There is no better word than “strong” to describe the co-founder of Warrior Academy and former MMA fighter Tricia Yap. But what makes Tricia strong is not just her physique. Born and raised in Australia, Tricia first moved to Hong Kong for a corporate job, but eventually followed her passion for fitness into a full-time career.

The founder of a hugely popular female-only fitness bootcamp back in 2012, Tricia underwent an unexpected fall-out with her business partner, while her personal relationships too collapsed. Not long after, a severe injury from an MMA fight threatened to halt her fitness career indefinitely, but Tricia didn’t give up. Instead, she bounced back as a successful gym owner and fitness influencer, empowering women to challenge the norms and misconceptions of fitness.
We spoke with the fitness warrior on how women can define their own success.

What motivates you?
Fitness. I am passionate about coaching people, so being an athletic trainer allows me to help others navigate their fitness journey because that can be intimidating at times.
I am not a fan of magazine articles with titles like “how to lose belly fat in 30 days” or magazines that put up images of skinny models and run articles that “teach” people how to get their bodies. In the fitness industry, some trainers try to make money out of people who want to lose weight. Business is business, but I think we can also approach things with more integrity.