THE TRAINER
MAK TAKANO
PRIVATE PHYSICAL FITNESS & PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE TRAINER
Mak Takano is a private trainer whose experience expands over three decades of physical fitness training and Martial Arts training. He has a B.A. in Physical Education, Exercise & Physiology and Kinesiology and a M.A. in Human Science with emphasis in Human Biology & Psychology from the University of Redlands, California. Mak is highly recommended as a leader in Physical Fitness Training by Arnold Schwarzenegger whom, with his body building legacy as Mr. Olympia and success as a Hollywood Mega Star, recognizes excellence and greatness. In addition, Mak is a highly regarded in various forms of Martial Arts Okinawa Kempo, JKA Karate & Kosen Judo, as well boxing and kickboxing, also having trained/coached and advised elite fight athletes in MMA, K-1 Kickboxing and Boxing. He has also been the fight advisor to some of the top fight organizations such as K-1, Dream, Hero's, Elite XC, Rumble on the Rock and Metamoris in USA, Japan and Europe. Mak is also known to have trained with JKA Karate Japan & World Champions 1979-1986.
At the University of Redlands from 1982 -1987, he was the strength coach for the NCAA championship tennis team as well as NCAA football, basketball and track & field athletes. After completing his M.A. in 1987, he worked as a Private Trainer in LA., where he was recruited by fitness guru Kathy Smith to manage and direct the trainers at her newly opened gym Mezzeplex from 1988-1990. At which time Mak was renowned as one of the top trainers in the country with his mind-over-body, Zen approach for clients with different physical fitness needs.
In 1990, Mak received offers from numerous fitness establishments in USA and Japan, as his name spread like wildfire as the private trainer to celebrities, as he trained Brad Pitt, Robert Redford and legendary Japanese actor, Ken Takakura, as well as numerous Hollywood directors and producers. He also trained top athletes including NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, NBA All-Star Vlade Divac and several Olympic athletes.
In 1997-2000, Mak was asked to be the Physical Fitness & Conditioning coach to the undisputed pound-for-pound boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya for three years of undefeated fights. He also went onto work wiith other boxers including Cruiserweight IBF champion Vassily Jirov, Welterweight IBF Champion Vince Phillips, Super Welterweight WBC Champion Michael Lerma, Cruiserweight IBF champion Arthur Williams, and Super Lightweight WBC Champion Genaro Hernandez. Also, in 2012 he trained Freddie Roach's boxers, Welterweight WBA Champion Vyacheslav Senchenko and Cruiseweight WBO Champion Lateef Kayode for their Championship Fights.
In 2004-2007, Mak was the MMA Advisor to UFC Champion B.J. Penn, where he match made notable fight cards with significant opponents like Renzo Gracie, Rodrigo Gracie, Duane Ludwig and former UFC Champion Lyoto Machida.
Also, in 2004 he was selected by the legendary Sumo Grand Champion Akebono, to train/coach him for his MMA fight against the Jiu Jitsu and MMA legend Royce Gracie for the K-1 Dynamite 2004 in Japan.
He is also a notable MMA advisor/coach to numerous fighters that he had discovered such as J.Z. Cavalcante, who became the two-time Hero's Lightweight Tournament Champion in 2006 and 2007. With other well known MMA fighters such as former Japanese Olympic wrestler, Kauyuki Miyata in his MMA career and Yushin Okami, Kultar "Black Mamba" Gil from Canada and Yan Cabral from Brazil.
On May 22, 2010, Mak match made a historic Gracie vs Sakuraba bout for DREAM 15. Mak worked with the new generation Gracie, Ralek, son of Rorion and grandson of Helion Gracie, who won a decision and a revenge fight over Sakuraba,'The Gracie Hunter'. Then, on November 22, 2014, he worked with Sakuraba, whom he had known for many years and match made a historic grappling fight for him against Renzo Gracie in Metamoris, a long awaited rematch since Pride FC. He has advised/coached other numerous MMA fighters for K-1, Dream, Hero's, Pride FC, One FC, UFC, Deep, Rumble on the Rock, Elite XC and other elite MMA organizations.
Mak has also been the MMA advisor/coach to Bibiano Fernandes since 2006, former five-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Champion, who became the two weight-class Champion in Dream Featherweight Tournament Championship 2009-2010 and Dream Bantamweight Tournament Championship 2011-2012. Bibiano is now the current, reigning and undisputed One FC Bantamweight Champion with his eleventh title defense on October 13th, 2019. As he has proven to be the very best MMA Bantamweight in the world!
Mak really enjoys working with people from all walks of life who wants to improve their quality of life through physical fitness and nutrition. Also, he continues to train/coach champion athletes, as well as getting Hollywood actors fit for the big screen.
Mak incorporates different forms of techniques from his multitude of experiences including exercise physiology, kinesiology, psychology and martial arts philosophy of mind over body theory into his fitness conditioning, strength and functional training for better bio mechanical and holistic health, depending on each individuals needs (as every individual is different with different needs). He is continuing to take extension classes in traditional forms of oriental pressure points (acupressure), sports massage and the study of myo-fascial meridian flow of the human body.