The Man Who Invented Personal Training:  Body by Jake

The Man Who Invented Personal Training: Body by Jake

From The Strong New York Podcast by Kenny Santucci

June 10, 2026 · 1h 14m · Episode 82

About this episode

Kenny Santucci interviews Jake Steinfeld, the pioneer of personal training, discussing his life, career, and the fitness industry.

This week, Kenny sits down with Jake Steinfeld — the man who literally invented the personal training industry. Jake opens up about losing his home in the LA Palisades fire, why he still trains at 4:15am every single day, turning down Nike before they created "Just Do It," and the anonymous poem that shaped his entire life philosophy from age 14. From posing with the Village People to doing stunt work as The Incredible Hulk, from Cold Calls in Hollywood to building a fitness empire seen in 90+ countries — this episode is a masterclass in betting on yourself when nobody else will. In This Episode: How Jake created personal training as a profession (there was no blueprint) The steroid decision at 19 that changed everything Losing his home in the Palisades fire & what he grabbed on the way out Why he turned down Nike's offer to buy "Don't Quit" GLP-1s, fitness culture, and what the industry gets wrong The mindset behind never missing a workout — ever Body by Jake Radio & what's coming next CONNECT: Follow Jake: @bodybyjake Follow Kenny: @kennysantucci Follow Strong New York: @strongnewyork This episode is sponsored by Celsius, the energy drink that fuels every Strong New…

People in this episode

Host: Kenny Santucci

Guest: Jake Steinfeld

Topics covered

  • personal training
  • fitness culture
  • entrepreneurship
  • mindset
  • health
  • resilience

Keywords

  • personal training
  • fitness empire
  • Nike
  • workout mindset
  • LA Palisades fire
  • Body by Jake
  • Celsius
  • Marek Health

Sponsors

Celsius, Marek Health

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Nike

Books & works: Don't Quit

Places: LA Palisades

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