Kawaihae
Our Mission
Here at CrossFit Kawaihae, where FITNESS, COMMUNITY and EXCELLENCE happen, we want to welcome you with open arms!
We strive to help you reach your health and fitness goals and welcome all fitness levels where we, as a group, can inspire each other. We have fabulous coaches who take pride in their health and fitness experiences. Together, we are eager to share our knowledge and bring CrossFit to our community.
Our motto is “Get Fit and Stay Fit”. The key to success is to work hard and strive to reach your goals and when you get there, be disciplined enough to maintain what you have worked hard for and set new goals to go above and beyond. We want to help you believe in yourself and make a change for good.
Believe in yourself and be the example! Strive to make healthy and active decisions. Take charge of your health NOW!
Our team
TAMMIE AKAU
OWNER/HEAD COACH
Certifications:
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CrossFit Level 1
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CrossFit Olympic Weightlifting
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CrossFit Kids Trainer
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Three Time Female Athlete of the Year
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1997 Honokaa High School Weight Trainer of the Year
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2001 Pacific Coast Fitness Power Lifting Competition – 1st place
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AYSO Soccer Coach
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2011-2012 Parker School Strength and Conditioning Coach/ Girls Varsity Assistant Soccer Coach
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2012-2013 Parker School Girls and Boys Varsity Assistant Soccer Coach
I was born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii in Waimea, and graduated from Honoka’a High School in 1997. Raised by my amazing parents Gerald and Mary Kay along with 3 brothers who taught me to be “tough”.
Being an athlete from a young age taught me discipline and determination. I continued to excel in high school sports and played soccer, basketball and ran cross country. In the 10th grade I was determined to start eating healthy, and made the decision to always live a healthy lifestyle. This is when my interest in weight training began. I carried this determination with me through college, where I lifted weights 6 days a week, played basketball and club soccer.
Upon returning home from college at Southern Oregon University I became a personal trainer in 2002 at Pacific Coast Fitness. I have been living and cross training in Kawaihae for the past 14 years. I was first introduced to CrossFit by my close friend and classmate Keoni Subiono and his wife Rose in 2009, who owned CrossFit East Oahu for many years. I was hooked by CrossFit’s Methodology and wanted more. I am so grateful to Keoni for inspiring me and pushing me to pursue my dream as a gym owner.
As a wife and a mother of 3, I feel CrossFit has changed my life. I have never felt so healthy and strong. I am excited to get even stronger and healthier as I continue to CrossFit as an athlete. My motivation has always been to be an “example” to my family and friends. I am so blessed and honored to have this opportunity to bring CrossFit Kawaihae to our community. I look forward to sharing my knowledge and support to everyone as I continue to educate myself and get better each day as a CrossFit Coach. We opened in May 2013 and are now almost 7 years as owners of CrossFit Kawaihae. I couldnt be more grateful for all the memories made and wonderful people we have met throughout the years.
ARNOLD AKAU
COACH
Certifications:
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CrossFit Level 1
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CrossFit Kawaihae Co-Owner
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Maintenance Guy
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Website Developer/Accountant
In 2013 my wife Tammie had the crazy idea of opening up a CrossFit Gym in our area. I thought she was crazy. We built our first gym in a 1200 sq ft warehouse and quickly outgrew our location. We now have a larger gym with the best members and are so blessed to continue to have this opportunity. Turned out she wasn't crazy after all.
Fast forward to 2019 we are still enjoying being spouses, parents, coaches, and making lifelong friendships. I have transitioned from all the behind the scenes work to also helping out with Coaching and I love to help people! At 40, I can honestly say if it were not for CrossFit (and my Wife) that I would not be nearly in the shape that I am; physically, spiritually and mentally. I have always been an active person playing various sports in high school and surfing and enjoying water sports throughout my adult life. Currently, I feel fitter and have more endurance than I had as a young buck in my 20's. Although I no longer try to make a point to Rx every WOD, I am very thankful for my health and our continued growing opportunity to share CrossFit and programs like Transform with our local community and friends.
Over the years, through our daily programming and our specialty programs, we have been able to reach a wide variety of clients and have helped them make changes in their lifestyles and diets for the long term. Whether you are trying CrossFit out for the first time, want to be a competitor, or just want to have an active lifestyle I believe we can help you. All it takes is a positive attitude, and a willingness to learn and try new things.
LAUREN PRUTOW
COACH/PROGRAMMER
Certifications:
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CrossFit Level 1
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CrossFit Gymnastics Certification
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CrossFit Level 2
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Head Programmer
Athletics have always been a huge part of my life. I feel blessed to have been raised in a supportive family who believed in the importance of sports and fitness. Growing up in Newtown, Pennsylvania I was exposed to a variety of sports including field hockey, lacrosse, softball and swimming. I started competitive swimming as a 6 year old and quickly embraced the training regimen and dedication needed to succeed at a high level. I was a two-sport varsity athlete at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec where I was a nationally ranked swimmer and lacrosse player. There I earned a Bachelor¹s of Science Degree double majoring in Biology and Psychology.
Post graduation I learned to self motivate and challenge myself to workout regularly. However, something was missing. I spent time training for triathlons but my training wasn't nearly as consistent or intense as when I was training with my teammates. I really missed the camaraderie and sportsmanship that had been associated with athletics my entire life. And then I found CrossFit!
I have been CrossFitting for a little over a year now and I completely love it! It has changed my life for the better and has gotten me back on
track with my fitness. I look forward to going to WOD and fully embrace the challenges that each workout brings. I feel like I am constantly achieving new goals and getting stronger everyday. I especially love that CrossFit is fun! I have made so many wonderful friends through CrossFit including my constantly inspirational teammates Tammie and Monica. While each of us has varied athletic goals Crossfit enables us to work together; this support system makes CrossFit all the more rewarding.
I feel very honored to be a part of the CrossFit Kawaihae coaching team. I received my CrossFit level 1 coaching certificate in December 2012 and look forward to continue to learn as much as possible about the sport. I find so much joy in teaching and supporting athletes growth and can't wait to meet and work with you!
I am a Senior Trainer and Intern Coordinator at Dolphin Quest Hawaii and my free time (other than CrossFit) is spent mentoring high school students while coaching both swimming and water polo. I am a sports and outdoor enthusiast who has completed an ironman triathlon. I live at the Hawaii Preparatory Academy with my husband Greg and two dogs, Kaia and Reilly
GREG MCKENNA
COACH
Certifications:
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CrossFit Level 1
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Olympic Lifting Coach
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CrossFit Level 2
Growing up in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, I began my athletic career at an early age. My dad was a great hockey and basketball coach so he introduced me to those and many other sports, first in our backyard, and then as a part of neighborhood and city teams. I loved sports (and still do)! As a kid, I played hockey, soccer, baseball, and swam competitively. In high school, I was a part of the volleyball, basketball, wrestling, badminton, and cross-country teams. I tried everything! I wasn’t ever a star in one single sport, but I worked hard and was good at many, so when I was introduced to CrossFit, it was a perfect match! As a non-specialist, I was excited to be part of a sport that challenged many different aspects of fitness, and forced me each day to learn and improve myself as an athlete.
I began coaching when I was 16 years old with my summer club swim team. Since then, there hasn’t been a year that I haven’t coached! I have worked with novice athletes first learning their sport, to college athletes competing at the national level. In all my experiences I have worked with great mentor coaches who have inspired me to challenge myself along with my athletes to be the best that I can be. I am now working at Hawaii Preparatory Academy, teaching high school physics and coaching the varsity water polo and swim teams. These young athletes are eager to learn and push me to continue to do the same.
I completed my CrossFit Level 1 coaching certification in January 2014 and am stoked to be a part of the great group of coaches at our box. Since then I have attended the Outlaw Barbell training camp and have developed a passion for Olympic Weightlifting. It is a fascinating sport – and a huge part of CrossFit! I am a stickler for technique and am constantly looking for ways to improve my own technique, as well as the technique of the lifters in our gym. Each Wednesday night, I host an Olympic Weightlifting class with technique as the specific focus. We work through drills and breakdown technique so that we can be efficient and smart lifters.
Along with my wife Lauren, and our daughter Zoë, I am so excited to be a part of CrossFit Kawaihae. The box community is so incredibly supportive and fun to be around. Each day we work hard, push each other, and challenge ourselves to be better than we were the day before. Then we laugh, joke around and play together when the workout is all said and done. I couldn’t be happier to be part of this gym, and I am so inspired to be coaching great athletes every day.
TIFF FREITAS
COACH
Certifications:
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CrossFit Level 1
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CrossFit Kids Trainer
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CrossFit Kids Kawaihae Coach
My name is Tiffany, I am a mother to a wonderful son and beautiful daughter. I am a Mental Health Counselor, CrossFit Level 1 coach, CrossFit Kids Coach and coach several soccer teams and cross country. I have coached youth soccer for 7 years, adult soccer for 2 years.
I have enjoyed being active.
As a girl I did gymnastics, dance and played soccer year round in various clubs and on ODP teams. In High School I played Varsity Soccer and ran Track- My events were the 1 mile, 800m, 400m, 200m, discus, high jump, hurdles, and the 200 and 400 m relays. In college I played Women's Rugby for Central Washington University. I have been playing club soccer since I moved here to the Big Island in 2001. My husband introduced me to Biathlons after moving to Hawaii and I love participating in local races. Anything from 1/2 Marathons, Biathalons to strictly Swim Events. I have paddled for Kawaihae Canoe Club and but when I found CrossFit I have found my love.
I am an avid CrossFitter, and totally hooked! I have been with CrossFit Kawaihae since it opened in March 2012 and have loved being an athlete again, the positive Ohana here at CFK and all the friends and experiences along the way.
Tammy Joaquin
COACH
Certifications:
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CrossFit Level 1
My CrossFit journey began like most others who find themselves within this community: I was searching for something to get me in shape and wanted to take control of my health and fitness. Working out on my own never seemed to get me anywhere and I would often get bored with traditional gyms and home workouts.
Living in Kawaihae I would drive by the CrossFit Kawaihae sign every day until finally, in March of 2014, I decided to see what it was all about and signed up for my first class. It’s safe to say I’ve never looked back since!
From Day 1, CrossFit and the Ohana at CrossFit Kawaihae changed my life and reshaped my approach toward health and fitness, both physically and mentally. I was always an active person, growing up riding and training horses, but it wasn’t until CrossFit that my strength, endurance, coordination, and so much more was challenged on another level. I found myself accomplishing new movements, learning technique, lifting heavier and running faster—doing tough workouts I never thought I would ever do. I found a fun and supportive community that kept me motivated and in 2017, something crazy happened. I made it to national stage—The CrossFit Games!
The entire experience of training for and competing at The Games is something I’ll never forget. It was exhilarating, rewarding and hard. I pushed my body to the fittest I’ve ever been and learned a lot about myself during the process. I am currently training to get back to The Games and enjoy passing on what I learned from this experience with others who are interested. This may be what inspired me to become a coach myself and in May 2021, I completed my Level 1 certification.
Even more than being an athlete, I love coaching and enjoy helping others grow within this community. I have learned that positivity, confidence and strength nurtured in the gym can be applied to accomplishing almost anything in everyday life and I want to share this with others. So with a little bit sweat and hard work, I am committed to helping you find inspiration and tackle your fitness goals at CrossFit Kawaihae!
MONICA TARVER
COACH
Certifications:
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CrossFit Level 1
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CrossFit Gymnastics
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CrossFit Kids Trainer
It has been a long but somewhat predictable journey that led me to be passionate about CrossFit. I started playing basketball when I was 8, and I kept playing throughout high school. I was also involved with soccer, volleyball, and softball. After high school I continued on to receive my Associates Degree all while being a gym rat. At that time I thought it was great and just couldn’t get enough. I was spending 2 to 2.5 hours in the gym, with weights and cardio all mixed in. Then I moved to Bellingham, WA. It was there I became an avid runner. I would run anything from a 5k to a marathon, on trails or road, in rain, snow, or shine. I was also introduced to road cycling. I would meet with friends twice a week to go on beautiful bike rides.
Then we arrived in Hawaii. I continued to ride my bicycle, persuading my husband to go along with me by buying him a bike for Christmas. I adjusted to running in hotter weather and loved adding ocean swims to my repertoire. I was asked if I would like to join a local women’s basketball team. This is how I met Tammie Akau.
Tammie and I quickly became friends. Both enjoying fitness and having a background in organized sports. Fast forward to 2011, where my family now consisted of 4 (husband, myself, son and dog). I continued to workout through my pregnancy, but needed to step it up once Tracen hit 1. Tammie told me about this new type of fitness she was introduced to and she was hooked. So I decided to try it out.
In January of 2012 I became a Level 1 CrossFit Trainer. I hope to always continue learning about CrossFit by attending Specialty Courses and utilizing every valuable resource to become the very best student, coach, and athlete that I possibly can. Now here I am passionate about CrossFit due to its unmatched results, second to none support and encouragement, and where I can be a mom who has the energy and skills to inspire my active son.
NOE KAʻANOI
COACH
Certifications:
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CrossFit Level 1
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CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
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BA in Kinesiology & Exercise Science
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USA Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach
Aloha and welcome to my Crossfit journey. Let me take you on a ride to how it all started…
Crossfit found me in April 2013. It was the month of my birthday and I wanted to do something special for myself. I paid for an onramp class that was about 2 weeks long and never looked back. November 2013, I competed in my first Crossfit competition and placed 1st in the women’s scaled division. I did not expect to win because I was having so much fun! I thought “ How could something so intense be so rewarding? How could people be cheering for me when I just met them?!?“ December 2013, I obtained a Crossfit Level 1. Before becoming an official coach, I did unpaid shadowing for 30 days and was also the janitor too, lol! On a serious note, one of the best tools to teach newbie coaches like myself.
While coaching, I attended University of Hawaii at Hilo where I obtained a Bachelors in Kinesiology and Exercise Science in 2015. That same year, I also became a USA Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach. This is where I found a new love, weightlifting. Here is where I dialed deeper into the classroom to take it into my classes; “mobility and stretching” to be more specific. I love the aspect of performing prehab work on the body as it eliminates injury, and to gain better range of motion through resistance band work and using a lacrosse ball.
Since graduating, I have volunteered at physical therapy offices in our community to immerse myself into the physical therapy field and picked the PT’s brain on recovery exercises. I then transitioned this work into my classes once again. I went back to college to gain more knowledge and to fulfill my dream as a physical therapist, in the near future.
My name is Noe and I am a wife, mother, dog mom, new home owner, athlete and life long student.
NAI KAILIANU
OLYMPIC LIFTING COACH
Certifications:
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USAW Certified
AMELIA OBRA
OLYMPIC LIFTING COACH
Certifications:
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USAW Certified