From playing Division One football to serving as a body double and training top celebrities and athletes, Manning Sumner has achieved nearly everything in the fitness world. Now the CEO of Legacy Gym and No Days Off, Sumner's journey began on the set of the 2003 film "Bad Boys II", starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.
Reflecting on his time as a body double, Sumner, 46, recalls the pivotal experience on the "Bad Boys II" set, even though he never met the stars. "All the stunt doubles and body doubles had their own area," Sumner explains. He remembers one significant scene that made the final cut. "Director Michael Bay came in, yelling, 'Your hands are the only thing people see on the movie screen. Don't mess it up.' It was a lot of pressure. I was lighting a fuse, I think."
Despite the intense moments, Sumner found the experience thrilling. "It was really fun. You leave thinking, 'I'm going to get another role and become a movie star.' But it didn't quite work out like that," he laughs, comparing his dreams to the plot of Ryan Gosling's movie "The Fall Guy".
Although his big-screen career ended with "Bad Boys II", Sumner's reputation as a trainer soared. He began traveling across the country, training professional athletes and celebrities. "I had the chance to train Scott Stapp, the former lead singer of Creed," Sumner recalls. "It was a unique experience. I spent a lot of time in the studio, helping with his nutrition and diet, and witnessing the rock star lifestyle."
After training in various facilities nationwide, Sumner decided to develop his own, better-equipped spaces to train everyone from athletes to regular gym-goers using his P.I.T. method, which brings together people from all walks of life. "You have to figure each person out," Sumner explains. "Not everyone has the same 'workout love language.'"
As his training facilities expanded, Sumner focused on his No Days Off brand, launching a canned water that eventually made its way into Kaseya Center, home of the Miami Heat basketball team. "Our cultures matched perfectly," Sumner says. "We pitched our idea to the Miami Heat with a cardboard cutout, and they loved it." Now, his water is the team's official brand, and Sumner has trained stars like Kevin Durant and James Harden.
Despite his busy schedule, Sumner prioritizes family time, recently welcoming his second child. "I get up at 4:00, work out, train a few people, then drive home to take my son to school," he says. "It's important to me to be the one taking him to school every day."
Sumner plans to expand his Legacy facilities nationwide and hopes to get his No Days Off water into the hands of as many people as possible. "It's a commitment to becoming your best self," Sumner says. "It's never too late to become a better version of yourself."
The Quran - Chapter Al-Waqi'ah : 01
When the Inevitable Event takes place,
