"Everyone has the will to win, but very few have the will to prepare to win." — Vince Lombardi

ABOUT SONKI

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 in various sports and has been featured in The New York Times, Men’s Health, Men's Fitness, Seventeen magazine, 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, Brigade Wrestling Championship for four consecutive years, and his bachelor’s degree.  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, 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.

"Sonki Hong may very well be the most all-around physically fit person in the world..." -- The Honolulu Advertiser newspaper

"Read [Sonki's fitness scores], and either weep or use them as motivation to get in shape." -- Men's Fitness magazine

"If Michael Jordan were to be matched up with Sonki Hong in a multi-discipline physical fitness contest the smart money would be on Hong." -- The Honolulu Advertiser newspaper  ...read more

"It seems the only competitions Captain Sonki Hong doesn't win are the ones he doesn't enter." -- Soldiers magazine

"Terry Moore, an Academy Award nominated actress and model, says the key to staying in shape has been her success in a boot camp designed by Sonki Hong." -- Santa Monica Daily Press

HIGHLIGHTS

• Bachelor of Science, US Military Academy at West Point
• Certified Master Fitness Trainer (MFT) through the US Military Academy (a comprehensive 47-month long program consisting of 600 hours of education and training)
• Management Development for Entrepreneurs (MDE), UCLA Anderson School of Management
• US Air Assault School (Distinguished Honor Graduate)
• US Airborne School (Parachute Badge)
• US Army Intelligence School Officer Course
• CPR

• Running (23 years, over 13 years competitively)
• Weightlifting (22 years)
• Wrestling (11 years competitively)
• Baseball / Softball (10 years competitively)
• Triathlon (2 years competitively)
• Sandhurst adventure racing (2 years competitively)
• Judo
• Tae Kwon Do
• Basketball
• Football

AWARDS

• Top Graduate at West Point in Physical Fitness
• All-Army Hawaii runner
• Four-time Brigade Wrestling Champion at West Point
• US Air Assault School Ruck March Champion (12 mile challenge)
• US Military Intelligence School Ironman Award
• 1^st place elite division at 1995 & 1996 Kaneohe STREND Competition
• 1^st place elite division at 1995 Hickam STREND Competition
• 1^st place elite division at 1997 Aloha State Games (STREND)
• 1^st place overall at Lokomaikai 10K run 1997
• 1^st place in division at the Great Aloha Run 1995, 10^th place overall in 1997, 9^th place overall in 1998 (over 35,000 runners)
• 1^st in division at the Val Nolasco Half Marathon (1:18:45)
• 1^st place in division at the Hard Rock 10K 1995 (7^th overall, 33:58), 3^rd place in division in 1994, 2^nd place in division in 1996 (9^th overall), 1st place in division in 1997 (7^th overall)
• 2^nd place overall at Newman Center 5K 1997
• 2^nd place in division at the Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure 5K 2000
• 2nd place overall at the Hawaiian Style 8K 1995 (26:46)
• 3^rd place overall at the Angel Island 5 Mile 2001
• 3^rd place overall at the Symphony 4 Mile run 1995
• 3^rd place overall at the McGruff 8K Run
• 6th place overall at the UH Rainbow 5K Run
• 81^st overall out of over 12,000 in the Army 10 Miler (55:32)
• Bay to Breakers 1999 (88^th out of over 75,000 runners)
• Bay to Breakers 2001 (72^nd out of over 60,000 runners)
• 4th place in division at the Chronicle Classic 5M 2000
• 1st place in division at the 7th Annual LMU Run for the Bay 5K 2002
• 1st place in division (6th overall) at the Kickin Cancer 5K 2002
• 1st place in division (7th overall) at the Nike Run Hit Wonder 5K 2003
• 1st place in division (2nd overall) at the Malibu Shark 5K 2004
• 1st place overall at the Achievable 5k 2004
• 2nd place in division at the Nike Run Hit Wonder 5k 2004
• 1st place in division at the Nike Run Hit Wonder 5k 2005
• 3rd place overall at the Camp Pendleton Mud Run 2006
• 1st place in division at the Saint Johns Santa Monica 5k 2008
• 1st place in division (3rd overall) at the Warrior Dash 2010 (over 6000 runners)
• 2nd place overall at the Gladiator Rock'n Run 5k 2011
• 1st place overall at the ROC 5k 2011
• Superintendent's Award and Dean's List at West Point