Filipino fitness entrepreneur, inventor to be in Philly Fitness Expo
JohnPaul Munar and his invention, the portable treadmill.
MOORESTOWN, New Jersey — Local trainer, entrepreneur, and inventor JohnPaul Munar will be among the featured fitness experts at FitExpo Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania Convention Center April 28-29.
Munar, owner of 90 Day Abs Personal Training in Southern, New Jersey, will be showcasing his revolutionary invention – Cardio by U — the lightest portable treadmill currently in production.
Munar’s journey to entrepreneurship began humbly in South Jersey. Born in Manila, Philippines to Luis and Heidi Munar, he immigrated with his the family to Moorestown, New Jersey in the early 1990s. Following high school, he worked for more than 10 years in the fitness industry at different gyms before opening his own personal training facility in Maple Shade in 2016.
With a decade of experience behind him, Munar recognized the difficulty of the average person owning fitness equipment at home, and set out to improve upon the traditional treadmill.
“Not everyone can always get to a gym and traditional fitness equipment often is large and bulky and not conducive to home use,” said Munar, whose goal was to innovate so that anyone could use the treadmill regardless of space limitations. “I also wanted to create a lighter treadmill that was well constructed, but was truly portable and could be folded up and be stored anywhere.
After doing extensive research and design work, Munar interviewed numerous design and engineering firms until contracting with Nectar, a Long Beach, California firm to develop the prototype and bring The U to market.
“It’s professionally and personally satisfying to see my dream become a reality,“ said Munar. “The U will change the way treadmills are used in households, offices and elsewhere across the country. I believe my innovative treadmill will elevate working out to whole an entirely new level and help people to become fit and stay healthy.”
Seeing his professional goals almost realized, Munar next has his sights set on setting up a non-profit organization—Stronger Than a Super Hero — for economically challenged families in the Philadelphia region with some of the profits from his invention.
“In my early adulthood, I struggled and I understand the fear of being homeless and lost in life,” he said. “I was able to find focus and succeed, and I want to give back.” He envisions a full-service family center to help families and individuals on their journey back to self-sufficiency.
For now, Munar is working diligently to bring his invention to market. He has attended fitness expos across as the country showcasing the prototype, and eliciting interest in the product. The Cardio by U treadmill will be available commercially this summer.
For more information, visit www.CARDIOBYU.COM.
For more information about The FitExpo Philadelphia, visit https://www.thefitexpo.com/ph.shtml.
