Jon-Erik Kawamoto

Jon-Erik Kawamoto, MSc, CK, CSCS, is a Certified Kinesiologist (Newfoundland and Labrador Kinesiology Association), Strength and Conditioning Specialist (National Strength and Conditioning Association), Managing Director and Founder of JKConditioning, located in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. Since taking his first client in 2005, Jon has inspired many to achieve higher levels of fitness and athletic performance. Jon has worked with numerous clients of all levels ranging from professional and amateur athletes to those with minimal gym experience.

Jon received his Master’s Degree in Human Kinetics with a concentration in Exercise Physiology from Memorial University of Newfoundland. Jon served as a teaching assistant for several undergraduate courses and also taught an introduction to strength and conditioning course as a sessional instructor in his first semester. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology from Simon Fraser University (Burnaby, BC).

In addition to coaching and personal training, Jon is an established freelance fitness writer. He has authored over 230 articles in popular fitness magazines and websites such as Men’s Journal, Muscle and Fitness, Oxygen, Runner’s World, Canadian Running, and even Arnold Schwarzenegger’s personal blog. Jon has been quoted as a fitness expert on menshealth.com, womenshealth.com, bodybuilding.com and shape.com and has been interviewed on The Signal 3x (CBC radio).

Jon’s athletic background includes competing in track & field, cross-country and road running. He competed for a total of 9 years and has 15:13 and 32:15 bests in the road 5km and 10km respectively. With his experience as a distance runner, Jon gravitates toward strength training runners of all levels.

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.

Matt Garvin

I had spent a fair bit of time in gyms in my teens and twenties but I turned away from the gym to focus on activities that I enjoyed more. What keeps me at JKC is that I do really enjoy it. I always feel that I’ve accomplished something when I leave at the end of my workout. The environment is really positive and focused on challenging yourself whatever your level of comfort and fitness. I’ve also seen results that I’m really happy with; having someone who really knows what they’re talking about to guide your workouts makes them way more effective and focused than just “going to the gym”.

Shortly after I started at JKC, I sustained a fairly major injury that took me off my feet for several months. When I started to get back to activity, it was very difficult. Jon and Thomas worked hard to tailor my workouts to my goals and what I could do. With their help, I’ve been steadily building back strength and function.

Nic Capps

Personal Strength Training by Thomas King

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 Dobbin

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.

Sean Leet

I saw an article in Men’s Journal that quoted Jon in about 2018 while traveling and was impressed that someone in St. John’s made that international magazine. Jon spoke about an exercise called the Farmer’s Walk and I started working that into my routine at the YMCA. I tore that article out of the magazine and kept it, meaning to make contact, but got busy. Then I had lunch with an old friend Bruce Dyke. I hadn’t seen Bruce for a while and I remarked that he looked super healthy and fit. He told me about his, and his son Cas’, experience at JKC and then I remembered the Men’s Journal article! No coincidences!

The experience is unique on many levels – great people, camaraderie, passion, purpose, and dedication. Jon and Thomas are attentive, precise and understanding. Their teaching has unlocked a new perspective for me with what our bodies are capable of. I still appreciate the YMCA, wonderful place, but I can’t imagine working out without Jon and Thomas now.

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