Meet Ryan O’connor | Fitness Professional & Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ryan O’connor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ryan, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Hi everyone, I’m Ryan O’Connor.

I have dedicated my life to health and exercise science for the past 12 years, and in this time, I have read countless books, listened to hours of podcasts, and even sat down to read the latest exercise science research. Boring to most, but exciting for me (nerdy I know).

Over the years I came across a lot of evidence-based practitioners and influencers, but that’s because I was digging deep to find them. Most people only get the information on the surface and when I looked at these sources, I started to notice how much misinformation was being circulated in the fitness industry. A lot of this misinformation was to sell a product or program to benefit an individual, and this is wrong. People can be coerced more easily when it comes to losing weight or looking a certain way because it’s an integral part of our culture. The patterns I was seeing made me want to arm people to critically think about health and exercise and to be self-sufficient in their fitness journey.

It’s easy for something that is too good to be true to sound like fact if you don’t understand certain aspects of fitness and science. This is why I started Iron Oath Fitness. I wanted to help people get up-to-date information on how to build muscle, lose weight, and improve their overall quality of life. I wanted this information to be free of charge with the intent of giving that person the knowledge and confidence to make fitness and health decisions on their own. That is why I have a YouTube channel and Instagram account where I put out weekly content covering a wide-variety of fitness topics. All of these videos and posts will help you inside and outside the gym and the information is free. I truly am passionate how much exercise and nutrition can positively impact mental health, job performance, relationships, quality of life and so much more. If you are not currently exercising or eating a proper diet I guarantee starting either would change your life. If not now, when?

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have a bachelors degree in Sports Medicine and a Masters in Toxicology from Colorado State University. In terms of fitness certifications I am a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), and I also went to Medical school in Idaho for three years, but in the end decided this career path was not for me. However, in medical school I learned human anatomy and physiology at the highest level and I know this knowledge separates me from other fitness professionals.

I had to overcome many challenges to make it to this point of my career, and I learned a lot of lessons along the way. The most important one being: with hard work anything is possible. I know this is cliche, but when worded correctly the truth is never a cliche. I had to dig myself out of quite the hole academically to get accepted into medical school. I went from getting kicked out of a community college on academic probation, to graduating from CSU with Magna Cum Laude (GPA of 3.7-3.8). I can truly tell you that no matter what your past “tells you” you can outwork it. With enough grit and passion you can achieve your dreams and truly live your best life.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This question is easy, I would take them to Fort Collins, Colorado. Everyday we would start by getting coffee at Mugs right across from the oval at CSU. Its hands down the best coffee and the best views. After a little pick-me-up we would go workout at either the CSU recreation center or Revlutn gym and get a great lift in. Every good workout needs a proper post-workout meal and thats where the Chipolte off college ave comes into play. Chipotle started in Colorado, so this makes sense in my mind. Depending on the weather I would take them on a nice drive up the Poudre canyon and go on one of many scenic hikes up there. To cap it all off a night out in the “square” would be the finish to any great day in Foco.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I can trace back almost all of my success to how I was raised by my parents. Hard work and dedication were always core values for our family. I always had a sense that I could do anything I put my mind to. This attitude has been a staple in my journey towards starting Iron Oath Fitness, and I am so grateful for my parents and the values they instilled in me.

Website: https://www.ironoathfitness.com

Instagram: @iron.oath.fitness

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@IronOathFitness

Other: https://dashboard.rss.com/podcasts/toomuchincommon/