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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, May 30, 2003

FITNESS PROFILE
Weights, martial arts keep him healthy

By Paula Rath
Advertiser Staff Writer

FERNANDEZ
Makena Fernandez, 18, was active in virtually every team sport from first grade to sophomore year at Castle High School: soccer, basketball, baseball, volleyball, swimming, paddling and bodyboarding. A knee injury at age 15 sidelined him. That's when he decided to start weight training and martial arts "to get bigger and stronger."

Profession: Working toward a medical assistant or nursing degree at Remington College

Height: 5 feet, 10 inches

Weight: 160. Target weight: 185-195, 5 percent body fat

Workout habits: Martial arts six days a week, bodyboarding when the surf's up, weightlifting three to five times a week, paddling with Lokahi Canoe Club two to three times a week

My good foods/bad foods: Good foods are only fruits like apples, oranges and bananas. Everything else is pretty much bad because it's all meat items ... I don't like vegetables.

My biggest motivator: Just staying strong. I don't want to be weak, especially when I get older.

What I wear to work out: Dobok — the uniform for martial arts. Board shorts for bodyboarding and paddling, some junk shorts for lifting weights

What saves my sanity: Lifting weights and martial arts. They relieve stress and you can fight somebody in a good way with martial arts. Tae kwon do has a lot of cardio, flexibility and self-defense. Hapkido is great for joint manipulations, takedowns, kicks and punches, but it's not aggressive.

My next challenge: Getting my black belt in tae kwon do and hapkido

Advice for those in the same boat: Don't let yourself get out of shape.