York area for years. I was doing well and continued to be promoted; I was in a comfortable situation. At one point I had a realization that it was not my final destination and now where God wanted me to be. It was hard to walk away, especially after working my way to the top. I went into a depression through that experience. But I trusted what I felt God was saying to me, that if I walked away from that He would provide for my wife and me. God is my source, so I trusted Him, even though it wasn’t easy. Ihedigbo Fitness was developed from that experience.
I was really feeling called to pursue a new opportunity in a new city, which was Houston. I moved my blind faith in March, which happened to be around the time the country was going into lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. People thought I was crazy for stepping out at that time, but I had already made arrangements to start training at LJ Performance and wanted to be true to my word. I started working immediately to build my client base when I arrived in Houston and things were moving along quickly. I was overperforming, and then about one week later, Houston went into lock down and gyms needed to close and we all were instructed to social distance from everyone. That was of course, a setback, so I thought at the time. I started doing physically distanced boot camp workouts in the park and trained clients via an online program, and I was able to maintain financially. Moving to Houston was completely a faith move, but so far it is working out.
We’d love to hear more about the company.
The name of my company is IHEDIGBO FITNESS (IF). Our mission is “dream bodies made true.” IF you follow the plan and go set by set, we will get you to your fitness goals. IF was birthed in the New York area, but we recently relocated to Houston, TX. IF trains clients at LJ Performance Training. Our goal is to help as many people as we can in the city of Houston. We have helped many people get their life back on track by building confidence and strengthening our clients’ bodies. We train athletes of all levels, work to rehab injuries, help with weight loss, depression, anxiety and weight gain.
We specialize in teaching clients how to work out and train with proper form. We also teach clients about proper nutrition and that it’s not a quick fix but a realistic lifestyle change. I’m thankful that God has put me into the position and has given me the knowledge and the opportunity to help people achieve their goals. What sets IF apart is that the training is based on functional movement. We work with clients to build a strong foundation; we are not trying to kill you in the workout. We want you to know the “why” of proper training so that you stay in shape by any means necessary.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 I don’t believe in luck. If God wanted a door to close in my life, he could see the big picture. All things work for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose.
Extra Thoughts: God gets all the credit for any successes I have because without Him, nothing is possible. My Cislyn Ihedigbo has supported me throughout this process from the very beginning. She has always believed that I can achieve my goals and has been my biggest supporter and has encouraged me every step of the way. I’m thankful for my mother, Dr. Rose Ihedigbo, and for all of her prayers and for always pushing me to be a better man. My brother, James, is a Super Bowl Champion and is the owner of three Kiddie Academy campuses. He is always pushing me to be great as I build my brand. My sister, the owner of Onyii and Co. brand is a clothing designer and realtor. She has been so influential in my life and has paved the way and encouraged me as a business owner. My brother, Nathaniel, is an administrator in the field of education and is always there for me when I need to bounce an idea off of him. Leo Johnson for being a mentor like a brother and helping me with my transition to Houston, TX. I want to thank all of my clients for trusting their goals to my expertise as their trainer. Great things are ahead!
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.IhedigboFitness.com
- Phone: 4132215737
- Email: Ihedigbofitness@gmail.com
- Instagram: Ihedigbo_fitness
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