Marisa West

Hello, I’m Marisa West! My journey began at 21 in East Michigan, where I balanced my role as a Physical Therapy Aide with my growing career as a trainer. However, my love for fitness started much earlier. At 15, I was a regular at local gyms, training with professionals when I could afford it and finding creative ways to stay active at home when I couldn’t. Inspired by female martial artists and fueled by a commitment to self-improvement, I developed a resilient and adaptable approach to fitness.

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Even as a child, I found joy in reading my mom’s anatomy, health, herb, natural healing, and self-help books. This early fascination with the body and wellness set the foundation for my lifelong mission: to cultivate myself so I can better serve others.

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However, it wasn't until my early twenties that I found the direction that my fitness career would take me. After working with trainers, trying to gain the body of my dreams for years with little to no avail, and talking with other women who felt the same, I was disheartened in the fitness industry due to its very limited range of fitness results for women.

Enter: Fit Arts training where the goal is unlimited potential that tones muscles you didn't even know you had, defines legs, shapes glutes, tones hips, shreds and defines abs without losing the curve, builds your flexibility and endurance all while empowering you through martial arts training. This combination is not only sculpting and healing your body, but it is also deeply empowering.

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 I have had the joy of training people of all sorts and seeing them discover a part of themselves that comes alive when they move like this. You walk differently when you have a body that can get you through anything. You trust yourself when you know you can protect yourself. And you discover that fitness is defined far beyond aesthetics.

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I share this not to boast, but to emphasize my dedication and understanding as a facilitator of knowledge and positive change for bodies, minds, and overall health. My roots in this field run deep, and I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to support and guide others on their wellness journeys.

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Currently, I am the lead trainer and proud protégé of Alfred Kendrick's Fit Arts, an elite gym in Los Angeles, CA. Alfred is a Red Bull record holder, Martial Arts Hall of Fame inductee, internationally renowned teacher and life coach, founder of the Fit Arts movement, and a dedicated philanthropist. Under his mentorship, I’ve honed my skills and deepened my passion for fitness and wellness to a profound level. It is my honor to carry on his teachings and mission with my added feminine touch.

If you would like to know more about me, check out my recent "Hidden Gems" article in Voyage LA below.