By: Verdel Jones
Life can be a hard fight, especially in Black and Brown communities, where the hits come from every direction—systemic barriers, generational challenges, and the day-to-day grind of simply staying afloat. Elliot Allen knows this all too well. Founder of the Mental Conditioning Movement® and known as the “Mental Conditioning Trainer,” Allen is on a mission to help people build mental strength that endures and overcomes.
Through his Movement, Allen brings his experience as a computer engineer, a business owner, and an NYPD detective to the ring, so to speak. He’s used this rich blend of experiences to create a powerful mindset training approach rooted in four key principles: Self-Evaluation, Decision-Making, Big Picture Thinking, and Staying the Course. These aren’t just catchphrases—they’re tools he’s used himself and seen benefit others, tools he believes are essential for anyone facing the unique pressures in Black and Brown communities.
From Surviving to Thriving: A New Way of Conditioning the Mind
Photo Courtesy: NetStruc Media
Allen’s movement isn’t just about acknowledging the mental health conversation that’s now (finally) taking shape. It’s about giving people the power to transform thinking, reacting, and living. He explains, “Our communities have faced all kinds of challenges, physical and otherwise. But our mindset must be strong at the next level to push forward.”
Elliot’s training blends mental toughness with the discipline of boxing—a sport that mirrors life’s battles in many ways. For him, conditioning the mind is about learning to take the hits without letting them knock you out. In his newly released book, 12 Rounds of Mental Conditioning: Us vs. Life, The Big Fight, Allen dives into the boxing analogy, using it to help readers see that every round in the ring has a lesson. “Boxing is the rawest form of life to me,” he says. “It’s not just about strength, but endurance, strategy, and most importantly, mindset.”
A Space to Build Mental Strength: The Mental Conditioning Gym
Allen’s Mental Conditioning Gym, located in Long Island, NY, provides clients a place to work on their inner resilience. Designed to look like a boxing ring, it’s a space for “mental sparring,” where people come to talk through real challenges they face at home, on the job, and within themselves. One of Allen’s clients, a young woman studying to be a physician’s assistant, struggled with a crucial exam. By shifting her mindset with Allen’s training, she was able to move past her mental blocks and pass. “Sometimes it’s not about working harder, but building the focus and resilience to see it through,” he says.
Allen doesn’t shy away from the fact that these struggles can be particularly intense in Black and Brown communities. He’s seen how systemic pressures weigh heavily, making it easy to feel beaten down. But he stresses that our resilience is also our superpower. “We’ve made strides, but our mental strength is the next frontier. We’ve got to be prepared, mentally, to go toe-to-toe with life’s toughest challenges.”
A Guide to Self-Mastery: Allen’s Four Principles
At the core of the Mental Conditioning Movement® are Allen’s four principles: Self-Evaluation, Decision-Making, Big-Picture Thinking, and Staying the Course. Each principle is a step in mastering oneself, which is critical for anyone dealing with systemic injustices or just navigating the day-to-day.
- Self-Evaluation: This is where it starts, and it’s often the hardest. “You’ve got to be real about where you are and where you want to go. Without that honesty, you can’t grow,” Allen says.
- Decision-Making: In communities where options sometimes feel limited, decision-making can be about survival. Allen trains people to make intentional choices, helping them see that every decision counts.
- Big Picture Thinking: Many of us have been told what we can’t do. Allen’s training flips this narrative, helping people define their goals. He explains, “When you see the big picture, you’re less likely to get thrown off by life’s everyday hits.”
- Staying the Course: Life will test you repeatedly, and Allen focuses on resilience. “When things get tough, you hold your ground,” he emphasizes. “Don’t let one setback undo all your progress.”
These principles are woven into his book, where each chapter, or “round,” builds on the next, teaching readers how to think critically, stay resilient, and keep moving forward—even when life doesn’t ease up.
A Movement for Our Community
Allen knows that mental conditioning isn’t just personal—it’s generational. He’s committed to Black and Brown communities, where he believes mental conditioning can help us break cycles, build legacies, and reclaim our narratives. He’s worked with community groups, schools, and everyday folks, helping them see that with the right mindset, change is possible.
Allen’s book, the Mental Conditioning Movement® and the Mental Conditioning Gym, is just the beginning. He’s planning to train at Muhammad Ali’s historic gym, a host of workshops for men, couples, athletes, students, frontline workers, and more—a space with its legacy of resilience and strength. “Ali’s story is a powerful example of mental conditioning at its finest,” Allen says. “He was a man who stood firm in his beliefs, no matter what. That’s the kind of strength I want to help people build.”
For Readers Ready to Step into the Ring
Photo Courtesy: Muhammad Asif / Elliot Allen
Allen’s book, 12 Rounds of Mental Conditioning: Us vs Life: The Big Fight, doesn’t just tell readers what to do; it shows them. His stories, strategies, and insights are designed to be relatable, especially for readers from Black and Brown backgrounds. For those who think they “have it all together,” Allen warns, “Life has a way of testing us all. It’s better to be prepared than to think you’re immune.” His favorite chapter, or “round,” is titled Learning During the Fight, where he breaks down how every life challenge, like every round in boxing, has something to teach us. He uses Muhammad Ali’s legendary 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” with George Foreman as an example of adapting under pressure.
“Foreman came in young, hungry, ready to knock Ali out,” Allen recounts. “But Ali had the mental conditioning to see the long game. He knew when to adjust, take a hit, and ultimately, how to win.” Allen wants readers to cultivate this mental sharpness for their own lives.
Looking Forward
Photo Courtesy: NetStruc Media
Elliot Allen is just getting started. He’s driven to help more people understand their power, build resilience, and face life’s toughest rounds without backing down. Through his Mental Conditioning Movement® and his book, he’s providing a blueprint for growth and showing Black and Brown communities that we have what it takes to win in life—not just to survive but to thrive.
Ready to get in the ring with life? Learn more about Elliot Allen and the Mental Conditioning Movement®at www.mentalconditioningmovement.com.
You can find 12 Rounds of Mental Conditioning: Us vs. Life, The Big Fight on Amazon. Join the movement, train your mind, and remember—this fight isn’t about going down; it’s about getting stronger each time.
Published By: Aize Perez
