The name Moana translates as “from the sea”, which is a perfect description of our latest Power Plate Ambassador, Charlotte Piho! At the time of our interview Charlotte had quite literally just emerged from the ocean with her skin lightly glistening from the tropical waves of Rarotonga!
Residing in the beautiful Cook Islands, Charlotte has the perfect ocean landscape to live her passion for the ocean and all its wonders. Her forefathers were traditional pearl divers, and so free-diving and living in and off the ocean are in her DNA. Her passion and “one-ness with the ocean” are reflected in her work as an award-winning ocean photographer. The magnificence she captures in her photographs demonstrates the close connection that she holds with all sea life and the deep trust they hold for her as she captures their essence and beauty.
From a young age Charlotte has always been fit and active, with a curiosity to learn about new sports, equipment and trends in the health and wellness industry. Charlotte was first introduced to Power Plate as a university student in Auckland. While undergoing her studies Charlotte was an avid Les Mills gym member and age-group long-distance runner.
From her first work out on the Power Plate machine Charlotte was immediately struck by its effectiveness and the amazing results she experienced in a short period of time. The Power Plate workouts toned up areas of Charlotte’s body that her gym sessions and running were not achieving. Charlotte credits her training on Power Plate for even improving her running ability, so much so, that she was top in her age-group in an Auckland Half Marathon.
Charlotte became addicted to her Power Plate sessions, as she felt the results she was getting were unmatched. In her words, “All the zillions of squats that I was doing in the gym did not tone my butt like the Power Plate did!” She also attributes her addiction to the great sense of wellbeing, the energizing and mood enhancing benefits it provided her. Charlotte firmly believes the Power Plate is the best piece of transformational equipment on the planet.
This idyllic lifestyle Charlotte now lives and breathes grew from miraculously surviving a traumatic event. Not having had a sick day in her life to one day surviving a burst appendix, undergoing serious surgery by a leading Sydney surgeon and enduring two weeks’ recovery in hospital, prompted a complete turnaround in lifestyle and focus. Charlotte quit her corporate finance job in Sydney and headed back to her roots, home to the Cook Islands, to reconnect with the things important to her and to recover her good health and life balance.
Rediscovering her affinity with the ocean and its nurturing properties, and wanting to share the peace and meditative mindfulness it could bring to people, Charlotte developed a vision of creating a health and wellness center in Rarotonga, offering a retreat type environment as a holistic wellness haven for anyone to transform and bring balance back into their lives.
Charlotte is one of the first to have developed Stand-Up Paddleboard Yoga (SUP Yoga). Her SUP Yoga classes and Yoga retreats in the beautiful Cook Islands quickly developed a very strong following in Oceania. Teaching a philosophy of mindful movement helps develop presence in every moment, moving with good energy and focusing the mind on the positive.
Charlotte’s reconnection with the ocean on her return to Cook Islands also awakened her talent for under-water photography. With mentorship from some of the world’s best, together with her unequalled relationship with the creatures of the ocean on her doorstep, Charlotte rose to quick success. She is becoming recognised as one of the most followed female artists in oceanic photography, a multi-international award-winning oceanic photographer, and has just celebrated the opening of her Charlotte Piho Gallery in Muri Beach.
Charlotte’s photography conveys special underwater moments in a way that is more powerful than words alone. Through her accolade filled portfolio, people can experience the moment as if they were present. By sharing these wondrous experiences with the world, Charlotte believes it will help to create deep connections and make a difference with protecting our ocean environments.
Connection runs deep in Charlotte’s philosophy – connection with others, connection with environment, connection with self, and mind-body connection. From the love of creating connection through her photography and world’s best-rated photography tours, to facilitating the transformation of individuals’ wellbeing at her mind-body holistic wellness retreats – Charlotte is all about being present and living these moments deeply.
Adding to her yoga and SUP yoga offerings, Charlotte is introducing Power Plate whole body vibration. She believes that not only is Power Plate best in class, it also presents the most versatile tool for her business goals of transforming peoples’ health and fitness. Due to the conscious and unconscious muscle activation, enhanced circulation and neural awakening, mind-body connection can be further enhanced. With the Power Plate having a small footprint it fits almost anywhere, and workouts can be varied from short 5-minute bursts to full 30-minute work outs by anyone, regardless of size and mobility.
The Power Plate is proving to be an important tool for Charlotte’s own fitness and wellness. Spending an arduous 8 hours a day in the ocean, laden with long fins, a weight belt and camera equipment can take its toll on Charlotte’s body. The massage function of the Power Plate is proving to be a blessing for her energy restoration, enabling her to go back out in the water every day to be able to share more magical moments with the world through her lens.
For good reason, Power Plate has appointed Charlotte Piho their own Moana to help capture and share with the world the transformational possibilities that Power Plate can bring.
With the Cook Island borders open to New Zealand next month, I have already promised myself a trip to Rarotonga to connect with Charlotte “the Power Plate Moana” and take the time to reset, rebalance and come out of these COVID times with a centredness and renewed connection with what matters the most.
- By Belinda Kropach
FOLLOW Charlotte Piho on INSTAGRAM @charlottepiho
VIEW Charlotte’s online gallery: https://charlottepiho.com