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Meet Jacob Tullos of Be Epic Athletics

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Tullos.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Jacob. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
It all started back when I was a kid in elementary/high school. I always wanted to fit in and be one of the cool kids, so I started to get into sports inside and outside of school.

From playing basketball, baseball, hockey, and soccer throughout my entire high school career. Even though I played sports and tried to be active I was the heavy/bigger kid.

When I finally graduated my time in sports ended, I started to party more and do the typical college life, going out regularly and fell into drugs and hanging out with the wrong crowd.

This path eventually led me to deal drugs, after a very scary incident and having my life threatened many times. I eventually got out and started to get back into working out. I started doing what most do, going into the gym without any idea what I was doing. It wasn’t until about 2010 that I found my first CrossFit box and what inevitably turned my life around.

In 2014, I and my now fiance moved to Phoenix to help out my grandparents and to have a change in our lives. I was moving up the ranks in a restaurant but felt like I could do more, I started to study to become a trainer. In 2015, I started training and coaching CrossFit classes in my spare time. I was about 265lbs and knew I needed to improve my health and weight if I wanted to help others, so I found a nutritionist through my weightlifting coach.

I ended up losing over 70lbs. It was then that I realized I wanted to help others improve their life. After this point, I started to study nutrition and coach more. In 2016, I put in my two weeks and took to coaching and helping others full time. After two years of coaching in other boxes and doing Personal Training, I decided it was time to fulfill my dream of owning my own gym to help people more.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road. From going from making over 50k a year working in restaurants to now bringing home about 15k a year to coach was a rough lifestyle change. From working 10-12 hr days to working 16-18 hour days. Not having enough money to pay bills, working odd and end jobs, selling many of my possessions.

Sleepless stressful nights, depression, lack of my own training. Putting my fitness goals to the wayside to focus on growing a business that helps others physically, emotionally, mentally. Since taking on this journey, it has been a battle. It continues to be a struggle daily, but it isn’t a struggle I would change.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Be Epic Athletics – what should we know?
I am the owner of Be Epic Athletics, we are a results-driven fitness center. We focus on teaching our clients how to control their own health and fitness. To give them the power to change, to become the version of themselves they know they can become.

We use CrossFit as our fitness program while focusing on nutrition and the mental side of health. We feel that to truly be successful, one needs to change things they do. They need to develop better habits and relationships with food and themselves.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I’ve had many coaches and mentors over the years that have helped and guided me to become who I am. I owe a huge amount of where I am and why I do what I do to CrossFit Black Box in Tallahassee, Florida.

This was my first CrossFit box and truly set a high bar in my life to strive to become better.

Jon North my weightlifting coach for many years, because of his relentless attitude and because he showed me that to love your life you sometimes need to change where you are.

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