Learning About His Life-Long Passion

“Alright class, open your textbooks…” It’s a routine day at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Alex Kenny, 19, is sitting in a lecture learning about his life-long passion.

Kenny is studying Kinesiology, with a concentration in Weight Training & Conditioning, hoping to earn an Exercise Science degree in the next two years.

His interest in health and fitness has evolved since he was a child. “I got into working out because I genuinely liked the look of muscles. I remember being 5 years old, drawing pictures of muscles in a notebook and always wanting to look like that. It was just always something I aspired to look like and now I feel like I’m on a good path to looking like that.”

Kenny has been working out for a long time. He first started lifting weights when he was 12 years old, but wasn’t too serious about it.

His lack of self-discipline prevented him from seeing noticeable results until a few years later. By the time he was 16, he had changed his mindset for the better and had completely absorbed the culture surrounding lifting weights.

Although Kenny enjoys the aesthetic benefits of pumping iron, his goals reach far beyond a set of dumbbells. “My goals for fitness are a lot bigger than just for my body. I want to grow on social media and I want to motivate millions and millions of people to reach their goals, whether it’s fitness or life goals in general.”

Kenny’s social media presence includes his own YouTube channel, Alex Kenny. He hopes to educate and entertain people by sharing his personal experiences, workouts and cooking segments with his subscribers.

Recently, he traveled to Los Angeles to attend the LA Fit Expo. The event draws thousands of health and fitness enthusiasts from around the world.

Famous bodybuilders, social media celebrities and well-known health companies are in attendance. “It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever been a part of. I’ve been watching these guys and following their journeys for years and it was surreal to meet a lot of them. As you might imagine, a lot of them aren’t the most charismatic and are just there to promote their brand, but I met a lot of cool, down-to-earth people.”

Kenny also has people who look up to him, asking for his advice on how to get fit.

His response is simple. “Work hard, eat right and don’t buy supplements because they are a waste of money. The results will come. If you stay determined and disciplined, you will see the return on your investment.”

He said he plans to compete in a Men’s Physique competition in the next year or two.

Besides weightlifting, Kenny enjoys playing basketball and like most of us, will indulge in his guilty pleasure every now and then, eating M&Ms.