Getting physically fit was a turning point for Michael B. Jordan’s career and confidence Essence

Anyone familiar with Michael B. Jordan’s work knows that he doesn’t play games when it comes to his fitness regimen. Just Google the award-winning actor, who was crowned PEOPLE’s “Sexiest Man Alive” in 2020, and you’ll see a barrage of search results, highlighting the workouts and meal plans he’s followed to prepare.
roles like Black Panther and the I believe franchise, along with expert advice on how to get his impressive physique.

Earlier this year, Jordan partnered with Propel Fitness Water to inspire users in their workouts, with his face wearing the company’s first limited-edition water bottle to promote his latest film and fashion debut. direction. Creed III. And this summer, she’s teaming up with the beverage company once again on a campaign known as the Propel Your City Project, which supports organizations around
the country dedicated to addressing the barriers to accessing fitness and wellness within their communities.

With Jordan’s assistance, Propel selected four organizations in Atlanta (Atlanta Run Club), Detroit (The Trap Studio), Houston (BLK Beetles), and Los Angeles (WalkGood LA) to help them reach more potential fitness enthusiasts and continue to build communities through various forms of movement. Propel is planning to provide resources, such as training equipment for The Trap Studio, so they can expand their programming and
loan equipment to its members and provide a centralized studio space for WalkGood LA, a Black and Brown-led organization that hosts yoga, guided meditations, hikes, running events and other activities in Los Angeles.

As someone who played sports during his childhood in his hometown of Newark, New Jersey, Jordan says he was inspired to join the Propel Your City project because fitness is something everyone should have access to, no matter where they reside. .

Not all locations have the community centers, parks, and public access equipment they may need for service [their] goals, and I think that’s a big deal, Jordan tells ESSENCE. When you see schools shutting down their athletic programs and trying to cut organized sports and some programs, it’s a sad day. I can’t even imagine growing up and going to school and not having access to a basketball
court and some equipment.

Through the Propel Your City initiative, Jordan says she supports organizations that are doing the work in their communities by creating spaces where people can connect and feel seen, and by empowering others to reap the mental, emotional and physical benefits of movement just like fitness has influenced his own life. Fitness has always been an integral part of Jordan’s life, but it wasn’t until he was in his 20s that he really got into working out, he says.

I started to worry about the trajectory of my screen presence, and I think that encouraged me to want to physically transform and tap into the physical part of it, Jordan says, adding that she wanted to look good for scenes in her projects, like the soccer series Friday night lightswhen he would be instructed to take off his shirt during
practice scenes. Beyond just the physical benefits of the workout, though, which obviously paid off for Jordan, she says the fitness has also improved his mental well-being.

You start from the inside out. You feel better [and] you are training, you get more confidence. You are a little taller. Your clothes fit you a little better. You speak a little more with a sense of purpose and pride, she says, adding that she meditates regularly to keep her grounded. So I think just fitness and overall wellness play into so many different aspects of yourself and how you present yourself and how other people perceive you.

But since she found community through fitness and her sense of belonging within it, she helped Jordan get to where she is today. She hopes to help unlock that experience for other users through the Propel Your City project. Sometimes, if you leave it to yourself, you won’t get out of bed, he says, flashing the disarming megawatt smile he’s known for. You won’t show up, you’ll hit him
snooze button, but if you have someone else waiting for you, someone who will hold you accountable, or bypass like-minded people, it can be a game-changer. He has the same mindset when it comes to tackling roles and selecting projects for his production company, Outlier Society Productions. That’s why I love think tanks, she explains. A lot of the work I’m doing in my brain by myself, but when I hang out with my creative director and other people at my company and we feed off of each other, it’s so much more powerful.

He adds, So I think when you approach other people that they have a common goal of sacrifice, discipline, consistency [and] working hard, you want to work hard too.

For more information about the Propel Your City project, including the free classes available in Los Angeles, Detroit, Houston and Atlanta, as well as additional fitness organizations that will be supported by the brands’ efforts, visit www.PropelWater.com/Community. Athletes from across the country can enter via @PropelWater for a chance to win* $500 towards fitness memberships for either themselves or a friend, and learn more about free fitness classes available in select cities at www. PropelWater.com/Community.