This month, we've been sharing a number of people that have been focused on building their brands that impact the lives of others. Joining this group is Noah Neiman, who is known for his successful studio fitness gyms that include RUMBLE Boxing and Rumble Training. He's known for his dynamic personality and pushing people beyond their limit while also empowering them to believe in themselves. We took some time to talk about how he came to the industry, building his gyms, how he continues to grow his brand as well as his recent partnership with EASTBAY.
ATHLEISURE MAG: We remember the first time we saw you when Work Out New York premiered. How did you come to fitness and when did you decide to work in the industry?
NOAH NEIMAN: Wow! Not the Bravo throwback! Do you remember when Andy Cohen had me half naked on his show!? Sorry mom! My start in the fitness industry was one of those stories that was a lifetime in the making; I just didn’t realize it at the time.
I was one of those overweight kids that would always try to finesse my way onto the shirts team instead of skins playing pickup ball. T-Shirt on in the pool type. So early on, I started to study and learn all I could about physical fitness and nutrition. I had a lot of behavioral problems as a kid, and I found the more that I trained, the less likely I was to act a fool running around the streets of Pittsburgh, Pa. Fast forward to post-college, where I went to Hofstra and got my degree in accounting, a series of unfortunate events led me to leave NYC and returning to my hometown of Pittsburgh.
During my stint in Pittsburgh, I was being incredibly self-destructive again. I was heavily depressed, suffering panic attacks regularly, and forgot how training my physical body helped me keep me emotionally in control. I let myself spiral into a pretty dark place. I remember being in the hospital after a hard night of partying and seeing the concerned and disappointed look on my parent’s faces as they rushed to see me. Seeing that look is one I will never forget. That night, I stopped doing drugs! Now over 13 years ago!
That following week I happened to be driving by a new jiu-jitsu studio that was opening up near my hood: Warren Stouts Renzo Gracie Training Studio. I traded the drugs for jiu-jitsu. I trained with those guys for a year while going through on and off again anxiety issues; 'til finally my parents told me that I needed to head back to NYC. They conveyed in me the belief that I was destined to accomplish great things, but I had to do so in New York.
So I returned back to NYC with very little money and no real purpose. A friend asked me to attend a workout class with him at the newly opened Barrys BootCAMP; and that ended up being the serendipitous moment that most underdogs stories have at the beginning.
I was in that class cheering on my friend and losing myself in that workout. Fortuitously, the now CEO of Barrys, Joey Gonzalez, was the trainer leading the class. He approached me and asked if I wanted to become a trainer there. All my football, strength, conditioning, jiu jitsu, training and a lifetime of studying was about to pay off!! I was READY for a moment, I didn’t even know was coming; but you know the old saying “if you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.”
I found my purpose. For those hours I was training people and leading these big group classes; all my anxiety and all my depression seemed to just melt away. I had to focus on OTHERS. Making sure they were hustling and making sure they were having a great time. It was therapeutic to me. So I THREW every ounce of effort and energy into it. The world quickly responded; and I became one of the most talked about and featured trainers. Finding myself featured in everything to Vanity Fair to the New York Times, then ultimately landed that show on BRAVO!
Fast forward a few years of building my reputation, my now business partner Eugene Remm; the founder of iconic CATCH restaurants (CATCH HOSPITALITY GROUP) and I got together and started planning what our own gym experience would look like. We wanted to bring an elevated experience to the group fitness game; one the was highly effective, but highly FUN. One that had the aesthetic and vibes that only we could create because of our unique lenses built by decades of our own tastes…. and so RUMBLE was born.
AM: If we wanted to train like you do in an average week, what are your workout routines and what are the foods/meals that you are eating throughout the day?
NN: I actually take RUMBLE Boxing and Rumble training for a majority of my workouts each week. That’s why I created the space! For my body; strength training coupled with conditioning via running and boxing has always had me feeling and looking my best; and the MENTAL benefits of punching things, hard, throughout the week are immense! I try to eat as healthy as I can so I normally hit up my go-to spot HONEYBRAINS to eat fresh whole foods. Throughout the week I eat a lot of fish, steak, eggs, and chicken coupled with potatoes, white rice, spinach, salads, beans. Then when I feel like it, it’s burgers and fries..pizza and ice cream. I try not to be one of those holier than thou trainers. I like to keep it real, eat sloppy when I want, and then get right back to eating clean when I want.
AM: I remember a few years ago I took a class led by you at Barry's Bootcamp and then when Rumble Training opened, I attended an editor event that was led by you. As a well-known group fitness instructor, your passion for motivating and empowering people is so impactful regardless of your workout level - what is your approach to working out with your celeb as well as daily clients and why is this important?
NN: I call fitness the great equalizer! It doesn’t matter who you are, how many followers you have, I treat everyone the same! I keep that same energy like Teyana Taylor (coincidentally also one of our investors). My passion and energy is the driving force of what I do, and I treat every class like it’s Jay Z's My First Song; I treat my first class, like my last class, and my last class, like my first class, so my thirst and energy is the same as when I came!
Everyone is the same at the end of the day. You either do the work and get better by it, or you don’t. I think that’s one of the most refreshing things about training with me, and our philosophy at Rumble. We treat every like Jason Derulo, or Justin Bieber…you just might also happen to work out next to them one day.
AM: Boxing is one of my favorite sports to watch and I know you are passionate about it. Why is this your preferred workout method?
NN: The efficacy of boxing is undisputed as the champ! There’s a reason they call fighters “Lean mean fighting machines,” but to be honest, boxing was always mediative for me. I had a lot of problems growing up. ADHD, getting kicked out of schools. So training to me became therapeutic. It was an outlet for a lot of anger and the vast well of energy I had. Meditation comes in many forms, and this one is mine!
AM: You’re the Co-Founder of RUMBLE Boxing. When you were in the early days of launching this brand, what was it like to know that you had people such as Sylvester Stallone and Justin Bieber as investors?
NN: When you open a boxing gym, and have Rocky believe in you; the provides you with a certain level of confidence. However, at the end of the day, if the experience and workout doesn’t live up to that level of hype, you’re going to fail. It was important for us to come correct, especially knowing we had so many powerful and renowned personalities backing us!