June 24, 2016

Meet Mid-City SculptFit Bootcamp & Personal Trainer: Carlos Makali’i Sosa

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlos Makali’i Sosa. He’s not your ordinary fitness trainer; Carlos is a visionary entrepreneur trying to bring his unique brand of fitness to the world. Below you’ll find excerpts of our interview with him.

Carlos, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?

I am originally from the Canary Islands a seasoned fitness professional, passionate about surfing and a competitive hula dancer. I wanted to bring the surfing lifestyle and the hula teachings into fitness and create Surfcore Fitness, a new workout that approaches fitness with a sense of aloha. The famous surfer Duke Kahanamoku used to say “The best surfer out there is the one having the most fun”… I wanted my workouts to be fun… something you look forward to and that deliver fast results.

The personal motto that defines my style is “Live aloha” In the Hawaiian language, “aloha“ may mean love, affection, compassion, mercy, sympathy, pity, kind-ness or grace. “Aloha” is more than a word of greeting or farewell or a salutation. “Aloha “means mutual regard and affection and extends warmth in caring with no obligation in return.

How does aloha relate to fitness? I often tell my clients “workout because you love your body, not because you hate it.” Show love, affection and compassion for yourself. Make it a new beginning, leave behind the errors of the past and approach the journey with aloha.

I been extremely blessed to have the best fitness mentor, Cleo Brown Miss Fitness Universe INBA, she is a former Olympic gymnast and has won and endless list of fitness titles. She trained me for both of my World Cup title wins and has taught me more about fitness than you could ever learn under in any training certification. She is the person who pushed me move from corporate America into the fitness industry, she recognized a unique fitness talent in me and wanted me share that gift with the world.

Another great inspiration in my life is my beloved kumu (hula teacher) Aunty Sissy Kaio, she welcomed into her halau (hula school) and it has been a life changing experience. She has taught me to live under these Hawaiian values: Kokua – to help one another… Malama – care for one another… Akahai – patience with one another… Lokahi – recognize others, be recognized, help others, be helped… ‘Olu’olu – flexibility and kindness… Aloha – to love and care for one another… Kuleana – to take care of your responsibilities. Hula has become my community, my Ohana (family) and my spiritual being.

I am well known for delivering fast and solid results but what set me apart is my holistic approach to fitness. I can make anyone look better, but that is not my only motivator. I want my clients to make a transformation that goes be-yond their bodies. I want them to become happier people. I want to share what surfing and Hawaiian teachings have done for me. Encouraging them to have a healthier and more loving relationship with their bodies that goes beyond inches and pounds.

Has it been a smooth road?
Deepak Chopra once said, “When you make a choice, you change the future.” I couldn’t find a more fitting for me… because my life completely changed when I started surfing. Surfing has helped me though the most difficult moments of my life and has delivered some of the happiest experiences and the best friends. Surfing led me to Hawai’I and Hawai’I let me to hula. I have learned that like the ocean life is ever-changing. Some days, the sea is calm and glassy, producing ideal surfing conditions and in just seconds can turn into a living hell. So it is in life: everything Milestones: -Creation of Surfcore Fitness -Double INBA World Cup Winner in Fitness -Creation of SculptFit Bootcamp -Fullot SculptFit is a fun circuit based 45 minute HIIT (high intensity interval training) class that uses a combination of strength, cardiovascular, and CrossFit inspired exercises to sculpt your body and burn up to 1,000 calories in a single session. This super fun high-energy class welcomes all fitness levels and is divided into four timed stations. The routines are never boring or repetitive, no class is the same so you’ll encounter a variety of exercises and equipment such as kettlebells, dumbbells, ropes, boxing bags, plyometric boxes, rowers, and plenty of fun CrossFit inspired moves. Improving your cardio endurance, toning and sculpting your body and having tons of fun while doing it. Competing at Merrie Monarch Hula competition (This year I have been honored to chosen represent my halau as part of the competition team for Merrie Monarch which is a major event held each spring in the Big Island town of Hilo, the festival showcases the art of the Hawai-ian hula by celebrating the legacy of the Merrie Monarch, King David Kalakaua. Is a major honor and for any hula dancer the ultimate dream. Often called the “Hawaiian Superbowl” the event has a larger tv and online audience than any other event in the islands.)

What are your plans for the future?
The next step in my career is opening the first Surfcore Fitness gym; I am already looking for the ideal location. While other bootcamps focus on yelling and screaming, I want to draw from my surfing and hula backgrounds to harness the power of positivity and sense of aloha to get the best results for my clients. I want to create so much more than a place to work out, a community – a place where you can meet new friends and share aloha – all while getting amazing physical results.

Surfcore Fitness will be a circuit based 45 minute HIIT (high intensity interval training) class that uses a combination of resistance and cardiovascular exercises to burn up to 1,000 calories in a single session. No ever be the same so you’ll encounter a variety of exercises and equipment such as kettle bells, dumbbells, suspension bands, bikes, rowers and even hula and surfing inspired moves! Improving your speed, power and endurance all while toning, strengthening the core all with a sense of aloha and a cool island/surfer vibe.

Let’s dig a little deeper into your story. What was the hardest time you’ve had?

The hardest time is my career was jumping from a great paying job as an advertising executive into the world of fitness. Leaving the security of a monthly paycheck, insurance and a great reputation to follow my passion for Fitness. I will be eternally thankful to Cleo Brown, Miss Fitness Universe, who saw a unique talent for Fitness in me and pushed me to follow my dream. It was a scary time we were just out of the recession on here I was leaving years of experience in advertising to become a fitness professional. George Burns used to say “I’d rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate”. It was time for me to follow my passion and looking back today I could not be any happier I made the decision I made then, no regrets!

Do you ever just stop and think WOW – I’ve made it?

I think one of the biggest “aha moments” in my career was when the top trainers in LA started trusting their significant others to my training. When the best fitness talent in LA recognizes you as the best trainer for their loved ones other than themselves, you know you have been doing something right. Adam Summer probably one of the best trainers in the US trusted me with his then fiancée to get her ready for their wedding. After seeing the results he coined the nickname “the butt whisperer” for me. That caught on like wild fire on fitness circles and now many people know me as such. I kind of love it.

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