Personal trainer Emilmar Marchan has built her work ethic on the words of her mother: “El deporte crea disciplina y carácter, después viene todo lo demás,” which translates to “Sport creates discipline and character, then everything else comes.” Emilmar, also known as Emi, grew up swimming, playing soccer and tennis. Those sports and the high level of commitment it fostered helped her conquer several illnesses during her time studying at her university.

She went on to earn her degree in International Affairs and honed her skills in languages like Spanish, English, Portuguese and French. After graduating, she later went on to earn certifications from the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) and National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) for personal training, nutrition and first aid.

As she began training clients, she noticed a common theme among the women she guided: Most had previously worked with unqualified trainers, learning bad form and never asked about their goals and what results they wished to achieve. Emi has turned her passion for sports into a career and learned that a person’s biggest asset is their mind. In her program, Emi works with clients to develop their best skills combining training with healthy nutrition to become stronger not only physically, but mentally. This approach has helped Emi and her clients overcome obstacles in life because, as Emi puts it, “Strong Is A State Of Mind.”