Spring Sale

When I joined with Coach Michael back in March, I came in with a number of issues – high work stress (having all kinds of impact on sleep, blood pressure and mental health) , knee injury from athletic overuse without proper conditioning.

I had prior to my pregnancy (from a gush of youthful energy) completed a 100km biking ride just 3 months after I did a half marathon.

Without focusing enough on proper running form, core and glute strength, and recovery methods, I pushed through the events through sheer will power resulting in a knee injury that had since plagued me even after 6 years after the actual events themselves and a niggling concern that I may have to live with this.

After turning to multiple medical approaches for all of these and returning empty handed or approaches that only helped managed for the time being, I finally felt at home with the techniques Coach taught me and not only found it holistic but also teaching me to be patient.

I learned to appreciate what I had accomplished, and realized the practices Coach was teaching me would give my body, mind and spirit, the resiliency and healing I was missing.

I decided in July / August that I wanted to get back to running, when he introduced me to several techniques to correct bad posture / small nuances to change the form of even the most simple exercises that are often incorrectly performed with compensation happening.

His attention to detail allowed to activate and integrate muscle groups that weren’t as engaged prior and depth of knowledge (across Eastern Medicine and Western Science) made the approach soulful.

With it, over time, I find myself growing in confidence, strength, patience , calm and certainty that I can eventually at some point overcome my challenges and that this was perhaps one of my best decisions to sign up with Coach Michael.

I have worked with Michael Holland for the last three years. He approaches health and fitness coaching from a holistic perspective. Recently I needed total knee replacement surgery on both knees. I believe this a result of running to many half and full marathons many years ago.

Michael and I prepared for the surgery, and he worked with me after the surgeries. This focused treatment paid off, both my doctor and I have been very pleased with how rapidly the knees healed, and how I was able to increase my activity quickly. The engagement with Michael was instrumental to this quick recovery. I can highly recommend his work.

Michael took an injured and out of shape former competitive runner, and rehabbed, trained and coached me to my best running times in the span of 8 months. My ultimate goal was to qualify for the Olympic Trials Marathon at the Boston Marathon. To this day, I have never incurred an injury from following Coach Holland’s program design. Sacramento Marathon 2:46 | San Francisco Half-Marathon 1:09 | Boston Marathon- 2:36

Coach Holland has been working with our teen children for a couple months now. Our son plays ice hockey and football, and our daughter plays club volleyball. When I was researching a trainer for our kids, I was very picky about training philosophy and qualifications.

My knowledge gained through my degree in Kinesiology and certifications such as CSCS and Tactical Strength and Conditioning Specialist (National Strength and Conditioning Association) have empowered me with knowledge I cannot “unknow”. I successfully became a firefighter at the age of 37, not because I knew how to train, but because I knew how to train smart.

So when it came to my children I wanted them to have a GOOD trainer, and I know not all certifications are the same. Michaels bio is fantastic and seeing how he is working with our kids is above our expectations. Not only is he giving them quality instruction, he also texts them little reminders throughout the week or to check in if they have a big game. As a parent it is nice to have back up in the delivery of smart training ; )

Michael’s eclectic professional and personal experience brings the synergy of the athlete and coach into a rare reality of athletic training based on respect. Our first training with Michael set up an immediate relationship of respect. He listens to Jeremy and quickly connects with him, getting to know my son, where he is now as an athlete and what brought him to this point to empower him on his journey. Michael’s detailed attention to body mechanics, at every training, has enabled my son with skills that cross over into every sport giving him greater access to show up in his natural abilities as an athlete. Michael brings the missing link in coaching and training to the athletic experience.

As a former collegiate athlete that was unwilling to slow down or pay much attention to the stress I put on my body, I incurred a series of injuries through my late 20s and into my early 30s that ultimately resulted in a severe grade 3 ankle sprain with considerable tissue damage.

After I was advised that surgery was inevitable, I was put in touch with Michael who gave me a better alternative. Through his comprehensive program that addressed my injury from a physical, mental and nutritional standpoint, I was able to not just recover, but improve my athletic performance with no surgical intervention.

Michael helped me understand the connections of my prior injuries and showed me a better way to train and prepare (both physically and mentally) for the athletic goals that I still have. His approach focuses on sustainability and teaches you ways to nourish your body and mind. I can’t thank him enough for the tools that I now have to improve performance, prevent future injuries and manage stress. Remember the mantra – Regression, Recovery, Integration, Progression. THANK YOU MICHAEL!!

We started working with Michael when Derek was 10 and speed was an issue for his performance in sports. His technique was wrong and he needed to relearn how to run correctly. Derek now matches the speed of some of the fasted kids in his sport. In addition his mental focus is far better and all with an attitude of focus, fun, and I can do this.

I have known coach Holland for more than six years. Michael was highly recommended to me when I was looking for a trainer to help my son with his conditioning and golf game. He helped him with all aspects of his game – he ended up becoming the top player in his high school team in his senior year. Subsequently he worked with my younger son on his soccer skills and eventually with me directly as I was working through some lower backpain issues that prevented me from running as much as I had grown accustomed to. In general, I like and appreciate Michael’s attention to details of the individual’s desires/goals relative to their existing physical condition and constraints concentrating on long-lasting results – not trading off risks of injury/reinjury for short-term gain.

I’ve also been impressed with how Michael strives to stay up to date with the latest trends in exercise, healing and nutrition to bring valuable insights, tools and techniques to his clients.

Specifically, the things that worked for me best were: core strengthening and stretching (Active Isolated Stretching-AIS) (for my back), TRX training (general conditioning) mixed with cardio and pool exercises.
I have recommended Michael to other friends – you won’t be disappointed.

Qigong has provided me with a mental framework with which to face the day and its unexpected events with a greater degree of calmness. I would like to share with you what has for me been a very unexpected benefit. I was a competitive swimmer for many years through high school and college. I realized recently, after one of our sessions, that the practice of Qigong has improved how I breathe when I swim the crawl.  As a result of the Qigong you taught me, and the specific breathing patterns I learned in the process, I was automatically using those same breathing patterns while swimming.  I am now able to swim much more easily and efficiently—and it has enabled me to swim for a significantly longer time.  Many thanks!

My livelihood and recreation have always been physically demanding, from commercial fishing to construction to serious surfing. I have always been concerned with my physical capacities and over all health, and was doing okay, but by taking advantage of Michael Holland’s in depth, wide ranging and ever growing knowledge of health, fitness, wellbeing and the many other terms that try to describe the indescribable, I have been taught and introduced to pathways that have led to excellence of result and great satisfaction.

Active Isolated Stretching (AIS), greatly enhanced and extended my surfing to my late sixties when an old injury eventually slowed me down with a hip replacement. With Michaels extensive knowledge of prehab and rehab which includes nutrition, supplements, holistic physical therapy, emotional and mental preparation my recovery was ahead of normal schedule and rather painless.

Injuries, even small ones, can, after healing leave compromised movement from the habit of favoring the injury. Muscle Activation Technique (MAT), reestablishes the necessary connections and allows for fluid transitions which in things like surfing can lead to new levels. Even in everyday life being in some state of flow, each moment seems deeper and more complete.

Michael introduced me to Foundation Training. My basic acquaintance helped me to improve my posture to where my well worn and problematic lower back hasn’t given me any serious concern in six years.

Michael Holland’s both in depth knowledge of many therapies and disciplines and familiarity with many others allows him to create, implement and coach a specific program that addresses the return to greater function, fitness and health. With Michael comprehensive means comprehensive.

Thank you Michael!