Eric Leija is the Primal Swoledier, Onnit’s senior kettlebell coach. From a background passion for MMA and UFC fighting, his workouts now bring fitness through flows, complexes and flair, mastering a tool that’s often overlooked for full body programmes.

Inspired by former UFC commentator and podcast pro, Joe Rogan, Eric tells his story of mastering movement, mind-altering substances, and how Dragon Ball Z led him to taking up martial arts.

Watch the full episode on YouTube – https://youtu.be/1e59PokgnJQ

At school, Eric Leija ate junk food and enjoyed being fat. However, it was the teasing that caused him to initially take up bodybuilding, informed and inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding book.

Developing his interest in fitness, discovering the UFC’s mixed martial arts disciplines and even watching Dragon Ball Z led to Eric taking up Jiu Jitsu. However, he still kept his head down, before realising that his education had come at the expense of his social skills development.

Especially as he wasn’t interested in drinking, Eric found it difficult to connect with classmates. He dropped out of college and drove to Minnesota to experience the fighter’s lifestyle through a mutual UFC fighter friend of his brother. Immersing himself in this world, while also experimenting with other ways of expanding his mind, Eric found a new confidence in how to dedicate his efforts.

This turning point led Eric to doing his own thing, but he had to make money. Here, his journey with Onnit began, as an interest shared with CEO Aubrey Marcus led Eric to start work in the factory, packing products and embracing all things Onnit.

When Onnit went from a product manufacturer to educating clients and customers by opening its own gym, the company offered Eric the opportunity to become a trainer. His hard work and dedication to Onnit’s values and lifestyle, staying in shape and always taking an interest in MMA, meant that he was ideally placed to teach others how to use the training tools.

Today, Eric stands alongside Joe Rogan, UFC champ Tyron Woodley, and serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk as a representative and member of the Onnit family.

Through his social media following, Eric demonstrates his value by giving out free workouts regularly, rather than teasing audiences and putting up a paywall. This even extends to a four-week programme that can be found on his website, ericleija.com

 

 Episode Highlights - 

• How important it is to pick a brand name that stands out and is memorable, even if your original idea for it may have come from a different point of inspiration.
• The effect of smashing preconceptions and doing your own thing, and how this motivation can come from the most unlikely experiences.
• What, other than fitness, brought Aubrey Marcus (founder and CEO of Onnit), Joe Rogan, UFC fighters and more together as a vested interest in their social lives.
• How putting in the hard graft and removing any entitlement from your actions will bring incredible opportunities.

 

 

Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Eric Leija…