Memorial Day Sale

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!

Michael’s ability to change lives is nothing short of Amazing.   His gentle, yet powerful integrated approach to training and conditioning allowed me to achieve my dream of running a ½ marathon after only a few months of training.  He uses his breadth of knowledge of sports physiology, nutrition and spiritual mindfulness at each session.  By combining a multitude of techniques including carefully planned running regimes, pool work, and stretching sessions, he unlocked the athlete in me.

I have always loved running. I was a cross country runner in college, but I never felt that I had the potential to grow as a runner. Working with Coach Holland, I have gained a sense of awareness of correct running form and how to nourish both my mind and my body to achieve optimal results. I now realize that I have the potential to be a competitive runner. I am currently in training for the Women’s Nike Full Marathon with the goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon.

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.

As a fitness professional with fifteen years of experience I’ve come across many trainers and coaches throughout my career and sporting life. The one that stands out the most for me is Michael Holland. His knowledge, approachable manner, and overall professionalism exudes excellence. He has taken me to the next level in my pursuit of competing in endurance events. I was suffering from iliotibial stress syndrome and had trouble running without severe pain. Michael introduced me to deep water running, added the correct stretching program, and strength training; coupled with running workouts.  With Coach Holland’s program design I recently competed in my first Half Ironman. His systematic injury free training approach has worked wonders for me physically mentally and spiritually. What separates Michael from the rest of the coaches is his caring and nurturing  attitude, and belief in you as an athlete and most importantly his knowledge to keep me injury free.

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.

This past year I was seriously injured with a strained groin towards the end of my senior year track season. The injury rendered me incapable of competing in the 200 meters. Michael Holland was instrumental on my road to recovery – providing me with the support and guidance that I needed to heal and strengthen an injured body and spirit. Through working with him, I was able to run again, and faster than I had before. In a short span of the summer I went from walking to jogging to running without pain. Now I look forward to a bright career in collegiate athletics, running for the University of California, San Diego. This is all thanks to Michael’s dedication and support of all facets of healing, from catering to the tangibility of the body to the ethereal yet equally important temperament of the spirit. 2009 – 200m-21.86

“Thank you for all of your help in making me the golfer and person I am today. I started working with Michael Holland during my junior year of high school after my dad suggested that a personal trainer could help me improve my golf game. Through his focus on a progressive approach to all around fitness training, Michael helped me not only recover from tendinitis in my left wrist, but also go from a ten handicap to a two handicap golfer and the number one player on my high school team in my senior year. 

Michael helped me lose weight and gain strength by guiding me through exercises using my own body weight. Additionally, Michael helped me with the mental aspect of golf in a variety of ways, including by having me hit putts with my eyes closed and by having regular discussions on the state of my game. Thanks to Michael’s dedication and support, I now look forward to walking on to the golf team at Cornell University and living a healthier and more mindful life.”