Live Free, Laugh Hard Fitness

In order to stay motivated to accomplish a goal, you have to find the process of getting there somewhat enjoyable or at least "mildly tolerable".  If you try to accomplish a goal hating every minute of the journey, it's highly unlikely that you'll reach the top of the summit you seek much less maintain that new goal in the long-term.

This philosophy guides me with each new client I meet.  I try to find what makes the individual tick and what gets them smiling.  I avoid the exercises and they dislike the most, unless absolutely necessary. I teach each person the tools they need to "graduate" and continue their journey on their own. Most importantly, I teach each person that being active and eating healthy does not need to be difficult or intolerable! 

By taking little baby steps, we get closer and closer to health each week.  In addition to helping you learn all that you need to know to lose weight, lower your cholesterol or blood pressure, help prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and osteoporosis, I am also there to help you stay motivated through your workouts and learning new exercises until you feel that you are ready to go at it on your own!  My ultimately goal is to graduate you to living healthy on your own and to being able to design workouts that keep you enjoying your ability to move!

I don't order you around to do hundreds of push-ups and lunges.  Instead, I workout with you and adjust the workout based on how you feel both physically and mentally each day.  I don't give you a pre-planned food guide or a specific menu.  Instead, I teach you, step-by-step, about nutrition and healthy eating and encourage you to make changes in your diet that you find manageable.  You are in charge of the speed of the process taking on each task when you feel ready to move forward.

From personal experience, I know that extreme make-overs ARE possible for those who truly desire to change their lives.  Learning the steps to get there might take a moment but with my help, you won't feel so lost and without support when you first get started. 

"I've worked out with Iina and she makes my workouts fun and she tailors the workouts to my own liking. She got me to lift weight that I never thought possible, dropped my BMI by a significant percentage in no time and I had never felt so fit and strong while doing her program. Iina shows her knowledge in exercise and nutrition and has great personable skills which makes it easy to take direction and advice from her. Her body says it all! She is, by far, the best professional trainer that I have worked out with!"

 ~ C.M., Los Angeles, CA 

"Most importantly, I teach my clients that being active and eating healthy does not need to be as unbearable and difficult as they think!"

My personal training style incorporates all of my past physical activity experiences, my knowledge of anatomy and exercise physiology and my expertise in motivation to create a uniques program based on your goals, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes. 

Because of my background in exercise psychology, I know that in order to make lasting lifestyle changes, it is best to start by taking modest baby steps in your process of becoming an active and healthy person.  This is why I am not the typical "militant style" trainer and I will NEVER ask you to do hundreds of pushups and squats.  I workout with you for the first several weeks to months and guide you through the process in a way that makes you feel accomplished.  I am careful to maintain a proper level of intensity to keep you from getting so sore that daily activities are affected.  Yet, you will leave feeling like you really worked out!

I incorporate strength training, cardiovascular exercise, flexibility, and balance training into all of my clients routines; however, the exact workouts vary widely based on your specific goals, weaknesses, prior experience, and preferences.  I have participated in and/or taught dance, judo, biking, climbing, hiking, swimming, diving, track and field, body building, fitness, bootcamp, spinning, beginners weight training, beginners step, sprint interval classes, yoga, abs classes, stretching, and my most recent obsession - parkour!  This means that I never run out of new exercises and you are not stuck with doing hundreds of sets of the same old exercises you could have thought of on your own.

I have guided my students through various fitness goals from losing over 100 pounds to being able to develop the strength and balance needed for difficult yoga poses and learning new skills from pull ups to hand-stands and beyond.  I have also helped clients reach the fitness level necessary to join the military and fire department and compete in running and obstacle races.

My program is your first step to conditioning, health, and fitness.  Once you are physically ready to and motivated enough, you may find yourself looking for a team sport or another athletic interest and together we will make sure you will be physically and mentally ready to participate.  My past clients have moved on to train in martial arts, running, cross-fit, and a number of team or recreational sports.  Some stay with me to learn more about functional training, flexibility, yoga, or parkour.

I train most of my clients outdoors in the numerous parks in the city or in my client's neighborhood.  Some of my client's choose to train in the privacy of their in-home gym, apartment or condominium gym, or simply in their living room.  During your consultation, we will discuss the type of workouts you like the best and decide on the location for your training based on your preferences, barriers, and schedule.