Who am I

I come from humble beginnings. My family is from the small town of Madrid in Colima, Mexico, where violence, corruption, and poverty are part of daily life. My parents didn’t have the privilege of finishing high school. By middle school, they were already working to support their families.

When my father passed away when I was one, my mother stepped up as both mother and father to raise my sister and me. We lived in a one-bedroom house for 14 years with five other family members. I slept on the couch or the floor because the bed was always too crowded. Despite her sacrifices, my mother couldn’t teach me textbook knowledge—what she gave me was the wisdom and resilience born from struggle.

During middle school, I fell into a severe depression that lasted two years. I had uncontrollable thoughts of harming myself and my family, and at my lowest point, I wanted to isolate myself to protect them from my inner struggles. In the trailer parks where I played with friends, I saw alcohol, drugs, and crime daily. I idolized those I thought were powerful and cool, even as they destroyed themselves. That mindset pulled me into heavy drinking, drug use, and ultimately, to sitting in my bathroom with a gallon of bleach, ready to give up.

But I didn’t. I was lucky to have people who believed in me when I couldn’t believe in myself. They pushed me to finish school, go to college, and see my potential when I couldn’t.

On my 24th birthday, I had a moment of clarity. Hungover and exhausted, I realized I was done letting my past control my future. I made a decision: I would stop using my pain and struggles as an excuse and start using them as fuel. I needed to master self-belief.

Fitness became my way out—and my way forward. Over the last 10 years, I’ve evolved in my journey, starting with CrossFit, transitioning to bodybuilding, and now focusing on functional bodybuilding. This approach emphasizes strength, balance, and creating a sustainable lifestyle that empowers people to live long, fulfilling lives. Fitness gave me discipline, purpose, and a way to channel my struggles into something greater.

I created IBLV to inspire others to believe in themselves. It’s not just a name; it’s a movement. I know what it’s like to feel stuck, ashamed, and like the odds are stacked against you. But I also know the power of resilience, the importance of self-belief, and the transformation that happens when you refuse to give up.

Through my online fitness programs, I’m here to guide others on their journey to uncover their best selves—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. My struggles have shaped who I am, and they allow me to understand and connect with people from all walks of life.

Statistically, I wasn’t supposed to succeed. But I did. My culture, my family, my pain, and my failures didn’t break me—they made me stronger. Like Tupac’s poem The Rose That Grew from Concrete, I’m here to prove that even against the odds, beauty and strength can rise from the toughest conditions. Through IBLV, I want to inspire others to believe in their own potential and grow their own roses from the concrete.