(drum music)
- This is Conbody, you in prison right now, let's go.
This ain't a beach, you ain't free yet, c'mon
run, run, like the po-po is coming.
You dyin' on me, don't sue me, sue Buzzfeed.
- This sucks, I'm tired, I'm trying to survive.
- [Coss] You over here praying?
God ain't gonna help you, let's go!
- Sit down!
(crowd counting)
- I am at California City State Prison.
- We're in the Mojave Desert so it's a serious desert.
- I rode in here last night and it was nothingness,
just desert and sand and sun.
I'm here to work out with inmates and get in shape.
Hopefully I get swole, hopefully I survive.
- I don't think it hit me that I was going to prison to
do all of this until we actually came to the prison.
- I've never been inside a prison before so this is all
pretty surreal to me like walking onto the yard, going
through those gates, seeing the barbed wires.
I always thought I would only see it in movies.
- Never been incarcerated.
I was in trouble with the law a lot when I was younger.
- As I was walking through the hallways I was a little
freaked out, I didn't know what to expect!
- The rules of the street are different than the rules
of prison and I'm a visitor.
- I'm gonna try to be respectful and aware of my
surroundings as possible.
(soft music)
I only know as much as I've seen through these windows
and what I can tell is it's going to be a struggle man
it's like boot camp.
I don't even think they rested at all!
- I wonder if I'll end up throwing up, passing out...
Oh, is he just chillin'?
I was gonna say, that's gonna be like me in a half hour.
- I'm just so nervous, ugh.
So each workout is an hour, hour and a half.
I haven't worked out in like two months, I just got
back from Vegas.
- Right now I am going to the gym twice a day.
I do really well with like short bursts of high intensity
interval training so I feel like I will do all right.
- I'm trying to act hard, I don't wanna be the guy that's
like slackin' on the ground, like I wanna be cool, I wanna
be like I can hang with these guys.
- They might be like "who the fuck are you guys" at first
because who the fuck are we?
It does feel a little like "I'm here to work out with you
with Buzzfeed!"
So a little bit I feel like a fuckin' asshole.
- As long as I don't suck the most I think I'll be okay
after this week. (laughs)
- [Coss] All right, we're gonna put your feet together
hands by your side, we're gonna start off with a regular
jumping jack, don't pass out yet!
Sideways, Rocco, let's go.
- The guy that's training us this week is Coss.
Coss is relentless.
- [Coss] Now on the count of ten, you're gonna
fuck up today.
- He's so understated when he's talking to you.
As soon as class gets started, like he's a psycho.
- [Coss] That's five laps Rocco, no it ain't don't cheat me!
You ain't do five laps.
- The ConBody workout is insanity times ten with a
prison kick into it.
Within five days of this workout they'll probably lose
like five to ten pounds.
It's all body weight.
I should have developed this whole routine in
my prison cell.
I started selling drugs on a milk crate and I grew it out
to a multi million dollar drug business and I was sentenced
to seven years in prison.
I came up with the idea of ConBody while I was in solitary
confinement and now have over 7000 clients.
One, two, three!
- God, anything bad I ever ate I regret it right now.
- [Coss] You ain't even gettin' low, you didn't even
get low.
- I'm just trying to survive with my breathing.
- [Coss] Let's go, all the way back, all the way back,
they waitin' for you.
- My arms just can't do it, like, this is non-stop.
- Bring it back, c'mon, c'mon let's go, all the way back,
all the way back, let's go, push it, push it.
It's almost over, it's almost over, one lap.
Give him a hand, give him a hand, let's go. (applause)
Last one hop it, buddy, let's go.
- When he's done with his workout sessions,
they don't wanna let him go.
Here's somebody who came from where they came from
who's gone out and became successful.
He gives them hope.
- It was pretty good, they were really receptive,
most of them are pretty fit.
Rocco is tougher than what I thought but Eli, man.
He almost passed out.
- I was in that situation before at one of the gyms
I worked at and I was dead last again that time.
Once again I was by myself, the coach was pinpointing me
like telling me push it, push it, push it, and I didn't get
nearly the amount of support I got at my gym that I got
with these guys.
- I feel like they just build a camaraderie
when they work out, like breaking
that barrier or breaking that stereotype between different
races and gangs and bringing them together.
- I didn't expect to be so welcomed, no judgement,
no one's sizing anyone up just total encouragement and I've
never been in a workout environment like that before.
- They appreciate that they get outside people that want to
do something with them.
Imagine yourself like in a room by yourself and then you get
like a toy that comes in and you're like "Oh my god!"
you know, you feel like a little kid like people
actually care, that's what they appreciate.
- Wake up in the morning for day two and I'm not looking
forward to this.
We're going out into 100 degree great heat and I'm just
wanting to survive.
I'm nervous for the workout 'cuz I just wanna do well
but the anxiety that I had coming in about the people there
is totally gone and I'm excited to work out with these guys
and get to know them more.
- Hi, how you all doin'?
My name is Carl Robinson, but I'm currently incarcerated as
Dwayne Dixon.
I've been incarcerated for about 13 years.
I got my first job when I was 12 and it was kind of hard,
my family was very poor, I was supplementing that by
you know selling drugs and stealing out of stores.
As of right now my release date is in October of 2018.
I was on the run and using my friend's ID to get some
alcohol in the store and I got arrested when I got outside
but I had Dwayne Dixon's identification on me so that's
how I became Dwayne Dixon but my true name is
Carl Robinson.
- I don't know actually (laughter),
I haven't seen Dwayne since '96.
- it's almost six years right now for me
and I've got about four months left.
Had the opportunity to do whatever I really chose.
Next thing you know I'm getting charged with possession
of a bunch of cocaines!
- You don't see a whole lotta people come into the prison.
Being in the prison you think that them people on the street
well they're kind of soft, they can't do this stuff.
To see them get in and do it with us and well they're
really cool, they weren't afraid
and actually I'd say they kept up pretty good.
- Rocco, he's a machine, how much does he weigh?
- Eli did great too, he toughed it all the way out.
Some people quit and he didn't quit, that's the major thing.
- I took this time to really reflect on who I am.
It's helped me realize that I really need to do something
great with my life.
- Started really doing a lot of studying and going
within myself, took psychology, got in college.
I wanted to figure out what was going wrong with my way
of thinking and I figure, okay, if people go to school in
eight years and twelve years, I can use this as my
university and I can choose to do something more with
my life even though I'm behind the walls so that's
what I chose to do.
- There has to be some reason why you're here,
not just to commit crimes.
You're here for a purpose so you gotta start realizing
how you're gonna do good things for people.
- We're driving back from day two of working out.
Today was a little bit more difficult emotionally.
- Coming back to jail is always strange,
seeing the gates open is like, oh, shit,
like I don't need to be handcuffed
to walk through there anymore.
And the smells, the cleaning supplies that they use on
the floor, like that, just like brings back memories.
It's, uh, I guess, it's traumatizing in some sense.
- The effect of prison on a human being, it's a lot weighing
on a person, like you're away from your family, you're
away from your children, you're away from all the people
that love you.
It really strips you of your identity.
- You know this kind of shit but until you're like
in their environment and talking to people who are living
with the day to day reality of being, in my opinion,
unjustly locked away, I don't know, it's really a different
thing to have a conversation one-on-one.
- I almost don't want to get to know these guys anymore.
I almost, I'm scared as to how I'm gonna feel
and how frustrated I'm gonna be
learning about them even more.
You get excited for them because they have so many
big plans for when they get out.
- I currently have a business that, uh, LLC,
Fresh Out Ventures.
- I have this business I'm starting, it's called The Clink.
- But you know how hard it is for people that were in
the system to get any opportunity and it's just,
it makes you soooo, it just makes you just so angry,
it makes you just so frustrated.
- We're headed back to the prison for dinner
with the inmates.
- I'm a little nervous cuz
we're gonna be around more inmates
and we're not in our circle.
- And I feel a little nervous to be eating in the prison
cafeteria, that same kind of first day of school feeling.
Where the fuck am I gonna sit?
Are people going to be staring at us?
People will stare at us.
- People are gonna be like yeah,
who the hell are these assholes?
- Yeah.
- When I was on the streets I ate a lot of good food.
- Oh really?
- Yeah, like organic food and stuff.
- Really?
Yeah.
- You guys enjoy turnips?
- So we had our first dinner with the inmates.
The cheeseburger was delicious, I loved the cheeseburger,
I ate Rocco's cheeseburger!
I didn't really feel uncomfortable, you know we sat down
with Frank and Carl and just had a great conversation.
- You think when you eat amongst criminals, you're thinking
there'll be a lot of stabs, a lot of robbery,
a lot of violence but it's not.
13 and a half years and I've never been in a fight.
- I've seen more men cry in these places than I've ever
imagined, this is super tough.
I've seen tears come out some of the people that I would
never have guessed.
- Yeah, we talked about everything, we talked about issues,
we talked about art, we talked about music, we talked
about the system, we talked about food.
- I've read over probably in this time, well over 300 books.
- So you guys have no access to like social media at all.
- Nooooo.
- Like just the phone calls.
- I'll be looking forward to my first selfie.
(laughter)
I dream about putting on clothes that don't match
everyone else's.
I have dreams where okay I'm picking out my pants, I'm
picking out my shoes.
- I haven't had that great of a stimulating
conversation in a really long time.
They still have this humanistic, positive approach to life
and I...it's just inspiring.
- A lot of times we feel so alone,
like it's just me that's going through this
but I want to let them know you're not by yourself,
you know what I'm saying, I've been there
and here's where I am now and you can be there too.
- These are two people who have been locked up for years.
It scares me how little America knows about the system and
who these people are.
(soft music)
- Frank is no longer allowed to interview
due to political reasons.
Unfortunately, when we come into the system,
we get classified based upon your race.
Certain race groups don't feel
like they should be interviewing.
You have some people that impose policy
on other people who are willing to get violent and you know,
he's fixing to go home soon,
so you know he don't wanna 'cause any waves.
In our class everyone represents a planet
and Frank represents the sun,
that bright light that shines on you and
keeps you going with energy so that's Frank.
- This experience is becoming more emotionally taxing
than physically taxing.
I was a little worried about the workouts
but it's not the most difficult aspect.
I'd say the most difficult part is getting to know
these guys and hearing their stories
and just realize that this
easily could have been my experience.
It's just a lot of luck and circumstance that kept me
out of this level of trouble.
It just makes me feel helpless,
incredibly like heartbreaking too,
particularly like Ping's story
is really like striking something in me.
- So my name's Ping, um, I'm 32.
I grew up right here in L.A. in the suburbs, you know
normal life, never been in trouble in my life,
never had a juvie record,
never had any run-ins with the cops.
And one day I made a mistake that cost me 13 years,
conspiracy to commit robbery.
Everybody has these stereotypes
that like all these guys that end up in here,
they're criminals, they're drug dealers,
I mean, I went to private schools
and I lived in a good neighborhood
like nobody I knew was in gangs or drugs.
I'm like, I get it, like, we're doing stuff
that we're not supposed to be doing but you know,
for something that never played out
they added ten years on my sentence for talking about a gun.
- So you didn't even commit a crime?
- Exactly.
Personally, I feel like you get young kids in here,
I was nineteen, I was twenty,
and for one mistake you get screwed
and I don't get out until I'm 33
and it's like all the years where you're
building your life, you're getting your education,
what chances do you have when you get out?
You know, I get out in six and a half months
and I mean, I'm terrified.
I always liked challenging myself and trying to you know,
get better, you know set the bar a little higher each time
so I'd love to get involved with ConBody and Coss.
- I would train with him for sure.
I would let him set the pace and then I would just keep up.
- I'm scared to be next to Ping but I'm also very excited.
- [Rocco] I'm motivated.
- Because he's gonna be like top top, on his game,
so focused, and he knows I'm like psyching out
when he encourages me to keep going.
What's the first thing you're gonna do when
you get out, dude?
Have you thought about the first thing?
- As soon as I get home I'm stripping my shirt off
and jumping into that swimming pool. (laughter)
Can't wait to jump in the swimming pool
and get some McDonald's hash browns.
I can't wait to get out there
and just stand out on that street corner and
just take a deep breath and just look around
and not see chain link fences and barbed wire
like somewhere in my vision.
- This entire experience, I know it sounds cliche,
but it makes me feel tremendously grateful
for the freedom that I do have.
- We complain about these really just dumb things
like about work or family or life or whatever
but at least we're able to go outside
and get some hash browns. (laughs)
(urban beat music)
- Eli and Rocco is, um, they working through it.
- I feel weak and tired, if I were at home
I would definitely would not be working out today.
It feels almost on the verge of unsafe.
- That's right.
- I don't think I'm gonna finish.
It's really frustrating, I don't know what.
I'm so fucking behind, I feel like total shit.
I just feel terrible.
I knew no one was going to judge me but I just didn't
want to waste their time and I just got psyched out.
I felt so bad because these guys just want to talk to you
after you're done working out and I was just so pissed off
at myself so, like, ashamed.
- Just feeling like emotionally drained and overwhelmed.
I'm feeling like we live with an incredibly broken system
and that we're just basically sacrificing people's lives
instead of giving them a second chance.
- I'm learning so much about myself and I'm realizing I'm
just really hard on myself and a little too much in
my head sometimes.
This trip has changed me, opened me up, made me more aware
about not only the system and human beings and people
and hope, but my health and my well being.
- Last day, final day, full body,
that's how I feel about it.
(clapping and crowd talking)
(cheers and applause)
- So it's over and these guys did the time
and they killed it.
They went and pushed through it, they applaud each other,
they worked as a team, these guys are straight brotherhood.
- The workout just brought us together, like you're going
through something together and that brings out the best or
worst in people and all I saw was just the best.
- A lot of people were very skeptical until they actually
seen Coss, for him to come in and help us out, they feel
like they have a future ahead of them now and so I think
there's a lot more hope.
- I can't even put it in words like being dead last and
like struggling and like doing all that and people that went
through so much shit and still like caring about you and
like, it's uh, they're just strangers, it's really, uh,
yeah, it's rare even in every day life.
- It, um, it's just real.
It's a dream that I pictured and it became a reality.
They're really hungry and it pushes me to the next level to
like, now I've gotta fix a bigger problem and it's gonna
really inspire not only, help myself and my family,
but help thousands of guys in here
and create a huge movement.
- This experience has been just intense,
physically and emotionally.
I don't think that I can translate the impact with language.
- I don't know how to say goodbye to these guys.
Words cannot express what it felt getting to know them and
what they did for me so it's hard to say goodbye.
- Seeing all this shit makes you feel helpless too cuz like
what can one person do?
Then you see someone like Coss who's been through this shit
and comes back and who does have an impact.
- This week, um, you guys gave us our humanity back.
When all this happens it's like you go to court and they
strip you down to your charges,
you're just a list of charges on a sheet of paper
and you go to the county jail
and you become a number on a tag and they...I'm sorry
and they move you around like inventory,
you know, you're like cattle.
You come to prison and you become another number,
you stay in a cell, you stay in a room,
you stay in a dayroom until they let you out.
And it gets in your head, you feel like you're nothing.
And for all you guys to come in here
and you just be cool with us,
it's like you guys gave us our humanity back.
I feel human again, I feel like, I feel normal, you know so.
(light techno music)
- Here's your rehabilitated men this on behalf of the men
in this room who are trying to rehabilitate themselves
and for myself I like to ask society for forgiveness.
- Well what would I say to the guys
if they're all watching this.
I mean you opened my eyes, you opened my heart,
you opened my soul, I care about you guys.
I hope you guys get everything you want out of life.
- And we also give forgiveness
to those that have hurt us along the way.
And we put all those things behind us,
everything is a clean slate.
- Thank you for letting me in your space,
thank you for being welcoming,
thank you for letting me work out with you
and thank you for changing my life.
- A lot of us here are leaders and we can help
those next group of young men
and young women not to get to these stoops.
- What I suggest is to not give up.
It's easy to say but it's harder to do.
- And we're not coming back here.
This is the last time you're gonna see us
in this environment, you know what I'm saying?
Therefore, you know what I'm saying, therefore...
(applause and soft music)
♫ Rocco will rap with me
♫ Hey hey say we got what you need,
♫ ConBody yup yup doing time
♫ Rockin' our cause, yeah, doin' fine
♫ Everybody, everybody, what what what
♫ Everybody, everybody what what what
♫ Got get it now, got get it now whoa speed.
(laughter)