Name: Ehinomen “Hollywood Hino” Ehikhamenor
Profession: Personal Celebrity Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor
Age: 35
One Word That Describes You: Energetic
A Benin City original, Ehinomen Ehikhamenor, otherwise known as “Hollywood Hino,†was a professional pugilist with otherworldly talent and international prestige. Hino’s parents worked hard as professionals in Nigeria to give him and his six siblings a decent lifestyle. A move to the U.S., specifically New York City, was meant to give Hino and his family an advantage better than their homeland could provide.
[RELATED: BE Modern Man: Meet The Actor Jay Barnett]
As an avid lover of sports, Hino Ehikhamenor’s inspiration to join the notoriously competitive world of athletics stemmed from being immersed in sports since he was very young. “Soccer was my first love,†he admitted to BE Modern Man
exclusively. “I also played football and basketball in high school. But boxing was the biggest challenge for me and it stuck.†Getting his start at 17 after moving to Lefrak City, Queens, New York, Hino settled into the boxing life and used it to explore American culture. He quickly built a successful amateur career with one distinction – the New Jersey Golden Gloves. Through that achievement, Hino was invited to compete on the USA Boxing Team from 1998 to 2000.Boxing didn’t lose its luster for Hino, but his curiosity and love for all things electric caused him to gravitate to other opportunities. “I was offered a job at a gym and it was weird, at first, being on the other side of the pads,†Hino confessed. “I realized then
that I had a knack for teaching and motivating people, so it stuck.†Almost overnight, he became the go-to celebrity trainer to the stars. Working out the kinks for the likes of Carmelo and Lala Anthony, Kelly Rowland, and Angela Simmons. “I work every day to get better, and use each day as a learning experience and looking for ways to get better; learning how to use these new techniques and equipment to incorporate into my repertoire.â€In addition to his absolute love for boxing and being in the squared circle, this 35-year-old conditioned athlete enjoys tackling the endemic of unhealthy eating within the African American community. “Through hosting my ‘Hollywood Hino Training Camp,’ I am able to enlist my members in physical challenges that maintains their physical transition while allowing me to connect black men and women to nutritionists, dieticians, and also offer personal nutritional tips,†Hino says. By providing these tips for free or at low cost, Hino and his nutritionist, Vanessa Cunningham, are ensuring that our black families remain vital, healthy, and well aware of the dangers of unhealthy dieting.
While exploring the new opportunities that being a celebrity trainer afforded him, Hino began modeling, acting, and promoting events in New York City. Armed with strong features and an engaging personality, Hino became one of the city’s top party commanders through the colorful event series called “First Fridays NYCâ€.
Hino offers millennials a bit of advice when it comes to cultivating a successful career: “It all begins with a successful career in real life before you try to build one online,†he
says. “I had built my program and reputation as a trainer before I ever put it on social media. You see me in real life teaching classes and training people, not just posting a bunch of selfies and inspirational quotes. ‘Likes’ mean nothing if they don’t translate into actual revenue, so hone your real skills, work on your craft, create a base, and then use social media as a marketing tool.â€Read the rest of Hino Ehikamenor’s story at BE Modern Man.