Train Like A Pro With Kemoeatus
NFL players Chris and Ma’ake Kemoeatu celebrate the opening of their Pacific Elite Sports Fitness Center in Kaneohe this month, a cutting-edge training and physical therapy facility with the best in new technology, nutrition and rehabilitation methodologies.
“It’s all the stuff we learned in the NFL, not only with the trainers but also from physical therapists,” says Ma’ake. “We have all the latest weights and equipment. We also will have a hyperbaric chamber, a floatation therapy pool and an anti-gravity treadmill (like the one many NBA stars are using).
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“Growing up in Hawaii and knowing the talent we have here, we go to the Mainland and we learn there’s a whole different way of training for high school kids, and they even start training the kids at 4, 5 years old. So my brother and I are looking at the talent we have in Hawaii, and they have the talent to get them far enough, but imagine now they have this facility that can elevate them more.”
Ma’ake, who has one Super Bowl ring with the Baltimore Ravens (2013), and Chris, who has two with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2006, 2009), are taking a one-year break from the NFL to take care of some personal matters.
They say their fitness center is not just for football players, but for any athlete at any age and in any sport who wants to make it to the next level and realize their maximum potential.
The training is one-on-one with a trainer from Power Train, a company founded by Steve Saunders, with whom the Kemoeatu brothers train on the Mainland.
“The training we’re doing here is real specific to the sport,” explains Chris. “It’s custom-made to what the athlete needs to get better, stronger and faster. And if he’s hurt, we’ll work around that and rehab them.”
The brothers say they chose Kaneohe near Windward Mall for the location of their facility because it’s close enough for those in their hometown of Kahuku and for those in town.
“For us, we always decided wherever we go in the 50 states, we’re always going to end up in Hawaii,” says Ma’ake. “This facility has always been a dream of ours; it’s been in the thinking for the past five, six years. Now, it’s finally becoming a reality.”
Ma’ake, who has an 8-month-old son, has been in the NFL for 11 years, Chris for eight years. They always spend their off-season home, where the first thing they do is eat. They list Hukilau Cafe, Ted’s Bakery, Papa Ole’s, Hokulani and Fresh Catch as some of their favorite spots. They also love spending time with family, going to the beach, and are known to have family barbecues with more than enough food to eat and take home.
They also love helping the children in Hawaii, and have a nonprofit called the Kemoeatu Brothers Foundation. In the last few years, they’ve conducted local youth football clinics, organized fundraising events and donated time and money to assist young athletes, especially underprivileged kids.
“Nothing is more satisfying than seeing the young kids excel in the sport that they do,” says Ma’ake. “I once said that we’re not here to tell how much we’ve accomplished. The story we want to tell is what the possibilities are – the possibilities for young athletes are endless.
“Going forward in the next five, 10 years, we want not only to expand the facility to other locations, but also to see the young athletes of Hawaii get to the next level. Whether it’s football, basketball, baseball, soccer, we can turn on the TV to ESPN and say, hey, we trained that athlete, he’s doing well, he’s excelling. He got a scholarship, got his degree, went on and played in the pros, and comes back and gives back to the community.”
In addition to the physical training, the brothers also stress the importance of education. They hope to help with not only improving their game, but also the other factors of being a student athlete, especially if they make it to the professional level.
“That’s one thing I’m looking forward to: the young athletes coming out of college getting ready to go into the NFL. We can be a mentor to them on what to expect when you’re going into training camp, when you’re the drafted young guy, the lifestyle of it, how to handle the media – life in the spotlight is totally different,” explains Ma’ake.
“We want to give them a heads up on what to expect, how it is, the dos and don’ts,” adds Chris.
Their advice for young athletes: Stay humble, don’t forget where you came from and stay hungry.
“I think one of the things that kept us in the league for so long is just staying hungry, never being satisfied,” says Ma’ake.
In addition to student athletes, the facility also provides workouts and rehabilitation for adult athletes of any age, such as a golfer in her 50s with an injury.
For more information, visit pacificelitesports.com or call 462-0321.
