I started training with Mike Vansant after a shoulder injury. I had already completed 6 weeks of physical therapy with minimal results. I had limited mobility, strength, and stability in my shoulder. After 6 months of training with Mike, I now have full mobility in my shoulder. I’ve built the strength and stability to get back to the movements I love so much! His knowledge and attention to detail when it comes to technique and movement has made a long-lasting impact on my fitness journey. His approach is realistic and challenging at the same time. The workouts were never the same, always incorporating a range of appropriate skill level movements. My main focus with Mike was my shoulder but overall, this is the best I’ve ever felt!

I’ve been training with Mike for over two years now and cannot say enough good things about it! Mike makes the workouts fun (even the burpees) and I’ve always looked forward to my next workout. The workouts are highly tailored to my goals and always take into account any limitations I have, whether that’s just being sore from a previous session or an actual physical injury. He pushes me to go heavier, to keep going, when necessary, but never pressures me into workouts I’m uncomfortable with. So, when he says I can add weight to something or I can do another set of burpees, I trust him.

Basically, I started PT as a way to get back into fitness after some years off (heightened by being extra sedentary during 2020/2021) and because of a wrist surgery that left me feeling unsure of how to proceed in the gym. Mike took all that into account and helped me build up not only my strength and conditioning, but also just my confidence and understanding in what I am able to do.

One of the coolest things I’ve realized in my time working with Mike is how much I use the training in daily life. My movement and mobility is leaps and bounds better than it was before I began working out with him, which was a goal I never even considered. I no longer have low back pain and I am able to do things around the house much more easily and never have to stop and think about whether I can do something.

Besides the actual workouts, Mike imparts a lot of great information about how the human body works (he answers all my questions about “why is that” or “how does this work”). This relates to nutrition, as well, which has made a huge difference in my life, alongside the training. As a pescatarian/vegetarian, he has helped me develop a diet that is rich in protein and balanced in carbs and fat, all while explaining why these things matter and how they work physiologically. This information has been so incredibly helpful and tailored to my own life, which is something I could never have come across in my own research.

All in all, I cannot recommend training with Mike enough. It’s fun, you’ll feel (and become!) strong, and it’s a great investment in both your physical health now and in the future.

I have worked with Michael for years, especially when I’ve needed help with more technical movements, particularly gymnastics skills. After working with him, I’ve seen huge improvements in bar muscle-ups and handstand walking! He’s incredibly knowledgeable, realistic, and honest. Whether it’s someone’s first time exercising, or they’re a CrossFit regular like me trying to work on weaknesses, I can’t recommend Vanguard Fitness enough.