March 27, 2017

Meet Sonki Hong of Sonki Fitness in Santa Monica

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonki Hong.

Sonki is a celebrity trainer and the Founder/CEO of Sonki Fitness. He has over 26 years of fitness and sports experience and has been hailed as “the most all-around physically fit person in the world” by the press. He got an early start in fitness as a star athlete in school and top fitness graduate from West Point. He then went on to serve in the US Army as an Intelligence Officer and Master Fitness Trainer, leading and training soldiers to be in top shape for combat. While in the Army, he learned the importance of leading others through inspiration and motivation versus intimidation, which has been his training philosophy ever since. After serving in the Army and then the corporate world, he decided to pursue his lifelong passion for fitness and helping others by starting Sonki Fitness in 2002. Learning firsthand from his Korean father who is a protestant pastor, Sonki created his company based on honor, integrity, and a genuine passion for helping people. He firmly believes there’s no shortcut to success in fitness and therefore focuses his training on making fitness a lifelong habit and having fun doing it.

Since starting Sonki Fitness, he has trained, coached, and inspired thousands of people from all walks of life to get in better shape and adopt a healthier way of life. A five-time World Fitness Champion (called “the most physically fit man in the world” by the media), Sonki has received numerous awards and has been featured in The New York Times, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Fitness, Seventeen, and MSN.com to name a few.

Sonki is a graduate of the prestigious U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he took top honors in physical fitness by graduating number one in his class, as well as earning the coveted Superintendent’s Award, winning the Brigade Wrestling Championship for four consecutive years, and making the Dean’s List. In the Army, he was regarded as one of the fittest soldiers to have ever served in the military, having achieved a perfect score on every Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), earning All-Army Hawaii honors, Distinguished Honor Graduate honors at the US Air Assault School, and Ironman award at the Army Intelligence School. He also graduated from the UCLA Anderson School’s Management Development for Entrepreneurs (MDE) program.

Has it been a smooth road?
Every business faces challenges and struggles along the way, and we are no different. One of the biggest challenges was dealing with the city of Santa Monica a few years ago. We had been in business since 2002 using Santa Monica’s Palisades Park as our flagship location for training. As more trainers and businesses jumped in (some legally, many illegally), the city was forced to consider banning all training at the park. There was a public battle between the trainers and the city for over a year, which ended with a compromise. Trainers were allowed to train at Palisades Park, but had to abide by a few rules. Mainly, we had to pay a quarterly permit fee (almost $9k per year) and could not train more than 15 people at a time. This was a significant blow to our business since we were averaging 20 – 30 people per class. To offset this setback, we had to raise our prices slightly for the first time (and the only time) in the history of our company. Thankfully, our clients were very understanding and supportive.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Sonki Fitness – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Sonki Fitness specializes in Boot Camp, Fitness Vacations, Corporate Wellness Programs, and Personal Training. We have regularly scheduled Boot Camp classes throughout LA but also do special wellness programs (we’ve trained TOMS, Honda, UCLA, Pepperdine, to name a few). I also train celebrities. One of my unique experiences was touring with Ke$ha and Pitbull throughout the US and Canada. Moreover, we do trips to exotic places like Fiji and Maui where we spend a week exercising, indulging, and frolicking.

Our philosophy and methodology are based on my West Point and Army training, so all of our programs are designed to get a person in top shape while instilling self-discipline and confidence. And we make it fun and create a positive environment so that our clients enjoy the process. Having been around since 2002 and serviced over 4000 clients, we are one of the longest running and most successful boot camps in the country. What really sets us apart from others is that our program is based on real military boot camp experience and techniques. The training I do with my clients is based on what I did to get US Army soldiers in top shape for combat. It’s the real deal.

I would have to say I’m most proud of building a happy Sonki Fitness community. We have had people meet and fall in love at Sonki Fitness, ending in several marriages. We have had people form lifelong friendships, get jobs, network, and so much more than just get a great workout. We’ve built a genuine, positive community around people who want to better themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally. Being a part of this community and forming friendships with my great clients has been the proudest and best part of my business.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I’ve lived all over the place (Seoul, Indianapolis, New York, Arizona, San Diego, Hawaii, San Francisco), and I can honestly say Santa Monica is the best place I’ve ever lived in. Weather is great all year round, and having the beach and mountains nearby makes it very outdoor friendly. People are very health conscious, and that positive attribute is very contagious.

There aren’t much I dislike about the city. But I would have to say the traffic has gotten worse.

Pricing: