Sandra Machado: Certified Fitness Trainer

Sandra Machado

Hello! Welcome to the Alternative Power Source Fitness and Self-Defense Training web site. What a mouth-full! My name is Sandra Machado, and I am a certified personal fitness trainer located in Petaluma, California. I am also a black-belt in Kenpo style karate, and worked as a martial arts instructor for several years also teaching Yang Style Tai Chi, and Escrima, a martial art from the Philippines. I now have a home based studio, where I work with small groups or individual clients who want to get in top physical shape, learn a new skill, or just want to feel safer and more confident in their environment.

My fitness certification is through the American Council on Exercise (ACE). ACE is a nonprofit organization committed to promoting active, healthy lifestyles by setting certification and education standards for fitness instructors. Click the link to learn more.

As part of my commitment to stay up to date and keep my ACE certification current, I have completed several continuing education programs, including; Enlighten You Body, a Pilates and yoga mat training program, Stretch Your Options, a stretch, core and strength program with the Stretchmaster®, The Martial Fitness Workout, a fitness kickboxing program, and the Proactive Personal Security Self Defense training system, phase 1 and 2, (phases 3-4 to follow).

These have all been very educational to me and I have benefited my clients in turn with fresh insight and options for their fitness and security needs.

I am particularly excited about the Proactive Personal Security system, developed by Tim Rochford. Although I have had extensive previous training and experience in self defense, his insight and approach, though the four types of awareness, (mental, emotional, environmental and physical), and his simple straightforward process, along with great statistical info and background, have made this a program well worth pursuing. You can learn more about these programs by visiting the Empower USA website.

I am also a certified ChiRunning® and ChiWalking® instructor. You can learn more about ChiRunning® and ChiWalking® by clicking either of these links. Also, look for updates on my site regarding this exciting new concept, for anyone interested in running for health and/or sport.

I am inspired by the people I work with and get tremendous satisfaction and joy from watching how my clients' progress and become empowered as they learn, while getting in touch with their body's natural strength and abilities. It is wonderful to see how this positively rebounds into all areas of their lives and interactions.

My husband Duarte also has a black belt in Kenpo. He is a great encourager and coaches with me. He also plays the role of "attacker" for the self-defense clients

I have two horses and am an avid rider. I have always loved horses, (all animals really, but horses in particular) but wasn't blessed with my own until about 10 year ago. My husband could tell you that I have been horse "owned" ever since. I was able to raise and train my Paint Horse, "Rocco" with the help of my friend and Trainer Heidi Thompson of Thompson Quarter Horses, here in Petaluma. I have found that many martial arts principals apply to horsemanship and that it involves a unique kind of physical conditioning. I use this experience and others, such as running my first marathon in 2004 using ChiRunning® principals, while also helping others with their running technique to help my client's effectively cross-train, both mentally and physically for all the challenges that they might meet.