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about stoyan yanakiev
“I believe in dreams, and my dream is to inspire people to be bold, to want more, to dream big, and to always strive to be better in every realm. And I want to give them hope that anything is possible, if you truly want it and never stop fighting for it!”
HIGHLIGHTS
ISSA Certified
8+ years of training and coaching experience
Unique background and experience as a trainer in some of the top gyms in Bulgaria, and the USA, to bring you an extraordinary combination of Eastern European and Western culture and training philosophy
Holistic approach aimed to optimize every aspect of your health and fitness
​Extensive knowledge in Physical Therapy, injury prevention and rehabilitation, specializing in back pain and knee pain
Unmatched passion and unrelenting drive to continuously improve and expand skills and expertise
MY STORY
“Dreams save us. Dreams lift us up and transform us into something better.” I’ve always been a big dreamer, ever since I can remember, I’ve been fantasizing about doing something special, about leading an extraordinary life. But growing up in the poorest country in Europe, at the end of the communist regime, having dreams was a luxury.
I was born and raised as a military brat in a very masculine country, surrounded by many examples of real, strong men, my father being one of the best of them. He was a major in the military, commander of one of the most powerful reactive artillery divisions in Eastern Europe, and my idol. Add to that growing up during the biggest action hero era, a time when masculinity and physicality were celebrated, as well as being a huge superhero fan, from an early age I was drawn to big and strong, larger-than-life male figures. I was inspired and determined to pursue physical and mental strength and excellence, so I can become like my idols.
Ironically, it seemed that the universe had a twisted sense of humor because I was a very puny and frail child, easily injured, getting sick all the time, late to develop in many areas. I was always one of the shortest, smallest and weakest kids. My classmates were beating me in every test in Physical Education class. I would also occasionally get picked on and bullied at school. All of this further helped create a profound, unyielding passion for health and physical supremacy. It made me gravitate even more towards the superheroes and action heroes, and look up to them. I was determined to become like my idols, to find a way to get big, strong, and healthy, so I can help and protect the weak and helpless. It ignited a fire and woke up something deep inside of me that would, ultimately, change me forever, and set me on the path I am today.
But I didn’t know what to do, or how to do it. My entire life, everyone around me has been telling me that chasing dreams is pointless and stupid, that I don’t stand a chance, that I’m not special and I’ll never make it, that I should just “settle” for a “normal” life. But I’ve never been interested in having a “normal” life. I’ve never wanted to be ordinary, to be like everyone else, to fit in. Ever since I can remember, I’ve always dreamed of being unique, of having an incredible, unbelievable life, a life like in the movies. Still, for a long time, I listened and believed everyone else. I was afraid of taking a risk, afraid of failing and disappointing my parents and myself, I didn’t have enough confidence and self-belief, I didn’t see any other option. I wasted so many years wandering about, feeling lost, demotivated and discouraged because I didn’t know what to do with my life. I lacked something essential – purpose… Until one thing changed all of that.
One thing transformed my life entirely, and that thing is fitness. I fell in love with training from the moment I stepped into a gym for the first time. The pump, experiencing the thrill of lifting and conquering a heavy weight, setting a personal record, seeing your body transform, growing bigger, stronger and more confident – it was the closest I’ve ever felt to being a superhero. I was instantly addicted, and I loved every bit of it!
Gradually, I got immersed deeper and deeper into the fitness world, learning and loving every aspect of it, thinking about it every second of the time. My love for health and fitness slowly grew until, eventually, it consumed my entire existence. The passion burning inside of me was so strong, that all the doubts, fears, and insecurities, nothing mattered anymore. All I knew was that I couldn’t go on like this. There’s nothing worse that the bitter taste of regret, of spending a lifetime wondering what could have been, if you weren’t just too afraid to even try. And I’ll be damned if I didn’t at least try and fight for my dreams! I finally realized that fitness was the answer, the calling I’ve been looking for all along, that I couldn’t imagine doing anything else, and decided to devote my life to my greatest passion, the thing I love the most – the world of health and fitness.
When people hear "fitness" they often associate it with vanity, superficiality, even narcissism. But to me, it is so much more than just appearance. It’s a mentality, a philosophy, a way of life! Aside from all the well-known and scientifically proven physical and health benefits, fitness has boosted my confidence and self-esteem; it has strengthened my will and spirit; helped me build character; helped me learn how to better control and channel my thoughts and emotions, and use them to my advantage; it has improved my work ethic and work capacity; taught me discipline, dedication, and perseverance. Through fitness I learned to never make excuses, to have ruthless self-accountability; it has taught me patience, delayed gratification, and the incredible fulfilment and satisfaction of achieving something that took a tremendous amount of time, effort, consistency and discipline. Ultimately, fitness has changed my worldview and helped me grow as a person, in every way, more than I could ever imagine. Last but not least, it has finally provided me with a purpose – to explore and exceed my perceived physical and mental limits, and help others do the same. In fitness I have found my greatest passion, my biggest love, and an infinite source of motivation and inspiration.
It is this unyielding passion, this innate, unrelenting drive and unwavering determination to pursue both physical and mental excellence, and to constantly improve in every realm of human existence, that led me to Los Angeles, the Mecca of fitness and bodybuilding – to grow, to further expand my expertise, and to help, educate and inspire as many people as possible. Throughout my fitness journey, I’ve never had a teacher, coach, or a mentor. I had to learn everything the hard way – on my own, through a lot of trial and error, experimenting on myself and making many mistakes. This cost me a lot of time and a lot of injuries, but it also helped me gain invaluable experience and sparked a profound interest in physical therapy. And for years now, I’ve been using my special skill set, versatile expertise, and unique background to provide people with a one-of-a-kind holistic approach, and help them transform their health, their fitness and, ultimately, their life.
My mission is to help people overcome pain and injuries the way no one was able to help me. To show them that they don’t have to spend the rest of their lives suffering, that whatever injury they have is not a life sentence. To offer them hope and guidance, because I know what it’s like to have none. And to inspire them to embrace fitness as the single most powerful tool to take charge of your health, realize your full potential, become the best version of yourself, and create the life of your dreams!
stoyan yanakiev