Growing up, many of us bore the brunt of jokes and ridicule from our peers. For Cornelius George, he remembers his friends joking about his skinny stature, and being easily pushed around by his team mates. While it bothered him, Cornelius loved sports and continued to be active in basketball, volleyball, table tennis, cricket and even track and field . These jokes didn’t break Cornelius down but helped start his journey into fitness and develop his brand Dapper Fitness.
Early into his fitness journey, Cornelius went on like most of us to join a gym. Through developing a steady gym routine he was able to transform his body and build muscle through lifting weights. However, he became to realize that he felt weightlifting wasn’t ideal for him as he found he became to heavy for his frame. As life would have it, he stumbled upon a visiting couple working out performing bodyweight exercises only such as push ups, squats and using a skipping rope. Astonished by their physique and this approach, Cornelius was quickly sold into this form of exercise and began researching more and perfecting his form.
Cornelius shares more about his journey and his Dapper Fit Program in the interview below:
What is your definition of being dapper fit?
CG: Being dapper fit simply means achieving a physique that people are most comfortable with. It is a way to restore confidence to people. As the word dapper implies, I would love that people can have a ‘sexy’ and ‘neat’ physique.
What is your primary goal for dapper fitness? What is your vision?
CG: My primary goal is to create health awareness among people, especially the youth. It is important to be healthy. The healthier someone is, the more productive they become.
What challenges did you face whilst trying to accomplish your goals?
CG: In 2014, I had a stroke due to my enlarged heart which I had from a baby. I lost my memory, my ability to read, speak and write. I had to relearn everything as if I was a baby. The doctors said I would only regain my speech in a year and a half, but it happened in two months. I also lost weight and went from 190lbs to 160lbs. I had to rebuild my body again. I had to follow all my old routines to help with my memory. After all that hard work, I had another stroke where I lost my vision for a while after working out. These two events have really pushed me to watch what I eat very closely and how I work out. The amazing part of this is that it was all worth it. I say this because it was a setback for an amazing comeback. I get to tell my story and motivate other people.
Do you have any role models who have made you conceptualize who you have become?
CG: I try to take a little bit of everybody’s story and relate to it in order to help motivate me. However, there is one person who really stood out for me and that is Dr. Eric Thomas. I chose him because he has one of the most remarkable stories ever. He kept going and never quit despite his many adversities.
What can we expect from dapper fitness in the future?
CG: I am looking at community outreach especially to young people just like myself. If all goes according to my plans, then I hope to slowly expand.
To conclude are there any words of advice that you would want leave with our readers?
CG: Embrace your challenges because they make you stronger. Errors were meant to be made and they make us all better individuals. Remember proper nutrition is very important. Fitness is holistic. The inside is as important as the outside. You must put in the work. NO RISK, NO REWARD!!
