On any given day inside Barry’s in Austin, Texas, expect to find trainer Phillip Solomon preparing to step onto the mic with a message that has nothing to do with your exercise performance: “You belong here.” For Solomon, it’s a recurring theme that’s shaped his life, stemming from years of being one of the only Black individuals in the room. In the fitness industry, especially, where roughly 7 percent of trainers are Black, Solomon’s goal is to make everyone entering his classes feel seen, heard, and represented.
“I remember two things from my late teens: Tae Bo and Insanity, because Shaun T and Billy Blanks were all we had,” he told Men’s Journal in an exclusive interview. “Those were the first big fitness icons I saw that looked like me. So if I can convince one person to even step in the room, just because they know that they’re gonna be seen, heard, and acknowledged, I’ve done my job.”
Before fitness, he was a middle school English teacher, running clubs and mentoring students in a predominantly white district. In 2024, he also appeared on the reality TV competition Deal or No Deal Island, quickly becoming a fan favorite. Today, as one of Barry’s first Black instructors, he’s known for his infectious energy and the atmosphere he creates in the Red Room.
Solomon’s Fitness Journey
Born in Brooklyn to Caribbean parents, Solomon is a first-generation American who spent his earliest years surrounded by the culture of the city. In elementary school, his family relocated to suburban New Jersey, where he suddenly found himself in a mostly white community. Out of roughly 800 students in his graduating class, he recalls being one of only five of color…