MEET THE INSTRUCTORS

Carissa grew up with an active lifestyle. Her childhood and teen years included competitive gymnastics, hula, Muay Thai, air riflery, soccer, judo, and track & field. However, Carissa's group fitness journey began in 2010 when she attended her first Zumba® class. She was shy and always claimed a spot in the back row. In 2012, she was encouraged by many to flip the script and became a licensed Zumba® instructor. Over the years, this first step has cascaded into a series of additional certifications for other group fitness formats, including Turbo Kick, Insanity, Core De Force, PiYo, SH1FT, L1FT, M1ND, R1ZE, STRONG Nation™ (formerly known as STRONG By Zumba®), and GROOV3. Her newest certification is for CIRCL Mobility™. Carissa is also a certified AFAA Group Fitness Instructor.

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Connecting with people through group fitness has developed from Carissa's hobby into her passion. In early 2020, she left her position as a Loan Analyst at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to pursue her dream of opening her own fitness studio. A few months later, she made it happen. Carissa's Fitness Studio opened in July 2020.

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Whenever you attend a class with Carissa, you'll definitely be sweating with a smile.

Chris is a certified Zumba Fitness instructor. He enjoys dancing and helping the community to stay active.

"I grew up in a very active family, learned how to snow ski at age 3, played basketball in middle school, started running at age 35 (yes, I still run short distance races), and became a STRONG Nation™ instructor in 2019. Wellness is my passion as I work as a healthcare provider, and focusing on building a STRONG body and STRONG mind. Come join me and let's sweat together!"

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~Mie

Rachel completed her Yoga Teacher Certification in 2007 at the Shambhava School of Yoga in Kailua-Kona. She believes yoga is a tool for healing and nourishment for the mind, body, and soul.

"Yoga has helped me so much in my life and I love to share that with others." 

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~Rachel