54D challenges its clients to push the limits. Omar Yunes takes this literally.
The fitness brand is committed to “human transformation,” believing that exercise produces more than just physical results. Since its inception in 2012, 54D has operated under the mantra of “defeat your limits.” This is a rallying cry for its clients. It’s a call to break down the mental and emotional barriers that stand in their way. Yet Omar Yunes is most interested in moving across real boundaries.
The CEO’s mission is simple. Omar Yunes aims to ensure everyone has access to the 54D experience. In this way, he wants to transform 54D into a global movement.
And, in many ways, he’s already succeeded. In 2020, Omar Yunes launched the company’s online platform. 54D ON extends the global reach of the fitness brand, offering a similar nine-week system. Although this seems like a logical next step in Omar Yunes’ desire for expansion, the app was a byproduct of the pandemic. Stuck at home like everyone else, 54D founder Rodrigo Garduño started live-streaming his workouts for free on various social media outlets. These quickly went viral, filling a void for people who lacked motivation. He tapped into something that resonated with an isolated, reeling world population. Omar Yunes helped bottle this magic in hopes of sharing it with even more people. Now, 54D ON serves more than 75 countries worldwide.
Yet the heart of 54D lies in its community. The fitness brand has connected into a social truth: accountability yields better results. Individuals who participate will rise (and fall) together. Where other gyms profit from collecting membership from people who rarely show up, 54D breaks the mold. When you sign up for their program, you’re all-in. There’s no substitute for this camaraderie. For this reason, Omar Yunes isn’t focused only on online. He’s set on expanding the brand’s brick-and-mortar locations too. After starting its first location in Mexico City, 54D has since added gyms in Miami, Mexico, and Columbia. But they aren’t finished yet. Omar Yunes is spearheading four more physical locations set to open in 2022, including New York City and Los Angeles.
For Omar Yunes, this is personal. He first came to 54D as a customer. Having lived most of his life in Mexico City, he joined the gym after struggling to achieve his training goals elsewhere. After moving to Miami, he called Rodrigo Garduño with a proposal: open an auxiliary location in Miami. This led to him becoming the CEO in 2019, helping welcome 54D into the U.S. market.
Like many others, Omar Yunes experienced the power of 54D firsthand. It’s not about revolutionary new exercises. 54D hasn’t invented any proprietary fitness regime. It’s not about moves. It’s about mentality. 54D is built a brand on intangibles. They’ve created a culture of grit and unwavering intensity. This is not a fact that’s lost on Omar Yunes. As he continues to set his sights on global domination and disruption of the fitness industry, he maintains this unique, people-first approach.
“We don’t want just to train people, we want them to feel better about themselves,” he told Authority Magazine in a 2020 interview.
