Hi, I'm Akiko.
I help women bring out their INNER warrior so that they can be courageous, resilient, and strong. My work is holistic, focusing on the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of women's lives to create balance, peace & joy. I help my clients reconnect with their destiny - who they were born to BE.
Who is that girl?
A Little BIO
I was born and raised in Hayama, Japan. I moved to Canada in the late ‘80s for college and had a successful corporate career in Vancouver, BC in the building industry. I moved to Olympia, WA in 2004 to continue my career. However, due to the recession in 2008, I lost my job. That was the turning point of shifting my career to the fitness industry as a personal trainer / group fitness instructor something I was always passionate about for my whole life.
Growing up in Japan, I was teased and bullied in grade school for being a chubby girl with thick eyeglasses and a mouthful of braces, which was very rare back then. I learned to take care of my body through small daily routine of exercise and nutrition through high-school, and I earned athletic physique, but somehow I was not fitting in. I decided to move away from Japan and enrolled in college in Canada. That was when I started my journey in martial arts (Shotokan Karate). Just like anybody else, my life was full of ups and downs being away from home. Thanks to my martial art training and my adversities, I learned and gained the spirit of BUSHIDO (Japanese style of warrior's way of life in courage, tenacity, and resilience).
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Some Credentials:
Certified by National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) in various specializations since 2012:
Master Trainer (MT), Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), Behavior Change Specialist (BCS), Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES), Virtual Coaching Specialist (VCS), Weight Loss Specialist (WLS), Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES), MMA Conditioning Specialist (MMACS), Group Personal Training Specialist (GPTS), Senior Fitness Specialist (SFS), Fitness Nutrition Specialist (FNS)
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EVERLAST F.I.T. (Functional Integrated Training) Master Instructor, train a trainers program in workshops
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Machida Karate Self-Defense Instructor since 2017
The pandemic in 2020 opened opportunities for me as a in-person personal trainer to virtual trainer / coach. Currently, I am transitioning to virtual wellness & life transformational coaching to help more clients.
Personal Stuff:
I have been training Karate for over 30 years, love Downhill Skiing (former Canadian Ski Instructor Alliance Level 1 Instructor), Hiking, Camping, Motorcycle Dirt Riding, Wildlife Watching. Today, I am happily married for 18 years, live with Ron and our 13-year-old rescued beagle, Lucky. I have just celebrated my 52nd birthday and US citizenship (yey!!! I get to vote finally.)
七転八起。
​Shichi-Ten-Ha-kki
This Japanese proverb directly translates: falling seven times and getting up eight times. Its meaning: life is full of failure and learning happens by moving forward.
RESILIENCE. That is what my life has been about. I have FAILED so many times. I am in my 50's so the more I live, the more I fail. The good news is, I am still here standing!!! I failed in school as a child growing up in Japan not being so academic like my smart sister. I failed my driving test (hahaha), I failed my black belt exam for Karate, my first marriage failed (got dumped), I failed with my corporate job (laid-off), I failed my auditions for acting, etc. You name it! My life has revolved around a whole lot of failures. The biggest one is the divorce from my last marriage. That was REAL BAD. After enduring almost 10 years of mental abuse, he left me for another woman. Everybody knew about his infidelity but ME. I fell into a very dark place , and at one point, I tried to end my life. Thank goodness for my doctor who prescribed me counseling instead of anti-depressant meds, and I came back. It took over an year to finally be in peace and joy.
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Accept: It is okay to fail as long as you get back up and learn from it to do better in the future. Disappointment, let-down, set-back, regrets, etc... (whatever you call "failure") make you stronger and wiser. Simply be a better person by letting go of negativity. Take it as a set-up for improvement - make a comeback like a superhero!!! As I get older, I feel more that way about life. And I have been sharing that with my clients. We are all human. We make mistakes. The trick is, pick yourself up as soon as possible and move forward. Don't waste your time by looking back. If you waste or lose money, there are ways to earn it back. How about time??? Once it is gone, it is GONE forever so don't waste your time in the pity-party. You deserve a brighter future ahead. I believe in YOU!!!
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改善。
"Kaizen" - My Core Value in Life Journey
Meaning "Improvement". There is no perfection yet seeking excellence for improvement big or small every day.
Are you CREATING or SURVIVING? Creating is living life - joy, peace, excitement, happiness: acting from the heart and being. Surviving is dying - complacent, just getting by, having no purpose, being in hustle-bustle, fighting, acting from a mindset of doing. Whichever you are at right now, the first thing to do when you wake up in the morning, tell yourself "I am going to CREATE" instead of "I am going to SURVIVE". You get to decide. Of course, you are going to create the life you were born for... That will set your positive mindset coming from your heart. And then, make small changes or adjustments to improve. Celebrate every small improvement as a milestone, triumph. I have been a huge fan of that process all my life as an underdog and someone who is different and unique. I am 50 something years old so I've been there and done that just like you. And I am not perfect so every day I go through the process of KAIZEN. Let's improve a little day at a time.
can i help you to "kaizen" (improve)
your life journey?
Fitness & Wellness, Life Transformational Coaching
It is like GPS. I guide you through your journey for joyful, confident, passionate life to prosper by recognizing where you are and where you want to BE. And set a goal and make a plan and take action with my accountability. Virtual or In-Person (limited).
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One-on-One
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Small Private Group
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Corporate Team Coaching
Karate / MMA Conditioning / Self-Defense Training
This is my specialty as a trainer & instructor. Willing to learn martial arts striking technique, self-defense to get in shape physically and mentally. ...and BE courageous & resilient in life from the journey. My version of "Be a badass".
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Online Course App (Coming Soon)
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Small Private Group
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Workshop / Retreat
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Corporate Group Training
"Appreciate how rare and full of potential your situation is in this world, then take joy in it, and use it to your best advantage."
Dalai Lama
