Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Miller.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My story – what a loaded burger that is. It all started in 1985 – Flag Day. I was born in Renton, WA to Kathleen Dall. Several months later I was adopted by the Nonomuras. My parents adopted my sister Nicole when I was about 2 – and that’s my immediate famdamily. I spent the majority of my childhood around the DE/Philly area, going to a catholic school (yea uniforms and all) from K-most of 8th grade. My childhood years were not very kind to me – and yet I lived a great life. Bullied for being overweight and basically “too nice”, I had a hard time making friends at school. They called me “Mimi” from Drew Carey – just mean I like to think now that it makes me stronger and a more empathetic person. That and my larger frame and strength blessed me with some athleticism. Sports, fitness, and my father being a clinical scientist I was surrounded by the world of the human body.
In 1998, halfway through 8th grade, began an era of nomadic family traditions, if you will. We relocated a few times around Massachusetts between then and 2001 – which was hard, but we finally settled down in the south shore area. From ’98 to ‘01, I had a few difficult experiences. I was molested, bullied, and suffered from a flux of eating disorders to cope with it all. I can’t imagine what my parents went through, looking back. It was hard for everyone. Once we settled down in Norwell I both blossomed and crashed until I graduated high school, 2003. As a teen I worked at the local YMCA learning how to become a trainer, guided individuals in their exercises, and assistant coached the local swim team. My father and I would workout at 4 am every morning before school. I wanted to feel good, to learn, and yeah… look good too (let’s be honest). My battle with anorexia/bulimia came to a peak senior year. I got down to 79 pounds at 17. I was so smart yet so helpless. I graduated at 90# and seemed to be on the healing slope.
I attended UH Manoa on Oahu straight from high school, but was financially forced to relocate to San Diego receiving degrees in/focusing on biology/nutrition/exercise science – graduating in 2008. I landed jobs as a trainer, worked up to management, and eventually left fitness to pursue exercise in a more clinical way, physical therapy. I helped manage offices and worked as a physical therapy aide until I was able to get into a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program right here in San Diego (Mesa College!). Still training on the side, I graduated with my PTA license in 2015. I realized I loved anything having to do with the human body while helping others. Plus! The blend of physical therapy and fitness is just incredible. It has allowed me to see the human body from multiple perspectives, taking gems from each to provide more well-rounded care to individuals – that’s the way it seems to me anyways! I’m a bit of a nerd and love learning, so I went forth and received my BSPTA (bachelors degree in PTA studies) and my PCES (postpartum corrective exercise specialist) between 2015 and 2019. During those years I worked clinically at the VA Hospital La Jolla, Preferred Healthcare (staffing for hospitals and rehab centers), and Advanced HealthCare (home health). Simultaneously, my dream of launching my own business never faltered. I had plans to get my DPT (doctorate) then plan for a biz launch; but getting pregnant, losing a pregnancy, getting pregnant again, then COVID all seemed to tell me no. REROUTING! Am I right? That’s when I began developing my first on-demand package – the Expectant Mama Fit Kit. I created it and filmed it live-time during my second pregnancy… 2019 to 2020. Enter… COVID.
So, I like to help people, have ~20yrs experience with athletes (pediatric to pro, UFC fighters to Football), obtained 3 degrees and several specialty certs, wrote education for multiple companies (clinical and fitness related)…. There has got to be something I can do to help save and secure my family during COVID and beyond. My family and I had bounced from Poway to Temecula for 2 years in hopes to buy a home (before COVID), but with the layoffs of ALL my clinical jobs 2 weeks after having a baby (Feb 2020 – right before lockdown) – we were scrambling. Now having two kids, a hubs in a start-up, we decided to try our luck again in Poway. It is a beautiful town, and the closest thing to a “small town feel” that I was used to my whole life. The people here are amazing, family-driven, community focused, and the education has its reputation. Enter HyperKinetix Fit.
Wow! Generalizing is tough! When first approached, I focused on the journey to get here, which is good… but I’d love to focus on the journey forward. Listen, the eating disorders, the coma and TBI, abusive ex-husband, bully struggles, financial struggles, numerous surgical interventions and injuries, losing a baby… I can gripe about the hardships, I can complain about the struggles, but those crappy experiences have made me one strong mama! Cliché, I know, but I feel I’m able to both sympathize and empathize with a plethora of populations/individuals. My ADD of specialties (athletics all the way to pelvic floor) has allowed me to expand my mind towards horizons I never thought possible. So the journey was rough up to this point, but damn I feel lucky more often than not! Everyone has their much to walk through. I just want to be here to let them know that muck might have a purpose. That muck might be solidifying together the foundation of your strengths.
Today I look at my fueling reasons, my fire: what I went through makes me stronger and a more empathetic person (this means I can possibly understand more of the population and commiserate). The coma changed my personality – perhaps for the better. I rock this TBI and I’m just thankful my heart started again so I can live this life. My first marriage made me realize that it was me, I, was not allowing myself to get to my full potential because I was settling. I don’t do that anymore. Bullying gave me insight to both my own weaknesses and others’; forgive and let go. Experiencing multiple complications during and after pregnancy, losing a child in between, made realize the piss-poor effort the US puts into taking care of parents – let alone the future generations of this world. I didn’t want that. Certainly not for my friends, family, and anyone else I could possibly guide. I’m only one person, but if I can help just one other, I consider myself successful.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Oh boy, I think I went a little bit into this on the last question. I’m sorry! Knowing I conquered things – I reiterate it made me strong. It made me, ME. Honestly, I think all of those obstacles are helping me build my dream today. I’ve been able to connect to so many people – strangers even – over what were supposed to be my obstacles. Might be a stretch to call them gifts, but thinking positive is the way to go right? Biggest obstacle though…. MYSELF. I’m always in my own way. COVID is a close second (still trying to get back on top of things!), but my biggest forever obstacle is that reflection in the mirror. The struggle between the desire to be an amazing Mama and a (hopefully, ha) awesome Health Coach/Trainer/Therapist simultaneously is serious work – forever under construction.
Launching a business is not cheap either – post COVID, for us, near impossible. Man, the insurances, licensing, materials, education… it all adds up to some ungodly numbers – even working out of my own home. It’s why it took 4 months from when we moved to Poway to really get going. However, the Poway community, even strangers have offered items towards the business – and THAT is something so incredible I don’t think I can adequately put it into words. Yes, I have gotten here by pulling my britches up, but HyperKinetix Fit is officially here thanks to SO many others. I’ll never forget the love and generosity my family, my business has received from this community. I’m so excited to be here and to see what the future brings.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
HyperKinetix Fit was created to provide affordable, fun, effective health and fitness techniques to ANYONE. From 1-1 personal training all the way to group, I do it. Nutritional guidance, therapeutic fitness interventions, soft-tissue education and demonstration, stretching/flexibility services, prenatal and postpartum consultations (think diastasis recti, pelvic floor, return to exercise, diaphragmatic breathing, corrective exercise), pediatric (kids to high school athletes or not), post-injury ailment return to fitness – and more. It may seem like a lot, but really when you think about health and fitness it all connects together! Working in physical therapy has provided me the knowledge to assist individuals in a more in-depth fashion than your typical gym trainer. I think that’s where I stand out the most. Affordability is huge for me, so I keep my prices as low as I can. In turn, I provide a comfortable, safe atmosphere in my garage gym. It includes boxing bags, spinning bike, two different types on benches, Olympic weights, dumbbells, pilates barre and other pilates methods, bands… fitness is not a one size fits all kind of thing. I also teach free classes once a week in Poway. I wanted to give back to the community in a way I knew how and could afford. Plus – covid did a number on us all. Let’s meet, get healthy and happy again. I mean why not?
Most people call me Kate, but I’ve been called the “pineapple fit lady”, “the hyper fit girl” … just hyper Hence the name. My father helped me come up with it. Hyper … and Kinetix – basically the art of moving, so to speak. The art of moving fast. I’m intense and full of energy, but I’ve learned to harness that into what I do and it’s been exhilarating.
IGoing back to PT versus personal training – I’m able to educate clients on not only how to gain additional health, but how to prevent injury and other prophylactic methods for maintaining good health! This includes free digital education on common injuries, ailments; discounts on clinical, therapeutic, and rehabilitative interventions (think cups, IASTM tools, gym gear), and discounted advanced education on fitness and clinical topics.
Health and fitness shouldn’t be a fad, have to be super bougie and expensive, or have to be in a public location for that matter. Covid proved that if at the very least. I’d love to show people how to learn to love themselves on their OWN health and fitness journeys – guiding them however I can to reach their potentials how THEY see fit Pun intended.
Right now I’m also working on my app – hoping to have that released by the end of the year. Talk about excited I’m getting the giggled just thinking about it. The app will also have both free and affordably priced sections, as I truly want this to be something ANYONE can use. There will be sections such as prehab, injury, athletic cross-training, adolescent and family challenges, at-home and gym routines, education, flexibility, functional fitness, and much more!
How do you define success?
Another loaded burger! Success. That’s a really hard one to define in a few words. Success can look and feel like a lot of different things. When it comes down to it, success to me is closely intertwined with happiness. They can be directly correlated or inversely, but certainly connected. I think that you are successful if you have found happiness, in whatever that looks like. Success can look like money, cars, houses, great sex partners, winning games, a title… stuff. True success to me is a measure of how happy, fulfilling YOU can make life and how happy and fulfilling you can make the lives of others. Butterfly effect.
Pricing:
- Personal training starting $37.50 per appt
- Buddy training starting $30pp
- Group Training starting $20
- Classes $10 drop in, $50 unlimited
- Health, Fitness, Women’s Health, Nutrition/Calculations, Therapeutic Fitness starting $125
*packages available making it even more affordable! Check out the website for the full downloadable journey options list (yes, there’s more than what’s mentioned above!)
Contact Info:
- Email: hyperkinetixfit@gmail.com
- Website: www.hyperkinetixfit.com
- Instagram: @hyperkinetix_fit
- Facebook: facebook.com/hyperkinetix
- Free Fit Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/516158422269541
- Other: athlete.jackedfactory.com/kate2
