Curtis
I am not one to ever share my experiences in written form as I tend to be a word of mouth kind of guy. However, in June of 2016 my life changed quite a bit and a big reason for that is the guidance and coaching Mike provides.
I have always been an active guy all they way back to middle school. Played multiple sports all four years of high school, snowboard, mt bike, etc. With most everyone once I got out of a strict regiment of activity I let myself go. At my worst I weighed in at 265 lbs (I'm 6' 2") and no it wasn't muscle. I would struggle to ride my bike, enjoy multiple runs snowboarding, or even go for a hike. I knew I wanted to be more fit and enjoy activities again, but never really found anything that worked. I tried videos (p90X, T25, etc) and even had a personal trainer and still no progress. The diet sucked, the workouts weren't inspiring, and the trainer consistently made me feel bad about myself and what I let happen to my body.
Then June 2016 happened. I went to my first crossfit basics class and HATED IT. My wife encouraged me to try again and still HATE across the board. After multiple discussions with my wife I held on until I could start attending Mike's classes and this is when it all changed for me. From the end of June till February I went from 2 days a week to 5 days a week at the gym. In all that time not once did Mike make me feel like I had committed some horrible act by letting my body get to where I was. He constantly provided encouragement, directed specific coaching on form and how to overcome my competitive mind when I wouldn't be the best in class. He constantly challenged my to push myself but never to the point of risking injury. With all of this I had dropped to 247 lbs. and I felt stronger than I had in a very long time.
Once I saw my progress with just working out I decided to take the next step and start paying attention to what I was putting in my body as well. With the nutrition guidance Mike went to a whole new level of support. No matter what day of week or time he allowed me to have open communication with him for questions or tips. He never hesitated to provide ideas for me to hit my goals while traveling or if I had a rough weekend at a Sounders game. Between working out, eating right, and Mike's amazing guidance I have been able to get to 232 lbs and am far stronger than I was in high school.
So in short and at the risk of sounding dramatic, Mike's coaching, guidance, and overall care and passion for what he does has improved my life. I can't thank him enough.