When I first met Mike the Fitness Junkie, I was gasping for air. I was half-way through one of his intense Saturday morning workouts. Meanwhile, he was not only leading the workout, but joining in on the circuit training with me, and about 30 others also in the boot camp class. I remember looking up at him and saying, “Where do you get your energy from?”
“It’s not me, I soar like an eagle,” he said flashing his wide smile before running back down the other side of the gym,
I smiled.
He was referencing a Biblical scripture I recently learned from the book of Isaiah 40:31:
“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fail; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
I learned about Mike's bootcamp and gym on Instagram. A friend of mine posted pictures and videos of his classes. It could not have come at a better time for me. When I discovered Mike’s gym, spiritually I was yearning for God to show me my calling. Many years ago I was a television news reporter with hopes of being a national correspondent. But, mental illness took that dream away. I prayed for God to direct my steps, he spoke into my spirit that I needed to start getting control of my health. It came vividly to me in a dream. God showed me I could never reach any calling if my temple (my body) was not in good health. That is what led me to take Mike the Fitness Junkie’s 8:30 a.m. Saturday boot camp classes. The classes were a mixture of circuit training, cardio, and group work. I continued coming to the boot camp, a class he offered for free to people of all ages, fitness abilities, and backgrounds.
Now I have the amazing fortune to reconnect with Mike recently as his publicist and assistant. He has completed his first book called Pain Provides Purpose. I’ve had the pleasure of being one of the first readers, and I must say my heart breaks knowing what Mike the Fitness Junkie survived as a young boy. He saw so many things young children shouldn’t. He lived in poverty, bounced around from house to house, and saw way too much violence. Like the title of his book states his Pain Provided Purpose. Discovering football as a college athlete at Norfolk State University gave Mike enthusiasm about physical fitness. He credits fitness with saving him from depression, and despair. After an injury took away his NFL dreams, Mike became obsessed with fitness. He transformed a garage in Norfolk into a fitness haven complete with green turf, weight lifting equipment, and cardio machines.
What sets Mike apart from a lot of trainers is his heart honestly. I’ve seen him train and work out with the elderly, the people in our community we often forget. He has taken young children under his wing, and served as a mentor to many of them. I’m honored to be apart of his journey, and I can’t wait to see where it takes him next.
Learn more about Mike the Fitness Junkie at www.mikethefitnessjunkie.com
