How many people do you take in a group environment?

If there is one coach on the floor, sessions are capped at 4 and if there are 2 coaches on the floor, sessions are capped at 6.

I noticed that the price per session is $50+tax. Is that $50/person or $50 for up to 4 people to split?

Group sessions are $50/person+tax per person regardless of group size.

Do you have any morning groups that already exist to join or do you have to come with a group already?

We actually don’t have fixed groups. Clients book on a first come first serve basis. You can join as an individual or coordinate with friends to book in the same group.

How do you time your sessions? What's your schedule?

We open at 6:15am and book on the hour. Workouts are 1-hour long. In the afternoon, we book every hour starting at 1:30pm. The last workout starts at 7:30pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 6:30pm on Tuesdays and 4:30pm on Fridays.

How much gym experience do I need to “fit in” with a group session?

None! We have many clients with minimal gym experience. We start teaching you exercises and cues in your Initial Assessment and continue to do so at all your future workouts.

Do I need to bring anything to write down weights, reps, etc. from my workout?

Nope. We have a folder with all your workout information. We track this info to safely and appropriately progress your workouts from week to week.

Do you only offer one style or workout or program?

No, we write workouts and programs for each client. We base our programming on your Initial Assessment, goals, current ability, interests and needs.

Can I just do 1-on-1 coaching or do I need to do a group?

No you can’t. All clients start with a couple 1-on-1 sessions but eventually all clients are moved to group workouts.

So you don't offer bootcamp-style workouts?

Nope. We offer traditional strength and conditioning with free weights, machine weights, bands and bodyweight. Each person in each group will have their own workout therefore it doesn’t matter who else is in your group.

I’m looking to improve my Olympic lifting/CrossFit/strongman, can you guys help with that?

Not really. We don’t specialize in this style of workouts and suggest you look for a different facility in the city for this type of training.

What can I expect at a “typical” training session? Walk me through a quick overview, how long it is, format, etc.

All workouts are 1-hour long. You’ll come in, get changed and jump on a piece of cardio equipment to start your general warm-up. Next, you’ll move to a couple dynamic stretches that will target tight muscles found in your Initial Assessment. After that, you’ll do custom muscle activation/isolation exercises to target weak muscles found in your assessment. Next comes the bulk of your workout which can include squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, pull downs and core exercises. Lastly, you can finish with a cool down and more stretches.

How many sessions per week does your typical client do?

We have clients train 1-3x/week at JKC and we also have clients train less often, like 1-2x/month but they’re working out on their own and come in for check-ins.

My private health insurance covers kinesiology services, can I get some of my training sessions covered under this?

Yes, all of our coaches are Certified Kinesiologists. We can provide you with receipts that you can submit for reimbursement.

My physio/chiro/RMT says I need to work on my mobility, is this something you can learn in a group training session?

Yes, we can prescribe mobility exercises based on findings/recommendations from your therapist.

Who would you say is your typical client?

Our niche market is the general population looking to improve their quality of life through fitness. Our clientele normally find themselves between 30-65 years of age and we’re almost 50/50 males/females.

Do the coaches at JKC hold any strength and conditioning certifications?

Yes, our coaches are Certified Kinesiologists with the Canadian Kinesiology Association and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists with the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

I'm worried that in a group session, I would get lost amongst the other clients. Is this something I should be worried about?

That’s understandable, but no, there is no need to worry. Our groups are small and kept small for a reason. We value quality coaching and smaller group sizes allow our coaches to keep a keen eye on you throughout your entire workout.

Do you guys offer memberships to walk in and use equipment?

Not at this time. Workouts are by appointment only.

I am not interested in weight training, just cardio. Can I just use the treadmill for my session?

No, this is not a service we offer at this time.

I noticed you have multiple trainers/coaches on your website? Does it matter who I see?

Nope. All our coaches are trained to have consistent knowledge and have the ability to coach you similarly through any exercise or any workout. Our coaches look after all our clients, meaning, regardless of who you see, you’ll still be coached through the next progression of your workout.

I want to train for a bodybuilding/bikini show. Is this something you can help me with?

No, this is not a service we offer. We suggest looking for a different facility/coach for this type of service.

trap bar deadlift

Dawn Armstrong

Personal Strength Training by Jon-Erik Kawamoto

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.

Mike Ladha

Personal Strength Training by Jon-Erik Kawamoto

I was referred to JKC by my sister-in-law and had heard good things about it from many people in the running community. I also saw Jon’s picture on the wall at lululemon years ago! I really like the personalized training and the variety the guys provide. I started for strength training for running. I love cardio and do tons of it but wasn’t motivated to do much strength work on my own. Jon mixes up my strength work week to week so I don’t get bored but also lets me work in a hard circuit for the last 20 minutes of most sessions to get my cardio fix 

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.

Astrid Billfalk-Kelly

Personal Strength Training by Thomas King

I wanted to add strength training to my cardio, but have always felt gyms to be a bit intimidating, and was worried I would hurt myself without some supervision and help. JKC was highly recommended by several work colleagues. Thomas and Jon are both fantastic, making sure that everyone gets a highly personalized work out in a very supportive environment. The attention to detail and professionalism are second to none. The groups are very small, but very supportive and make the workouts even more fun. Since getting pregnant (36 weeks as I write this) I’m so happy that they continue to help me get stronger while always being safe.

Dane Woodland

Personal Strength Training by Jon-Erik Kawamoto

I came to JKC through recommendations from my peers from lululemon. As a current ambassador, I’ve been introduced to legacy ambassadors, like Jon, and I knew a bunch of other people from the store were working out here so I wanted to give it a go. I often dread lower body workouts so I started coming here to do legs. I’ve had such great progress that I now come twice a week— and, I no longer hate leg day!

I’ve never experienced this sort of hybrid between group workouts and personalized service. Many group strength training services offer a sort of one-size-fits-all workout for the general population, which has never been of interest to me, because I want my workout tailored to my needs! I LOVE that you can be in a group setting while doing your own personal program; I love the camaraderie and community at JKC, and, I’ve seen incredible results thus far! Jon is always so attuned to what I need.

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