Rodrigo Garduño is a former professional soccer player who became a business owner when he opened 54D.
The Miami, Colombia, and Mexico-based 54D is not a gym. Still, a movement. 54D is a results-based, nine-week training program that combines high-intensity group training, custom nutrition, and recovery therapy.
The system guarantees results to anyone who is willing to commit for the duration of the program entirely. During the pandemic, Rodrigo decided he wanted to help the community stay healthy and motivated during lockdowns.
Filming in his Coral Gables backyard, he began streaming complimentary workouts every day on his IG Live. He ended up creating a global movement, with hundreds of thousands of people tuning in from all over the world for a daily dose of inspiration.
For his efforts, Rodrigo and 54D lead trainer Rodrigo De Ovando have been dubbed Miami’s “Kings of Fitness” and “Everyday Heroes.”
Rodrigo Garduño Interview
What mentality or skills as an athlete were you utilizing when you became an entrepreneur with 54D?
Rodrigo Garduño: I have been getting up every morning, committing long hours, and making sacrifices for a dream since I was a 6-year-old kid in Mexico City. Seeing that hard work turned my dream of becoming a professional soccer player into a reality was the basis for everything I have done in life.
I was taught that discipline is the most critical component when looking to accomplish anything in life through soccer. I wanted to create a program that uses discipline to set people on a path for success and happiness.
Behind 54D, there are decades of experience as a professional soccer player, personal training, motivational speaking, and as the author of several research studies.
The program combines everything I learned about keeping my body healthy and how to keep pushing forward mentally and emotionally even when faced with adversity.
The most important part was creating a program based on discipline, willpower, character, passion, and heart that helps people boost their self-esteem on a physical level, making them feel like they can accomplish anything they set their mind to.
I can give people the tools and knowledge on the importance of proper nutrition, workouts, and recovery training. Still, as an athlete, I know that the mental side and the commitment need to be there to achieve actual results.
We wanted to revolutionize a saturated health and wellness industry with a concept focused on two things from the get-go. First, training not only the body but also the mind. Second, on results.
What sets 54D apart from other similar fitness platforms?
Rodrigo Garduño: First off, We are not a gym. We are a human transformation program. We demand nothing less than 100% devotion from every person who comes through our doors and signs on the dotted line. If we show up every day and give it our all, we expect you to do the same. That way, we can all reach our highest potential together.
The program is divided into highly specialized areas: physical training, custom nutrition, and recovery therapy. Physical training sessions involve high-intensity group training, including six daily workouts per week.
Our nutrition plans promote clean eating and zero alcohol consumption for the duration of the nine-week program. Following training sessions, top-of-the-line recovery therapy programs, including cryotherapy, are available in our studios to ensure the body properly recuperates to prevent injury and ensure maximum results.
We also have a strong community component in our studios and an online program that is crucial to success.
Inspiration was a much-needed asset during the pandemic lockdowns, and you were able to provide some of that through your daily workout streams. What motivated you to provide to the world through your platform?
Rodrigo Garduño: Initially, I did it to give the 54D clients that no longer could train with us in the physical studio an outlet to keep training. The goal was to help out people going through quarantine and adapting to a new life from one day to the other.
It was a scary time for everyone, and it would have been very easy to give in to unhealthy habits and get depressed. We wanted to give people a way to stay positive and dedicate some time to their well-being.
We never expected our classes to be so successful. We just wanted to help people get through a difficult time. We started with about 1,000 devices connected on the first days of live training and grew to have over 35,000 devices joining a live class and reaching over 150,000 views per day.
We are grateful to have had the opportunity to help so many people worldwide stay motivated and healthy during lockdowns both physically and, more importantly, mentally.
What’s next for you and 54D?
Rodrigo Garduño: My focus is on the expansion of the 54D brand. Our second US location just opened this fall in the Miami Design District, and we have three new studios planned for 2022, including New York and Los Angeles. We want to bring the in-person experience to new markets as the brand grows.
On the digital side, I’m focused on continuing to add new offerings to our online fitness program, 54D ON. We’ve had an amazing response to our online program since launching in the summer of 2020.
We had a high number of participants who signed up for the program repeatedly. We have now launched 54D ON Step 2, which provides a pipeline for graduates to continue their journey with more advanced training. We want to make sure that our online program is unlike anything else in the industry.
I’m pleased with how the program has been received and am excited to grow that platform.
Stay Social With Rodrigo Garduño
54d-on.com
Instagram @54d.us
Instagram @ro54D
Twitter @ro54D
Photography: Courtesy of 54D
About Rodrigo Garduño
Rodrigo Garduño, founder and creator of 54D, was born in Mexico City, México, in 1978. At the early age of 12, he was recruited for development as a professional soccer player. His journey as a professional soccer player gave Rodrigo a wide range of theory and practical knowledge of physical training and peak performance.
His natural public speaking, motivational, and life coaching skills make people enjoy his transformational power through fitness. Named by Apple, ‘one of the most important worldwide fitness brands’ and by NBC as the King of Fitness in the United States, he continues to create real change in the lives of anyone that experiences his innovative approach to health.
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