jon-erik kawamoto, personal trainer
Well, it would be a lie if I said that this week was anything shy of spectacular.

I had my debut article on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s official website, titled Hybrid Density Training (HDT): The Best Fat Loss Workout You’re NOT Doing. It was a hit and received 10,000 LIKES!

HDT is a high intensity training program I created for those looking to burn as many calories as possible, which combines high-intensity interval training (sprints) and circuit training.

I want to make it clear though, that exercise should be your 2nd line of defence when wanting to shed fat.

My friend and fellow colleague, Mark Young, said it best for the Lean Bodies Consulting Facebook page:

Exercise can serve as an adjunct to diet, but never as a replacement. Don’t put your stock in magic exercise plans that promise fat loss. If your diet isn’t in place you’re pretty much just wasting your time.
Mark Young, Lean Bodies Consulting

So with that in mind, here’s my HDT article:

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Very little is considered new or radical in the fitness industry these days. Most of the training and programming parameters such as progressive overload, specificity of training and the principle of reversibility have stood the test of time. Training concepts may come and go, but we always seem to fall back on what works best or what proves to be better.

Putting a HIT on Aerobic Exercise

 
A prime example is long slow distance training or aerobic exercise. Once believed as the go-to training method for fat loss, low intensity training has since been bumped from the top spot and replaced with high intensity training, also known as high-intensity interval training (HIT) or burst training. Commonly associated with cyclical-type exercises, like running and cycling [1], HIT incorporates hard and easy periods of high and low intensity efforts.

Continue reading HERE.

log overhead press

I had tried JKC based on the recommendation of a parent of one of my students. I originally started by attending Saturday drop in classes. I was hooked. I decided to join full time when I I had taken a year off from teaching and it was the best thing I have done for myself.

First and foremost the trainers at JKC are extremely knowledgeable. I feel like they are as dedicated to my success as I am. The workouts are tailored to me, my skills and my goals. This is important. Jon and Thomas truly want the best for their clients no matter what level of fitness they are starting from. I also like being able to book a session at a time that suits my schedule. This also helps keep me accountable. Once the session is booked I am not likely to cancel!

I’ve been weight training on and off for years but never really had a specific goal or target in mind so routinely stalled out, plateaued or stopped training all together. Before I joined JKC I was definitely in a fitness slump and needed something to motivate me and get me back on track. I did a bit of digging online, looking at various personal training options and gyms around town but JKC seemed like the best option by far. I’ve tried big box gyms and other personal trainers in the past but none of them have had the perfect combination of goal specific fitness programming, welcoming and supportive environment, and the knowledge and passion to back it all up that you’ll find at JKC. Jon and Thomas are great to work with, they know how to motivate you if you’re having an off day and are well versed in all the different ways to make your muscles burn! I also have noticed some major improvements in my deadlifts since I started with JKC and was really happy with the result.

lisa jumping onto a box

JKC was recommended to me by a fellow runner. I was experiencing injuries, and feeling weak and fragile. When I started with JKC, Jon asked me about my goals and my focus. I wanted to concentrate specifically on running, and preventing injury. Jon developed a program for me that has enabled me to focus on my form and strength and has been flexible enough to enable me to train for many different races. I have been training with JKC for six years, and during that time I have enjoyed Jon and Thomas’s expertise in a very warm and supportive atmosphere.

I joined JKC because I wanted to better care for my physical health, but didn’t really know how, or where, to begin.  Seeking help from a trainer seemed like a wise choice, and I had heard great things about the staff at JKC. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate exercising.  So, I’ve only ever tried sticking with a gym routine twice in my life.  Each experience consisted of me wandering around, not knowing what to do, and settling for an elliptical machine or something else that seemed comfortable and non-threatening.  Each session was the same, and I felt like I was wasting my time.

Each session at JKC, however, is specifically crafted for me.  I don’t have to think about what to do, because I’m told what to do.  I don’t have to worry about how to do things properly, because I’m shown (sometimes multiple times!) how to accomplish each task.  I don’t have to be concerned about slipping into a comfortable routine, because Jon and Thomas won’t let that happen.

trap bar deadlift

A few of my wonderful friends and colleagues recommended JKC. I was told by one colleague that “It’ll be the best thing you ever do for yourself” and she was right! To be honest, I didn’t have much experience in any gym setting. And NO prior weight training experience. It was always so overwhelming! But from the first day, nothing was intimidating about JKC. Each workout is set up just for me, and with my specific skills and goals in mind. There are no stupid questions, you learn as you go, and what I really love, I always feel included and important, regardless of my skills/experience.

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