Hi, I’m Taro. I’ve always loved moving my body. As a kid, play, sports, and exploration came naturally to me. I was drawn to athletics and martial arts, fascinated by the ways the body could express itself, learn, and adapt. Movement wasn’t something I had to think about — it just felt alive, spontaneous, and joyful.

My Movement Story

Growing up, I played everything: rugby, badminton, tennis, ultimate frisbee, martial arts and more. I fell in love with the challenge, the flow, and the sheer joy of exploring my body in different ways. Over time, that love led me into more structured paths: I studied exercise kinesiology, athletic training, and physical rehab, always with one question in mind — Why do so many people struggle to move freely?

Rugby was my great passion, but with it came repeated injuries — especially chronic issues in my neck and lower back. Those injuries pushed me deeper into my work, but they also opened my eyes: the conventional “fix the body” way didn’t feel “right” for my body. It seemed mechanical, overly complicated, and disconnected from how we naturally move as children or how animals move in nature.

A Different Way of Learning to Move

As I studied and worked in physical therapy, rehab, and movement education, I felt a growing tension inside. Something about the way we were taught to “recover” movement didn’t sit right with me. It felt mechanical, rigid, and overly focused on fixing the body as if it were a broken machine. Patients were treated like objects to be repaired, with exercises and modalities applied step by step, and yet the underlying patterns, the nervous system, and the way people experienced themselves remained unchanged. Relief was temporary, and true transformation seemed elusive.

I began questioning everything I had learned: Is this really how humans are meant to learn and move? I wondered why babies learn to crawl, stand, and walk naturally without step-by-step instructions, and why animals in the wild never need to be “fixed” yet move with ease and adaptability. If learning to move is innate, why does adulthood often feel like we’ve lost that freedom and are constantly chasing fixes?

This curiosity led me to the Feldenkrais Method. Over four years of deep training and exploration, I relearned how to move from the inside out. I discovered a sense of ease, presence, and exploration reminiscent of childhood — a freedom in movement that is quietly powerful, subtle, and joyful. It wasn’t about pushing, correcting, or forcing the body, but about reconnecting with my own nervous system, sensing its intelligence, and allowing movement to emerge naturally.

Through this process, I realized that lasting change isn’t about exercises, stretches, or therapy alone — it’s about retraining the conditions inside us, reshaping our self-image, and restoring the natural dialogue between our body, mind, and nervous system. That freedom and confidence I had lost in my body as an adult slowly returned, and it’s this journey that now guides the work I share with others.

My Professional Background and Training

My work is shaped by more than 20 years of studying human movement, rehabilitation, and the nervous system.
I’ve trained in and practiced:

• Master’s in science in exercise physiology and kinesiology

• Certified orthopedic movement specialist

• Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner

• Extensive training in exercise kinesiology, therapeutic exercise, athletic rehabilitation, and somatic movement

These experiences have given me a deep understanding of both the mechanics and the nervous system aspects of movement. More importantly, they’ve shaped my approach: guiding people to reconnect with their own body wisdom, rather than simply “fixing” what seems broken.

Through this combination of personal experience and professional expertise, I help people move beyond temporary relief and create lasting transformation in how they experience their body and movement from the inside.

What I Believe

• Movement cannot be forced.

• Pain and tension often come from how we (and our nervous system) sense ourselves, not from what we “do wrong.”

• True change comes from retraining the nervous system and reshaping how we experience our own body from the inside.

• We are already deeply intelligent; we just need to remember that wisdom and reconnect with it.

How I Help

In my work, I guide people who are tired of short-term fixes and ready for something deeper. I guide the process of somatic movement that:

• reconnects you with your body’s intelligence

• helps you rebuild trust in how you move

• encourages exploration, not correction

• supports you in moving with more ease, presence, and confidence

A Bit About Me

I live in Michigan with my wife, Yuka (also a Feldenkrais practitioner), and our son, Renta — honestly my best life and movement teacher.

Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, camping, biking, traveling with my family, practicing martial arts, and spending time in nature. I value simple living, curiosity, and continual growth.

Let’s Explore Together

If something about my journey resonates with you — if you feel stuck, or you long to move more freely — I would be honored to walk with you.

Whether through my Understanding How YOUR BODY Moves Method or a personal conversation, I’m here to explore what’s possible for you.

Book a Conversation with Me
No pressure. Just a heartfelt conversation to see if this is the right path for your movement and freedom.

“Never have I ever felt so comfortable in my body as I do now after completing this course with Taro Iwamoto. "Understanding How Your Body Moves Mthod™ " has exactly helped me to understand why I have been experiencing certain issues/struggles in my body movements all this time. The lessons and movements Taro shares, along with understanding why the movements are important to recognize, have helped to refine how I move in all kinds of physical activities in a way to feel better, more at ease and with confidence. Taro creates a fun and engaging learning environment where everyone feels safe and eager to share their experiences both during the zoom sessions and in the facebook group helping us to all learn from each other. Highly recommend this course!”

— Asisthya “Sisi” Muluk from Indonesia