JKF Fitness & Health

Individual sessions start at $100/hr

The first session is an assessment in the form of a workout to determine your cardio, strength, balance, coordination and flexibility levels. Sessions are typically in an hour format that include •A Guided Warm-Up/Cardio Session •Workout Program/Routine •Cool Down/Stretch. Options outside of an hour are available depending on program

•Education: B.A., Biological Anthropology, Harvard University •Certifications: Exercise Physiologist – American College of Sports Medicine •Industry Experience: 15+ years​

When I was 18 and starting my college athletic career at Harvard, I met with a doctor about an aching knee. He diagnosed me with early on-set arthritis and said my athletic career was pretty much done. When I asked what that meant outside of competing, would I be able to go on slow runs? Play a pick-up game of basketball? The doctor said that likely my knees would hold up for 10 to 15 minutes before giving out. That moment changed my whole entire outlook on how I managed and viewed my body. I became obsessed with learning about how the human body works and the best way to go about training, working out and eating to keep my body healthy and capable of doing the activities I love for as long as possible. I ended up focusing my studies in college in biological anthropology, specifically human evolutionary biology. I was fortunate to be provided the chance to learn about how the body works from the muscular-skeletal system to metabolic processes. What I took away from it all is that people are meant to be active and eat right. Though what “active” and “eating right” means depends on the person and the life they want to live. And being specific in envisioning that life is the guiding principle in designing and structuring a workout and wellness program.

John has worked with a variety of clients, from children to the elderly, with significant clinical work with middle-age professionals and athletes. He’s trained people with ailments ranging from Lymes Disease, to Pacemakers, to knee reconstructions, hip replacements, and shoulder and back injuries.

There is one client whose inspiring path I would like to share, especially since for the first time we’ve tracked our progress together through photos, and her name is Emily. Emily’s interest in my services had been piqued through emails and friends, and so, heading into the summer of 2015, she decided it was time to “grab the bull by the horns”. She signed up for the summer body program. As she told other prospective clients, working with John is worth it, though getting through the first couple of workouts, or weeks can be hard and painful. The important thing is to stick with it. Emily has stuck with it, continuing her program for over a year now. Starting with just 2 sessions a week she has scaled the program up and down to fit her busy schedule and budget. Once she had made working out a part of her weekly routine, she started fully incorporating healthy eating into her program. From trying out nutrient rich salad recipes from me to using meal delivery companies, Emily found a way to eat that made her feel good and look good. In terms of the workouts, Emily was apt to take full advantage of my varied training background. When grilled about what style of training I specialize in, Emily pondered and replied, it’s really a nice mix of a lot of things. From body weight exercises, to running, to machines, to TRX, to pilates, it’s a mix of exercises best designed to get her the results she wants. And the results have been great. We’ve never focused too much on a weight number, it’s been more about what she’s capable of doing in the gym and how she feels. By training for performance, she’s benefited from the improvements necessary to allow her to run more, stretch further and lift heavier. All things that result in you having a pretty kick-ass body and feeling great about what you can accomplish with said body.

1.) Know your personality - Are you a bubbly person, somber, energetic, vary during the day? What personalities do you respond best to? When finding a trainer there’s often talk of what personality of the trainer would work best for you, which is often distilled into drill sergeant versus cheerleader. I propose to people to think about teachers, coaches, and bosses who have gotten a lot out of them. What was it about those people that made you respond over weeks, months and years? Your relationship with your trainer isn’t only in the moment. so while you think you might need someone to yell at you and berate you into showing up once or twice a week to do your workout, how long will that approach actually work for you over time? Look to your own past experiences as a starter to see what might be the best type of trainer personality/approach to get the most out of you. 2.) What’s more important to you, a goal or lifestyle change - When starting a fitness program ask yourself if you’re most concerned about a number of pounds to lose, distance to run, weight to lift, event to compete in or if you’re more concerned about making fitness a part of a healthier lifestyle. While a trainer can certainly combine goals and lifestyle change, their focus on one or the other could be the great differentiator. A majority of my clients like that we focus on goals, but they also know that everything I do has a long term picture in mind. Having battled through multiple major injuries while competing, my fitness philosophy is firmly rooted in being able to be at my peak physical capabilities for as long as possible (I’m thinking about still running and playing basketball at 60, 70 years old). 3.) Trainer background and specialities - Look at what a trainer is well-versed in and likes to do. All trainers can do a variety of fitness routines, but most have a go to. Mine personally is a wholistic sports training approach. Think weights, cross-training with a mix of yoga and core work to focus on longevity. Other trainers may bring extensive, yoga, dance, martial arts, boxing, cross-fit, running, swimming experience to the table that forms the base of their programs. Find a trainer whose style and points of emphasis are areas you would be interested in doing not just as a trend but for years to come. 4.) Read reviews - Outside of trying out a couple of trainers based on their profiles and backgrounds (which you should do), reading up on previous clients experiences with the trainer is a great way to whittle down a list of potential trainers. Key things to look for are how people describe the workouts, the progression of their programs, their interactions with the trainer and how long they worked with the trainer. One of the more interesting things I learned from client reviews was how many mentioned my humor and making the workouts enjoyable. While talk of goals accomplished and physical improvements (things I often worry about the most) were glossy mentioned, it wasn’t the thing that kept my clients coming back month after month and for many year after year. While you certainly don’t need to have a trainer for years, ending up with one for that long is a clear sign of a great fit.

I actually spoke with Well+Good about this question. Here are the highlights of what should be asked or considered: 1. What is my goal in having a personal trainer take me through workouts? 2. Who have been my best teachers or bosses? Try to understand the type of people who have best helped you learn or accomplish goals. 3. What type of person do I like to spend time with? It's important to make sure you enjoy the company of your personal trainer. 4. What are the certifications of the person I'll be working with to go through workouts? 5. What is my budget? Understanding the wellness and fitness goals you have, how many sessions a week will you require and for how long.