ABOUT US

Bench Gym Personal Training was established in 2003 as a niche gym to help everyone in their physical fitness needs and promote well-being to the Washington DC community so they can live a healthy and productive life.

One of our main considerations is to create a safe fitness program that helps clients achieve their goals injury-free. We provide personalized attention and comprehensive fitness assessment to every client to help them check their own progress and stay motivated.

As a small business owner and a professional fitness trainer for many years, I always encourage our clients to communicate and give us feedback to better understand their fitness needs so we can provide options. The more we know about our clients, the better we can help them achieve their goals. It's always rewarding to hear clients tell you about their progress, how they are now able to fit again into their favorite dress or jeans and to see their increased self-confidence.

As a brief reflection from the past 15 years, we have clients who failed or simply gave up quickly but most reached their goals. Successful clients share the same characteristics: Discipline, Consistency, and Commitment. And the most important part is to always have short-term goals to sustain your ultimate goals and to keep your motivation always alive.

Set your fitness goals and we will help your fitness dreams become a reality. Here at Bench Gym, we always have room for more clients to join our Bench Gym family.

- Jon Ponce
Founder/Owner, Bench Gym Personal Training

Bench Gym Personal Training is the choice of Olympics and “Dancing With The Stars” Champion Apolo Ohno for personal training when in DC. Dominic and I had the pleasure of training Apolo at our facility where we shared training experience and fitness tips, including a conversation on nutrition and his dislike for genetically modified and farm-raised salmon. He also told us that he only wears custom-made pants due to his massive legs resulting from Olympic training. Apolo is an 8-time Winter Olympics medalist in speed skating and the most decorated American Olympian. He was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2019.

Our Highlights

“Train with Zero Regrets”

-Apolo Ohno

Bench Gym Newsletters

Showcase our vast knowledge of skills and experiences to inspire everyone to live an active and healthy lifestyle. The exercise program is considered both an art and science. Fitness is movement and movement is a form of art but science is a critical part of the process.

Read Here

The Team

Who We Are

team

JON PONCE

Manager/

Fitness Director

“Making people fit and healthy is a joy and my greatest reward”.

Jon Ponce has a diploma in Personal Training & Nutrition in 2002 from National Personal Training Institute (NPTI) in addition to his master’s degree in Industrial Management from the George Washington University. He also has a specialty certification in training older adults from Exercise Etc. and attended a seminar on Exercise for Chronic Diseases & Disabilities. Jon has been in the fitness field continuously for the last 20 years and operates his own fitness gym since 2003. He shares with his clients his training techniques, his own personal experience in losing & gaining weight, his personal approach to motivating people, and his experiences with clients with different fitness goals and limitations. "I always encourage our clients to communicate and give us feedback to better understand their fitness needs." The more we know our clients, the better we can help them achieve their goals. Jon started Bench Gym Personal Training because of his passion for fitness training and his caring personality. His hard work for helping others translate to the staff and clients thus creating an inspiring and motivating environment.

DOMINIC CARDOZE

Manager/Fitness Coach

Since 2004

“Nothing can lift me out of a bad mood or stressful day than a hard workout. It never fails. When you workout, you have the possibility of feeling and being great.”

Dominic has a degree in Exercise Science from Johns Hopkins University and is certified with the American College of Sport Medicine. He also has training in Egoscue, an exercise training method for stopping chronic pain. He has worked for several years with Sports & Physical Therapist in Washington DC Area. Weight training has always been a part of his life and always includes core exercises in his exercise training. His sports activities include soccer, lacrosse, football, volleyball and mountain biking. As a Personal Trainer, Dominic’s exercise routines include cardio to strength training, functional to isolation, sport rehabilitation, weight loss and core training. He offers a holistic approach to personal training: For the Body, The Mind, and The Spirit. His fitness training philosophy is: Start by changing yourself from the inside out and you will be able to attain your fitness goals.

CINQUE “Q” Hyman

Sports & Self-defense Coordinator

Since 2007

“A Warrior’s code – no surrender; if his body says stop, his spirit cries never. The limitation a person has is the one he places on his self.”

Cinque or “Q” is a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Personal Training Institute (NPTI) in Florida and has been active in sports since he was 12. He specializes in sports-specific training, self-defense, functional strength training, bodyweight training, power training, and overall flexibility. In addition, Q currently trains Muay Thai at the Yamasaki Academy. Prior to joining Bench Gym, Q was a Personal Trainer at Gold’s Gym in Cary, NC. He also worked at Lifetime Fitness as a Rock Climbing/Swim Instructor. While living in Orlando, FL, he worked as a Personal Trainer at Champions Sports Complex, YMCA, and Lifestyles Family and Fitness. Q was first recruited by Performance Training, Inc. to work with athletes in sports-specific training. He has trained and worked with professional athletes ranging from high school, college, and the Pro's. In his spare time, he enjoys playing flag football on weekends and running obstacle courses such as Tough Mudder. Q’s fitness training philosophy is: Mind, Body, and Spirit is a means of living to the fullest and in order to function properly at your highest level, one must stay active. Fitness has to be a way of life.

Vital Physical Therapy

Chili Lati

Physical Therapist

Chili Lati, MSPT, CSCS, is a highly experienced physical therapist with 10 years of practice in outpatient orthopedic injuries and rehabilitation. She has in-depth knowledge and advanced training in manual techniques, targeted therapeutic exercise prescription, kenesio taping, Myofascial release and is well known throughout the medical community in the Washington DC area. Before founding VITAL PHYSICAL THERAPY LLC, she was the director of the large outpatient physical therapy practice at George Washington University Hospital. She trained at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in NY and completed her Masters in physical therapy at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. She is also involved in research and has published a study with NIH.

For appointment and consultation call: (917) 667-3590

https://vitalphysicaltherapy.net/

OUR FACILITY

Bench Gym is conveniently located on 18th Street (between L & M) and very Metro accessible. We are just two blocks away from the Farragut North and Dupont Circle Metro Stations (Red Line) and Farragut West (Orange and Blue lines).

Bench Gym Google Map

Our full-service facility features:

Equipment, showers & locker rooms, towel service, free wifi

Parking

On-Premises
1150 18th Street Parking Garage
Contact for rates and schedule
Phone 202-296-1507
http://www.lazparking.com/

our facilty

1800 M Street Parking Garage (nearby parking)
Contact for rates and schedule
Office Phone 202-223-4274
http://www.lazparking.com/

Welcome, Everyone! Bench Gym Personal Training was established in 2003 as a niche gym to help everyone in their physical fitness needs and promote well-being to the Washington DC community so they can live a healthy and productive life.