About Ayame
Coach. Athlete.
Founder.
I'm Ayame, and Ascend with Ayame was created from my own journey — both as an athlete and a coach. I believe everyone deserves to feel capable and confident in their own body — not just because of how it looks, but because of what it can do.
Over 12 years of coaching — eight of them as a personal trainer — I've had the privilege of working with hundreds of people, from complete beginners to competitive athletes. No matter where you're starting, my focus is always the same: helping you build confidence, move well, get stronger, and create habits that actually last.

My Philosophy
Stronger,
Not Smaller.
For too long, women have been told that exercise is about becoming smaller. I believe it's about becoming stronger.
This belief comes from my own journey. As an elite gymnast, I spent years pushing myself to perform at my best. But over time, I realised my approach to training and nutrition was becoming more about control and perfection than building a body that supported me. It wasn't until I found strength training and continued my education in sport and nutrition that I learned what it truly means to train in a way that supports your body — not punish it.
Strength has changed the way I see fitness. It gives you more than physical changes — it helps you move better, feel more capable, and have the energy to show up for the life you want to live.
Through my own experiences in strength training, bodybuilding, powerlifting, and now combat sports, I've learned that training should empower you — not consume you.
My goal is to help you build the knowledge, confidence, and skills to train with purpose, fuel your body, and create sustainable habits that last a lifetime.
Because the goal isn't just changing your body. It's building one that allows you to do more, feel better, and trust what you're capable of.
Ascend isn't about chasing perfection.
It's about building a body that supports the life you want to live.
It's about becoming stronger, discovering what you're capable of, and continuing to grow beyond where you started.
Credentials
Qualified to
Coach You
Qualifications
- AUT Bachelor of Sport and Recreation — Exercise Science and Nutrition
- NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) Certified Personal Trainer
- Shane Cameron — Counterpunch Level 1 Accredited Trainer
- NZ Red Cross First Aid Certified
- REPS (NZ Register of Exercise Professionals) registered
The Ascend App
Train With Ayame,
Anywhere
Expert training programs, thousands of recipes, meal tracking, and progress analytics — everything you need in one app.
- Expert-designed training programs
- Complete nutrition ecosystem
- Progress Lab analytics
Work With Me
Three Ways to
Get Stronger
Ascend App
Everything you need, self-guided
- Expert-designed training programs
- Thousands of curated recipes
- 10,000+ ingredient library
- Meal logging & tracking
- Progress Lab analytics
- Learn — explanations & education
- New programs as they drop
Online Coaching
The app, plus Ayame in your corner
- Initial 1-on-1 strategy call
- Fully personalised training program
- Personalised nutrition guidance
- Weekly 1-on-1 check-ins with Ayame
- Direct messaging support
- Progress tracking & regular updates
- Full access to the Ascend app
In-Person Training
Face to face in Auckland
- Ascend app included
- 1-on-1 sessions in Albany & Westgate
- Hands-on technique coaching
- Programming built around you
- 12 years of coaching experience




