{{Short description|American motivational speaker (born 1973)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Jon Pritikin | image = Strongman_Jon_Pritikin.jpg | caption = A photo of Jon Pritikin rolling a frying pan in Osaka, Japan. | birth_name = Jonathan Andrew Pritikin | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1973|2|26}} | birth_place = Rockford, Illinois, United States | other_names = "JP" | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Motivational Speaker | years_active = 1994–present | known_for = 2x Guinness World Record holder | height = 6 ft 4 in (1.9m) | spouse = Rhonda (m. 1995) | children = 1 | website = {{url|https://www.jonpritikin.com/}} | signature = }}

'''Jon Pritikin''' (born February 26, 1973) is an American strongman and motivational speaker.

==Early life and education== Pritikin was born in Rockford, Illinois to a Jewish family, Andrew and Nancy (née Kunz) Pritikin.

Pritikin had speech and learning disabilities as a child.<ref>{{cite news |last=Socha |first=Evamarie |url=http://dailyitem.com/0100_news/x1894463681/Open-eyes-and-minds |title=Open eyes and minds |newspaper=The Daily Item |location=Sunbury, Pennsylvania |date=December 3, 2010 |accessdate=February 5, 2012}}</ref> Placed in special education in first grade, he was bullied<ref>{{cite news |first=Mike |last=Moore |url=http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/article_821c29be-4b75-11df-842b-001cc4c002e0.html |title=Strength from within: Speaker shows off physical prowess, urges another kind |newspaper=The Journal Times |date=April 19, 2010 |accessdate=February 5, 2012}}</ref> and abused by schoolmates and neighborhood children, and has said he had no friends.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.carmitimes.com/features/x1240513933/Strength-comes-in-many-packages-students-told |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120724093221/http://www.carmitimes.com/features/x1240513933/Strength-comes-in-many-packages-students-told |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 24, 2012 |title=Strength comes in many packages, students told |newspaper=The Carmi Times |date=February 15, 2011 |accessdate=February 5, 2012 }}</ref>

In high school, a teacher worked with him on his speech impediment and academic problems, and he was accepted on academic probation to Bethany University in Scotts Valley, California.<ref name=PG>{{cite news |first=Mary |last=Niederberger |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08283/918344-55.stm |title=Strongman urges end to bullying in schools |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=October 9, 2008 |accessdate=February 5, 2012}}</ref>

==Career== In 1994, Pritikin co-founded a nonprofit organization, ''Feel The Power'',<ref>{{cite news |first=Kelly |last=Urban |url=http://tribune-democrat.com/local/x46857120/Bodybuilder-urges-kids-to-build-character |title=Bodybuilder urges kids to build character |newspaper=The Tribune Democrat |location=Johnstown, Pennsylvania |date=September 2, 2009 |accessdate=February 5, 2012}}</ref> which produces an anti-bullying assembly for elementary, middle, and high school students. The assembly consists of motivational speaking and a presentation of Pritikin's physical strength through various strongman exercises. His message focuses on the long term effects of bullying and the importance of accepting others. In 2008, Pritikin became involved in an anti-steroid program known as S.W.A.T.S., which is an acronym for Sports With Alternatives to Steroids.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://antisteroidprogram.com/swatstestimonials.html |title=Testimonials |publisher=Antisteroidprogram.com |accessdate=February 5, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230153059/http://antisteroidprogram.com/swatstestimonials.html |archivedate=December 30, 2010 }}</ref> As of 2021, Pritikin has spoken to more than 10 million students in 60 nations.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}} In October 2021, Pritikin released his first book titled ''[https://feelthepower.org/book/ Feel The Power: A Survivor's Guide to Happiness]''.

=== World records === Pritikin broke and set two Guinness World Records for "the tightest circumference of two aluminum frying pans rolled together with his bare hands in less than 30 seconds.”<ref>[https://www.mercedsunstar.com/news/local/education/article86770112.html World record holder shares strength with Merced kids] at Merced Sun Star; published June 29, 2016; retrieved August 22, 2021</ref> The frying pans were 30&nbsp;cm (12&nbsp;in) and he broke the record at Rectory Road Park in Sittingbourne, Kent, UK on July 11, 2007.<ref name="PG" /><ref name="PT">{{cite news |last=Turnbull |first=Jessica |date=November 19, 2009 |title=Guinness record-holder tells students to be strong against bullies |newspaper=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review |url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_653665.html |url-status=dead |accessdate=February 5, 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091127071822/http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_653665.html |archivedate=November 27, 2009}}</ref>

==Personal life== Pritikin met his wife Rhonda (''née'' Garcia) when they were both students at Bethany University; they married in 1995.<ref>{{cite news |author=Brian DeNeal |url=https://www.dailyregister.com/news/education/x566169302/Jon-Pritikin-to-bring-anti-bullying-message-to-area-schools |title=Jon Pritikin to bring anti-bullying message to area schools |newspaper=The Daily Register |location=Harrisburg, Illinois |date=February 4, 2011 |accessdate=February 5, 2012}}</ref> They live in California and have one child.

==References== {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://www.instagram.com/jonpritikin/ Jon Pritikin] on Instagram * [https://www.facebook.com/LetsFeelThePower Jon Pritikin] on Facebook * [https://twitter.com/JonPritikin Jon Pritikin] on Twitter * [https://jonpritikin.org/ Jon Pritikin homepage] * [https://www.feelthepower.org/ Feel The Power homepage] * [https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/tightest-frying-pan-roll-of-two-pans/ Guinness World Records profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pritikin, Jon}} Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:Bethany University alumni Category:20th-century American Jews Category:People from Lodi, California Category:21st-century American Jews