jon-erik kawamoto personal trainer
Lately, I’ve been playing around with and incorporating a few different exercises into my workouts. I’m all about increasing the challenge and effectiveness of each exercise I do and here are 3 exercise variations I’ve been enjoying (getting killed by) lately. But please remember to not push yourself too hard, you don’t want to hurt yourself. If you do then you should consider physiotherpary for the pain, you can check out someone similar to Ealing physiotherapy that could help you if you do hurt yourself. But let’s hope that that isn’t the care. So moving on, here are three exercises that I think you should try:

Kneeling Banded Hip Thrust with Single Arm Kettlebell Press

The hip thrust is a great exercise to target your glutes. I was searching some fitness blogs last week and came across Mike Reinold’s double kneeling banded hip thrust video on Bret Contreras’s site. I gave it a try and really liked it. It targets the glutes like no other and serves as a great glute activation exercise.

I was doing some overhead pressing the other day and wanted to make the press more strict. When trainees fatigue, they tend to lean back excessively, dip and press with some leg drive and not activate their glutes.

So, I thought, why not combine these two exercises together. You get amazing glute activation and a challenge to the torso to remain erect while pressing a kettlebell overhead. Plus, you can’t cheat by driving with the legs.

Constant Tension Reverse Crunch

The reverse crunch is a great exercise to target the external obliques and “lower abs.” It’s quite difficult for most but the idea is to curl your body into a little ball while anchoring your hands on a moderately heavy dumbbell or kettlebell.

I wanted to make this exercise a little harder, so I started doing them off a slightly elevated surface. The constant tension and localized muscle fatigue was crazy. Keep the eccentric part (down phase) slow and get ready for the burn. Do not swing your legs or kick to perform the rep – use your abs!

Ultimate Sandbag Lateral Bag Drag

Almost two months ago I took the DVRT (Dynamic Variable Resistance Training) Level 1 and 2 certification course with Ultimate Sandbag creator, Josh Henkin. It was an awesome course and taught more than just how to lift a bag of sand. Check out my top 3 eye-openers from taking the course HERE.

Anyway, one exercise that stood out to me was the lateral bag drag. I saw this exercise before but never really tried it. To be honest, it looked too easy and didn’t give it the attention it deserved. Boy was I in for a surprise.

If done correctly, this exercise is one of the most challenging core exercises I’ve ever done…ever! The amount of scapular, core and hip stability required to do this exercise correctly is crazy. Ideally, you would slide the Ultimate Sandbag as slow as possible from one side of your body to the other. Obviously friction and the weight of the bag must be taken into account but the goal here is to minimize any body (trunk and hip) movement during the drag. Keep your elbow locked and scapulae protracted in the support arm to fully engage your scapular stabilizers.

Try this exercise for 30-45 second sets. You’ll be sweating bullets.

Well, that’s a wrap.

If you give these a go, let me know how it goes.

Also, new tri-blend American Apparel Dragon Tees (in black) are on order. To save your size, pre-order your tee on my Store Page.

Have a good weekend,

-JK

photo credit: ritavida via photopin cc

David Squires

Personal Strength Training by Jon-Erik Kawamoto

Not having much if any experience with professional gyms I though it would be along the lines of going to a facility and doing your own thing, getting some instructions from time to time, if you asked for it, and for most part working out on your own, in a large impersonalized setting. I was a bit apprehensive as I figured I’d be standing around a lot looking at all this equipment wondering what to do with it, or worst doing something to hurt myself. Well I couldn’t have been more wrong. Both Jon and Thomas are very attentive, professional trainers, who lay-out an exercise program, from start to finish, for you. They demonstrate the exercise they want you to do and then watch you do it to make sure you got it right. Jon and Thomas are very thorough, patience and non-assuming.

Mike Noseworthy

Personal Strength Training by Thomas King

JKC was recommended to me by my good friend Casidhe Dyke. Cas had been training with JKC for a while, and both he and his father had seen great results from the personal training that Jon and Thomas were giving them. I was and still am primarily a triathlete and I’ve always struggled with injuries. I was talking to Cas about incorporating more strength training in my program to try and prevent injuries going forward and Cas suggested that I give JKC a try. I reached out to Jon not long after, and the rest is history! After working with Jon and Thomas for a few months, I was getting stronger, faster, and most importantly, I was staying injury-free. I ended up being able to train the whole season without significant injury and posted a personal best at Ironman Copenhagen in 2018. A big part of that was due to the strength training and coaching I received at JKC.

Amanda Crane

The people and the training set JKC apart from other gyms or programs I’ve tried in the past. Truly Jon and Thomas meet you where are and help you get to where you want to be. There are no expectations and never any judgement. You can go there having the worst day and you always leave feeling better. Truly JKC has given me a level of strength and confidence I would not have had otherwise ❤️.

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.

Annette Howard

I am 62 years young and I started training with Jon in 2013. I originally came to join JKC as a recommendation from other family members that were onboard with Jon. Their enthusiasm for the gym experience was quite evident. I was not to be outdone, so I decided to join as well. JKC, in my mind, certainly stands out from the crowd. I feel it’s a combination of the skill and passion the coaches have for their job and their clients. Each client is treated with the upmost respect and given time to explore their fitness journey without any pressure. JKC is certainly not a cookie cutter gym.The coaches customize your fitness program to suit your needs and your fitness level. This certainly makes sense because no two clients are alike. This is where JKC excels! Jon, Thomas, and Craig keep the atmosphere at the gym light, but productive. A great combination that obviously works and makes the clients want to come back. Lastly, the camaraderie at the gym is everything. Meeting likeminded people who make you feel you are not alone in your fitness journey is everything.

See All Reviews Write a Review

3 Exercises You Probably Haven’t Tried Yet

By Jon-Erik Kawamoto »