Brady Schwartz

Connect What fuels your passion for health and fitness?

Growing up, I was bullied and very insecure about my body. I was overweight and constantly compared myself to my friends, who all seemed confident and comfortable in their skin. I remember avoiding taking my shirt off at the pool and feeling embarrassed in situations where I shouldn’t have been. When I was 13, I started working out, not because I loved fitness, but because I wanted to change how I felt about myself. Over time, the gym became my outlet. It taught me discipline, gave me confidence

What’s your favorite way to train or stay fit?

Weightlifting is at the core of how I train. I lift six times a week and have tried a lot of different splits over the years, which has taught me patience and consistency. I also play lacrosse, do cardio, and spend time on yoga and mobility to stay balanced. Training is how I check in with myself. It clears my head, grounds me, and reminds me to take care of my body. The calm and confidence I feel after a workout carry into everything else I do.

What would you do with $20,000?

I want to start a program in the inner city of Chicago to help people who struggle day to day and don’t have access to gyms or healthy nutrition. Fitness helped me find confidence, structure, and a sense of purpose, and I want to give that feeling to others. The focus would be gym access, nutrition support, and real guidance. I want to train alongside people and build genuine connections. A portion would also go toward helping me pay for college next year as I continue growing this work.