Client stories

Some of the transformations that remind me why I love what I do.

Howard

From back surgery to pull-ups

Where he started

Howard started training with me after he’d undergone back surgery and had stopped strength training entirely as a result. This, plus a previous bad experience with a trainer, left him feeling unfit and fearful of any movements that actually involved his back.

What we did

Found safe, pain-free entry points to movement. Things that didn’t recreate pain.
Stuck with those same movements for several months, and got really good at them.
As he got stronger, new pain-free movements started to reveal themselves.

Where he is now

A few weeks ago, Howard demonstrated one of the most prime examples of back strength: the pull-up. He’s also stronger in all lifts, has lost 15lbs (by accident!) and for the first time in a long time is lifting weights without fear.

Watch Howard’s progress on Instagram

Josee-Anne

Running without pain, and loving it again

Where she started

Josee-Anne was running 30–45km a week and strength training 3x a week. She prepped her meals and took really good care of her body. On paper, she was doing everything right. But she was still dealing with lower back tightness and deep hip pain after long distances.

What we did

Modified her total training load.
Addressed her strength deficits.
Integrated rehab into her already busy program.
Tweaked nutrition so she was fuelling like an athlete.

Where she is now

Josee-Anne now runs consistently without pain, which she recently told me has restored her LOVE for training. Strength work actually feels supportive of her goals, not stealing from them. She’s also entering this off-season with eyes on her next half- and full-marathon PRs!

Richard

Feels like an athlete again

Where he started

Richard started working with me online with a history of ankle sprains, Achilles tendinopathy, repeat hamstring pulls, groin strains, tight hips and chronic low back pain. As an athlete, he found himself sidelined from the sports he loved.

What we did

Improved hip function through mobility and strength work.
Followed a program I designed specifically for him, and stuck with it month after month.
Built strong feet, ankles and Achilles that would translate perfectly to running.

Where he is now

Richard can now run completely pain-free. His hips are the best they’ve ever felt, and he feels like an athlete again.

Hear it from Richard on Instagram

Pam

Pain down 90%, back to surgical work

Where she started

Pam’s a surgical nurse, which I think is pretty cool. She often performs 12-hour procedures that require her to hold seriously heavy equipment for extended periods. It started taking a huge toll on her body: low back, neck and shoulder pain that got so bad it started to affect her vision. She realised she had to take control of the situation, or risk being unable to work.

What we did

Focussed on finding tolerable movements that didn’t recreate symptoms.
Learned ways of self-managing pain when she was on her own.
Didn’t miss a session for months on end (this is key).

Where she is now

Pam recently told me her pain has improved 90%. She feels confident performing her surgical work without physical limitations, and she’s also dropped 2 dress sizes. Awesome result.

Hear it from Pam on Instagram

Fady

Ten years of ankle pain, stronger into surgery

Where he started

Fady had been dealing with daily chronic ankle pain for over 10 years. When he’d try to play soccer or go for a jog, he’d pay for it for days afterwards. He told me he was questioning not only his quality of life, but his entire future as an active adult. He booked a reconstructive surgery to get back to what he loves without the constant backdrop of pain.

Our goal was simple: prepare him for surgery by making his lower body as strong as possible.

What we did

Refined basic foot mechanics.
Increased strength and stability of the surrounding tissues.
Improved tendon function through plyometric training.

Where he is now

Fady can load his ankle with a big improvement in pain levels, and he’s going into surgery from a much higher starting point than he would have otherwise. He told me that seeing what his ankle is capable of has made him confident about his recovery after the operation.

Watch our approach on Instagram

Gino

18 holes, totally pain-free

Where he started

Gino works in construction and was dealing with chronic shoulder pain for years after a work-related injury.

What we did

Addressed mobility of his shoulder and mid-back, to reduce movement restrictions.
Got really strong in a couple of pain-free movements.
Learned that pain is a signal, not a sentence!

Where he is now

Gino just played 18 holes at the golf club, totally pain-free. He’s also slamming med balls and lifting dumbbells every week. It’s not magic: it’s science, some good coaching, and a whole lotta hard work on his part.

Watch Gino’s big win on Instagram

Google reviews

Fady Kamel

Coach Bower has truly changed my life. He has a unique approach to training and he customizes the training according to each client. I was scheduled for ankle surgery and he trained me prior to surgery to strengthen my ankle prior to surgery. After the surgery he complemented my physio and has helped me regain back much of my strength and my mobility. He is courteous, motivating and an overall great person. I highly recommend him!!

Meghane Phillips

I have been training with Michael for a couple months now and I have already seen so much improvement! I am a competitive dancer, so I was looking to improve my fitness to be a better performer. However, I have been dealing with shin splints and knee pain. Michael has been amazing at helping me adapt movements and train the right muscles to strengthen my legs. I haven’t had pain training in the past couple of weeks and have finally been able to return to normal movements, like jumping. I know I owe a lot of that to the exercises I did in training, so thank you!

Anna Jva

I’ve been training with Michael for nearly a year now. He’s helped me significantly with my chronic pain issues, gotten me stronger, feeling better than ever! But the thing I appreciate the most is the care he puts into making sure that, despite my limitations and fluctuating abilities (suspected hEDS), I am able to train pain-free, there is always an alternative available if I cannot do an exercise due to pain, information on how to manage it, tracking and reminders of how far I’d gotten, and just a very good, kind human that I feel absolutely comfortable training with.

Lorne Novolker

I have been training with Michael for a few years now and my entire family has joined once a week. The workouts are tailored to each of our fitness levels, are at the right intensity levels for everyone, and have encouraged everyone to prioritise our Thursday nights to training with Coach Bower.

Mbotenayo

Our sessions have strengthened my muscles and improved my stability and hip strength, reducing pain. Michael’s attention and corrections during exercises are invaluable. We’ve worked together for months, and the results are clear. Highly recommend!

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