Scott Sonnon
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Scott Sonnon | |
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Born | October 11, 1969 |
Occupation | martial artist |
Scott Sonnon is a martial art expert and fitness coach,[1], and wellness speaker.[2] who has worked with movie stars such as Peta Wilson[3] and Donna Karan[4] as well as Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts fighters such as Alberto Crane, Jorge Rivera, Andrei Arlovski, and Elvis Sinosic. His fitness system, Circular Strength Training, has been adopted by elements of the United States Army.[5] He is also a published author, a public speaker [6][7], and an advocate in the fight against childhood obesity.[8]
Training
Sonnon is credited as having reintroduced Indian clubs in the form of clubbells to strength training.[9] By 2007 he had been inducted into three halls of fame: the National Fitness Hall of Fame[10], the International Martial Arts Hall of Fame[11] and the Personal Trainer Hall of Fame[12], and is known to the Sambo and Russian martial arts communities.[13]
He is known in the Sambo and MMA community for innovating a "lower-half positional fighting approach"[14] derived from Sambo and applied to mixed martial arts and submission fighting competitions which he calls the "saddle" positions.[15]
Career highlights
- From 1993-1995, National Sombo Coach of the United States Sombo Association[10]
- 1994 Pan-American Sambo champion[10]
- 1995 USA Grand National Sambo champion[10]
- 1996 First US instructor licensed in Russian martial art ROSS Systema, appointed North American director of Russian Martial Art Federation [16]
- 1999-2001 Inducted into the International Martial Arts Hall of Fame[10]
- 1999 Awarded Master of Sports in Sambo by American Amateur Sambo Federation[17]
- 1999 Received license as an International Category Sambo referee[16]
- 1999 Elected vice-president of the American Sambo Federation[16]
- 1999 Appointed Combat Sambo chairman to the International Combat Sambo Commission for FIAS (International Amateur Sambo Federation) [16]
- 2001 Awarded the Leadership Award by International Martial Arts Hall of Fame[18]
- 2003 Received patent for his clubbell design used for "Circular Strength Training"[19]
- 2007 Personal Trainer Hall of Fame Inductee [12]
- 2007 Accepted position as the conditioning advisor for the International Youth Conditioning Association.[8]
- 2008 Appointed combat advisor to the World Kettlebell Club[20]
- 2009 Master of Ceremony (emcee) for the world's largest fitness expo Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic[21]
- 2009 Appointed Mobility and Movement Skills Director to the International Kettlebell and Strength Academy[22]
- 2009 Keynote Speaker for Canadian Personal Trainers Network Annual Conference [23]
- 2009 Speaker for American Mensa Annual Gathering [7]
- 2009 Appointed Russian Sambo advisor to USADOJO Board of Advisors [24]
- 2009 Appointed Physical Training and Conditioning advisor to USADOJO Board of Advisors [24]
- 2009 His Circular Strength Training System became a part of the "Best Gyms in America" (Fitness Magazine) - Equinox Fitness Clubs
- 2009 Qualified to compete and accepted invitation to coach the US Martial Arts Team for the 2010 World Martial Arts Games[1]
Bibliography
- RMAX Magazine (2003–2008) ISSN 1555-7723
- Mastering Sambo for Mixed Martial Arts (2008) ISBN 978-1-58160-686-7
- Free to Move: The Intu-Flow Longevity System (2008) ISBN 978-0-9794275-6-5
- Prasara Yoga: Flow Beyond Thought (2007) ISBN 978-0-9794275-4-1
- The Big Book of Clubbell Training (2006) ISBN 978-0976356066
- Clubbell Training for Circular Strength: An Ancient Tool for the Modern Athlete (2003) ISBN 978-0971794924
- Body-Flow: Freedom from Fear-Reactivity (2003) ISBN 978-0971794931
Pop culture
Star Wars: The Cestus Deception was dedicated to Scott Sonnon by its author Steven Barnes, who lists Sonnon's teachings as the inspiration for the creation of the "Jedi Martial Art" training. Sonnon is also given a character honorarium in the story: "Skot OnSon."
Early life
Sonnon was born in 1969, in Pennsylvania, USA. His family emigrated to the United States two generations before him from the town of Sonnon, district of Passau, Bavaria, Germany. He overcame being legally blind due to myopia and Thygeson's disease, spending his youth in pain with Osteochondrosis and obesity, and suffering learning disabilities such as dyslexia.[6] Sonnon is a member of Mensa International and has been a keynote speaker for the High IQ organization.[7]
References
- ^ a b US Martial Arts Team Acceptance Letter
- ^ "Relieve Joint Pain and Restore Joint Mobility". The Arnold Sports Festival. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
- ^ PetaWilson.info "Peta Gets Ready for Roles With Help of Scott Sonnon"
- ^ EvLiving.com "Free to Move"
- ^ UltimateGrapplingMag.com article[dead link]
- ^ a b "International Youth Conditioning Association Biography of Scott Sonnon". IYCA.org. Retrieved 2008-03-26.[dead link]
- ^ a b c "American Mensa AG 2009 Program Listing".
- ^ a b "Scott Sonnon Advisory Position". International Youth Conditioning Association. Retrieved 2007-12-11.[dead link]
- ^ Haas, Tyler. "Exclusive Interview with Scott Sonnon". Girevik Magazine Online. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
- ^ a b c d e "Scott Sonnon Bio". The National Fitness Hall of Fame & Museum. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
- ^ Bushido.org Hall of Fame Awards
- ^ a b "Scott Sonnon Personal Trainer of the Year". Personal Trainer Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2007-12-07.
- ^ Elmore, Phil. "Coach Sonnon and Softwork". The Martialist. No. Issue 3.09.
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has extra text (help) - ^ Century Martial Arts: Sambo for MMA
- ^ Paladin-Press
- ^ a b c d "Martial Arts Biographies - Scott Sonnon". USA DOJOS MARTIAL ARTS BIOGRAPHIES. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
- ^ About Coach Sonnon, Retrieved on 2008-10-13 [dead link]
- ^ Bushido Hall of Fame Award
- ^ "Clubbell Patent Scott Sonnon". United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved 2007-11-03.
- ^ American Kettlebell Club blog
- ^ Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic Official Website
- ^ IKSA Official Website[dead link]
- ^ CPTN 2009 Conference Website
- ^ a b USADOJO Board of Advisors Official Website