I don’t mean that I’m proud of the way I entered prison, and the life that was taken, but of how liberating and transformative fitness can be under any circumstances.

Robert L. Dixon Jr. and his wife Connie founded Ne Plus Ultra Fitness  (NPUF) in 2019. However, the passion for fitness has been cultivated many years prior, and NPUF is only a by-product of Robert and Connie’s dreams and things they want to achieve.

Robert was first introduced to fitness at a very young age. While most kids grew up idolizing their favorite baseball player or basketball player, at the age of 10 years old, Robert spent his time watching and following his favorite fitness icon Jack Lalanne and his German Shepard. Robert matched every pushup, every jumping jack, and every squat Jack was performing. This was the beginning of Robert’s passion for fitness.

However, when Robert became a teenager, his life took a turn. He began associating himself with the wrong crowds in his hometown of Oakland, California. He found himself getting into trouble at home and school and ended up in juvenile facilities.

Continuing down this downward spiral, in 1983 at the age of 19, Robert participated in a robbery/murder with his childhood friend. Although, Robert did not commit the murder or had any intent of anyone getting hurt that day, he was sentenced to life in prison.

It was finding himself hitting this rock bottom that he found his purpose in life. Also, his passion for fitness resurfaced.

While waiting in a holding cell to find out where he would be placed to serve out his life sentence, Robert heard loud clinging sounds coming from outside the tiny window. The moment he was released from the cell, Robert walked out into the recreational yard and directly to the direction where the sounds were coming from. The clinging sounds were the irons being dropped by inmates lifting weights in a small gravel pit called the "weight pile".  This area became the  catalyst to his survival and meaningful sense of purpose in life.

For the next few decades, Robert spent his time in prison devoted to fitness and bettering himself. He read everything he could on health and nutrition and enrolled into courses related to the subject. He applied everything he was learning into his lifestyle and developed a natural bodybuilding physique. He won many bodybuilding competitions in prison and was recognized in multiple fitness publications. (Muscle & Fitness 1997, Muscular Development 2008, and Flex Magazine 2008). His Love for fitness did not end there.

With his future of ever reentering society unknown, Robert wanted to be a positive role model and to lead by example. Robert wanted to spread his exhilarating experience of change to others in prison. He began facilitating health and nutritional classes to other inmates and staff. He helped recreation coaches set up sport events and competitions. Also, Robert mentored many inmates in his free time.

In 2019,  a judge found Robert not responsible for the life that was taken and resentenced  him to the lesser charge of robbery. He was released from prison where he spent the last 36 years.

Reentering society, Robert worked at local parks and museums around the Bay Area. Although, he enjoyed his work and service, deep down he knew his life work is around fitness and helping others.