Mike Cruickshank

I have consistently trained with Mike for the past 2.5 years. He has truly transformed my life.

I was a long-distance runner, and after a range of injuries limiting my running goals, I struggled to find a new exercise passion and get my fitness/health back under control. On top of that, during the COVID lockdown, I had packed some weight.

Once the gym opened again, Mike quickly hooked me on strength training and its benefits, especially as you age. He is knowledgeable on muscle development and movement patterns for all body parts (including how to effectively and appropriately use the gym equipment) and effective diet strategies. With his years of experience and expertise, Mike is always willing to share his wisdom through relevant and exciting stories.

In his very orderly and organized way, Mike quickly developed a program and routine that works for me and fits my personality. Something I can consistently follow every week, even when I’m working out alone or out of town. When equipment is used, or I’m dealing with a specific injury or issue, Mike adapts the exercise to fit the need or finds an alternative option. I’m still learning from him even today.

If you train with Mike, you will always be energized – he finds a way to make our sessions interesting, fun, and engaging, and I always look forward to working with him. He keeps me motivated, always willing to listen, and dramatically boosts my self-esteem and confidence.

I have lost 35 lbs. (and kept it off) and have a muscle tone that I have never had before – I could not have done this without Mike. In my late 50s, it feels great to have a body to be proud of finally.

I feel fortunate to have Mike as my trainer and someone who truly cares about my health and fitness.

Thanks, SHANK!

Mike is terrific! I have been working with him virtually for almost three years utilizing TRX, weights, and various exercises. Mike is committed to making the most of our time together and is very thoughtful about how he plans our sessions. He is highly responsive and customizes my workout to how my body feels on any day. Because of my sessions with Mike, I am stronger, more flexible, and in better shape. I have enjoyed working with Mike and am confident I am healthier today and will be in the future because of our work together.

I started training with Mike over Zoom during Covid, so a few years now. In addition to his great sense of humor and ability to encourage me, he takes the time to find out how best to communicate with each client. He quickly figured out that I, as an engineer, need to have the purpose and the physics of each exercise, and how it will help me reach my overall fitness goals, explained in words that make sense to me so that I can use the correct form and reap the maximum benefits. And he does just that… multiple times if necessary. With humor. (and sometimes additional explanatory videos/articles) Thanks, Mike! 🙂

Mike is a great motivator and has shown me various techniques that have helped me continue my fitness journey outside of the training sessions and allow me to perform the exercises on my own.

Mike is one of the most knowledgeable people I know. It is amazing how much he knows about the body, and muscles and how to best train them. I have been training with Mike for several years now. He is always entertaining and it remains one of my favorite hours of the week. Despite how I may feel going to the gym on a Saturday morning (would probably prefer to stay in bed longer) I am always renewed and glad I went when it’s over. I would highly recommend Mike to anyone who would like to train with a truly knowledgeable professional trainer.

I have been training with Mike for many years. Before I started training with him, I sometimes felt nauseous from training a little bit too intensely or with insufficient rest. I told Mike about the problem, and he was able to design routines to get me in great shape while avoiding any sense of nausea. Over the years, I have also had a repetitive strain injury from too much typing/computer work. It comes and goes – sometimes more problematic and sometimes less, depending on a wide array of things outside the gym. Mike is always able to design workouts around such issues. Beyond being an incredible trainer, Mike is also a great person – immensely generous, kind, and thoughtful. I cannot recommend him highly enough, both for his technical training expertise and for the great person he is.

To state it simply: Mike is fantastic!

I have been training with Mike for almost eight years. During that time, Mike has demonstrated he is different from your average trainer. When an exercise doesn’t feel right, he finds another way to work out the muscle group to ensure a complete and beneficial workout. “Listen to your biofeedback” is his mantra, and when combined with his attention to detail and wealth of knowledge, an impressive workout comes together. This was never more important than when the gym reopened after closing due to the pandemic. While I tried to work out, my attempts were insufficient and unbalanced, so when I returned to the gym, I had several clicks and strains, which Mike helped me resolve.

Mike is, without a doubt, an amazing trainer and the best insurance policy I have! Thank you, Mike.

After the pandemic, I maintained a certain basic fitness level with many self-created routines, I wanted to build up upper body strength with some focused Personal Training. Mike has helped get me to lift more and heavier than before and is certainly visible. I have set myself a goal to lose more body fat, which I am sure will get me on track for this year. I appreciate Mike’s 100% attention and his focus on my form – I find that because of this, even a few workouts a week are more tiring than even the daily workouts I was doing. His advice on what to watch out for a while doing every movement is very much on-point and sensible. His constant reminders to let my hips do the work of walking and standing rather than arms and shoulders are excellent!

He is very good at educating you about what, how, and why you are doing the exercises. He tailors the routine to your needs. He is patient and engaging while you are working out.

I have worked with Mike since February 2014, when I was recovering from sciatica. I had gone through months of pain, followed by months of Physical Therapy, and felt well enough to resume working out. I interviewed a few trainers and determined that Mike had the knowledge to bring me back to physical health. I was entirely right. He worked carefully with me to ensure that I would get stronger again and that the pain would not return.

Now, at 75, I am physically fit, walk 30-40 minutes daily and work out 2-3 times a week. I feel great and am very happy about my physical health. My husband and I heat our house with wood, and I’m in charge of stacking it when it is delivered, moving it into the house, and building and keeping the fire going. I love doing that and am so glad I’m fit enough to do it. Thank you, Mike!