Jon-Erik Kawamoto personal trainer

Similar to being undernourished and overfed, many of us are over-read and none the wiser. Thanks to the internet, there is a plethora of fitness articles and instructional videos at our fingertips. We are bombarded daily with conflicting fitness messages…no wonder it’s so difficult to decipher the good messages from the bad. In Weekly Fitness Reads, I’ll use my best judgement and share articles that I find worthy of reading. Enjoy!

Addicted to Fatigue

by Jim Kielbaso

I had a client start with me last fall. He was working with a different personal trainer but had to make a switch because his trainer was changing his schedule. Anyway, this client only lasted for 3 sessions. He stopped training with me because my workouts weren’t hard enough. He was so used to gauging his workouts on how tired he was because his previous trainer put him through crazy-ass workouts. You see, he was training to see how tired he could make himself.

Because he was a new client, I was using a more conservative approach (that I do with all my new clients) but he wasn’t happy because I didn’t kill him.

This article, Addicted to Fatigue, echoes my thoughts 100%. With all the hype on high-intensity training, Crossfit, P90X, Insanity, etc. it’s no wonder people associate how wet their shirt is with how good their workout was.

If you’re training to just create fatigue, you’re totally missing the point of training. Training is supposed to make you move better, stronger, more mobile and healthier. Once you’ve build a solid foundation, then you can add intensity and more complex exercises. Again, don’t train to get tired. Train to get better.

Stop Working Out Like an Olympian

by Lee Boyce

My colleague and friend Lee Boyce wrote this fantastic article for Esquire. He lists very important points to consider when choosing exercise programs and exercises. I really enjoyed this article.

Does Cardio Make You Fat?

by James Fell

Even though I write for many fitness magazines and websites, that doesn’t mean I agree with all the messages or articles they publish. Last week, a website I’ve contributed to before, T-Nation, published an article called Regular Cardio Will Make You Fat. These types of titles (which are chosen to pull you in) drive me nuts. James (a nationally syndicated fitness columnist for the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times) wrote this awesome article refuting this bold claim. Tons of great and real information here.

I also wrote an article for Bodybuilding.com last summer defending cardiovascular exercise called Why the Word Cardio Doesn’t Make Sense. You can read it here.

That’s it for this week. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Amanda Shea

Personal Strength Training by Jon-Erik Kawamoto

I’m 35 and I started at JKC in November of 2019. I was coming off the win of the Royal St. John’s Regatta in 2019, and our crew was chomping at the bit to be stronger and faster for 2020. The reputation of JKC leached into our group and away we went! Unfortunately the regatta was cancelled due to COVID-19, but I just loved JKC so much I stuck around. JKC is different from other gyms because the level of experience the team has is unparalleled. Jon, Thomas and Craig all mesh well together and mentor me in a way that I know they love what they do and are genuinely excited to guide me towards my goals (and beyond). I really enjoy the atmosphere, the sense of community and all the positive vibes that I experience in every session. There’s never a time I don’t want to go because I’m motivated by the team’s coaching style and I get results.

Jon Howard

I’m 36 Years Old and started with JKC in 2013. In the past I’d often have motivated spurts of a gym routine but they would usually only last a month or so. It’s pretty easy to press the snooze button at 530 am when there’s no one waiting for you. The fact that the guys are always on time/prepared and motivated for your session adds a level of accountability to your shoulders to “get out of bed” and bring your best effort each time. From the pressure free trainers to the camaraderie that you create over time with the individuals you’re working out with, JKC is able to offer an experience many other gyms cannot.

Lloyd Hussey

I started at JKC in January of 2014 and I’m 67 years old. When I had my Initial Assessment, I knew – almost immediately – that Jon knew what he was doing and what he was talking about. I was overweight, out of shape, and in serious need of someone, like Jon, who could get me back on a fitness/conditioning routine that suited me, my age, my less than acceptable physical condition, my sometimes intermittent RA, and my need for a structured, consistent and yet flexible training and conditioning program that would work for me.

Fundamentally, if I made a choice at all with respect to JKC – it was to continue to come back each week. I have not been in a lot of gyms. To be honest, they used to intimidate me. What makes JKC different is their approach to each and every one of their clients. Jon and Thomas – and now Craig – tailor each training regime to the particular needs of each client. That ensures that the training regime will suit each client upon the start of training and changes as the client improves. It adjusts for any physical setbacks such as injuries and it adjusts for success. It is just that simple.

It is also the consistent encouragement that comes from Jon, Thomas and Craig. That voice that comes to you while you are in the middle of a particularly difficult set – rear-foot elevated split squats comes to mind immediately – that says “good job” or “keep it up” or “just a couple more reps.” To know, in that moment, that you are not alone and the trainer is paying attention to what you are doing. That is priceless for me.

Phyllis Swyer

My initial goal was to find qualified personal training services in a personalized small gym setting. I have never been a fan of large gyms. JKC offers a friendly, happy gym experience that motivates me to strive for bigger and better results every week. Jon, Thomas and Craig are genuinely talented and always excited to celebrate everyone’s success.

I have a passion for challenging myself to achieve or beat goals. My favourite memories take me back to greater wins than I ever imagined with deadlifts and after a lot of determination and hard work, being able to do multiple chin-ups. Training at JKC has been one of the best experiences of my life – thank you for your commitment to helping me stay fit!!💪🏼😅

Betty Mckenna

Personal Strength Training by Thomas King

I started strength training at JKC in the Spring of 2021. I am in my 60’s but happy to say I feel much younger since joining this gym. I joined JKC upon the advice of a doctor. I went through some difficult medical issues last year, that’s when one of my doctors recommended strength training at JKC. I have been physically active most of my adult life but mainly running and completed many road races as I am a distance runner. Strength training has definitely benefited me by increasing my stamina and energy. It sure has enhanced my recovery over the past year. I have the added benefit of becoming a stronger runner as well.

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Weekly Fitness Reads Feb 23-2014

By Jon-Erik Kawamoto »