Scott Sonnon

Infobox_Person
name = Scott Sonnon
residence = Bellingham, Washington
other_names =

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caption =
birth_date = 1969
birth_place = Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
birth_name =
occupation = physical fitness expert, martial artist, author, coach, entreprenuer
height =
website =

Scott Sonnon is a fitness coach, yoga guru [http://www.flowacademy.com.au/media_room.htm] and wellness speakercite web |title= Relieve Joint Pain and Restore Joint Mobility |work= The Arnold Sports Festival |url=http://www.arnoldsportsfestival.com/h_active_aging.asp?sl=1&m=activeaging#sonnon|accessdate=2008-03-26] known for training Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts fighters such as Alberto Crane, Jorge Rivera, Andrei Arlovski, and Elvis Sinosic. He is also a published author, a public speaker, a member of Mensacite web |title= International Youth Conditioning Association Biography of Scott Sonnon |work= IYCA.org |url=http://www.iyca.org/scott-sonnon-c57.html |accessdate=2008-03-26] , and is an advocate in the fight against childhood obesity.cite web |title= Scott Sonnon Advisory Position |work= International Youth Conditioning Association |url= http://www.iyca.org/scott-sonnon-c57.html |accessdate=2007-12-11]

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. Despite his accomplishments as an author, speaker and athlete, he overcame being "legally" blind due to myopia and Thygeson's disease, spending his youth crippled with Osteochondrosis disease, and suffering an array of learning disabilities such as dysphonetic, dyseidetic and double deficit dyslexia. Scott views his "defects" as a "blessing" that allowed him to "see, feel and think about the world in a wonderfully unique way."

Training

Sonnon is credited as having reintroduced clubbells to strength training.cite web |last=Haas |first=Tyler |title=Exclusive Interview with Scott Sonnon |work=Girevik Magazine Online |url= http://www.powerathletesmag.com/archives/Girevik/Second/interviewsonnon.htm |accessdate=2007-11-02] In 2007 he was a candidate for induction into The National Fitness Hall of Famecite web |title=Scott Sonnon Bio |work= The National Fitness Hall of Fame & Museum |url= http://www.nationalfitnessorganization.com/sonnonscott.html |accessdate=2007-11-02] and The Personal Trainer Hall of Famecite web |title= Scott Sonnon Personal Trainer of the Year |work= Personal Trainer Hall of Fame |url= http://www.personaltrainerhalloffame.com/member_profile.php?uid=518&value=1|accessdate=2007-12-07] , and is known to the Sambo and Russian martial arts communities.cite news |last=Elmore |first=Phil |title=Coach Sonnon and Softwork |work= The Martialist |issue=Issue 3.09]

He is known in the Sambo and MMA community for innovating a "lower-half positional fighting approach" [http://www.centurymartialarts.com/Product/sambo_for_mma.aspx] derived from Sambo and applied to mixed martial arts and submission fighting competitions which he calls the "Saddle" positions. [http://www.paladin-press.com/product/1016/16]

Career highlights

* From 1993-1995, Sonnon was the National Sombo Coach of the United States Sombo Association
* 1993 Universiade (World University Games) Silver Medalist in Sambo
* 1994 Pan-American Sambo Champion
* 1995 USA Grand National Sambo Champion
* 1996 First American Instructor Licensed in Russian Martial Art ROSS Systema and Appointed North American Director of Russian Martial Art Federation cite web |title=Martial Arts Biographies - Scott Sonnon |work=USA DOJOS MARTIAL ARTS BIOGRAPHIES |url= http://www.usadojo.com/biographies/scott-sonnon.htm |accessdate=2007-11-02]
* 1999-2001 Inducted into the International Martial Arts Hall of Fame
* 1999 USA Police Sambo Coach - World Police Olympic Games (Kaunas, Lithuania)
* 1999 Awarded Distinguished Master of Sports in Sambo
* 1999 Received License as an International Category Sambo Referee
* 1999 USA Bayonet Fencing Team Coach
* 1999 Elected Vice-president of the American Sambo Federation
* 1999 Appointed Combat Sambo Chairman to the International Combat Sambo Commission for FIAS (International Amateur Sambo Federation)
* 2003 Received Official Patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office for his clubbell design used for "Circular Strength Training" cite web |title=Clubbell Patent Scott Sonnon |work=United States Patent and Trademark Office |url= http://www.patentgenius.com/patent/D492373.html |accessdate=2007-11-03]
* 2005 International Sanshou Champion cite web |title= Scott Sonnon Championship Sanshou Slideshow, Video and Story |work=Memphis Martial Arts |url= http://www.memphismartialarts.com/latest-news.html#sanshou|accessdate=2007-11-03]
* 2007 National Fitness Hall of Fame Nominee
* 2007 Personal Trainer Hall of Fame Inductee cite web |title= Scott Sonnon Personal Trainer of the Year |work= Personal Trainer Hall of Fame |url= http://www.personaltrainerhalloffame.com/member_profile.php?uid=518&value=1|accessdate=2007-12-07]
* 2007 Accepted position as the Conditioning Advisor for the International Youth Conditioning Association.

Personal life

Sonnon lives with his wife and two children in Bellingham, Washington, where he operates the headquarters of his business.

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 Reference

"Star Wars: The Cestus Deception" [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cestus_Deception] was dedicated to Scott Sonnon. The Author, Steven Barnes [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Barnes] , 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: "Scott OnSon."

References

External links

* [http://www.scottsonnonlive.com Scott Sonnon Live] , training diary