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!

Tara Rector-Whelan

Personal Strength Training by Thomas King

I started at JKC after a good friend recommended it to me. She had been coming for about a year and I was envious of her great results. I felt sluggish after failing to motivate myself with various home workout routines. I love the fun and relaxed atmosphere at JKC. It’s such a comfortable gym space and I enjoy knowing so many of the people I work out with. Jon and Thomas make an effort to introduce everyone to each other and with all the joking around,  it starts to feel like a family. Not to mention the awesome results. I’ve always liked to run on a treadmill but I’ve never had the drive to lift weights on my own. Going to JKC makes me accountable which was what I really needed. I feel so much stronger and healthier than I did 4 years ago when I started.

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 ❤️.

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.

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.

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!

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