Testimonials | Snapback Athletics

Curtis

I am not one to ever share my experiences in written form as I tend to be a word of mouth kind of guy. However, in June of 2016 my life changed quite a bit and a big reason for that is the guidance and coaching Mike provides.

I have always been an active guy all they way back to middle school. Played multiple sports all four years of high school, snowboard, mt bike, etc. With most everyone once I got out of a strict regiment of activity I let myself go. At my worst I weighed in at 265 lbs (I'm 6' 2") and no it wasn't muscle. I would struggle to ride my bike, enjoy multiple runs snowboarding, or even go for a hike. I knew I wanted to be more fit and enjoy activities again, but never really found anything that worked. I tried videos (p90X, T25, etc) and even had a personal trainer and still no progress. The diet sucked, the workouts weren't inspiring, and the trainer consistently made me feel bad about myself and what I let happen to my body.

Then June 2016 happened. I went to my first crossfit basics class and HATED IT. My wife encouraged me to try again and still HATE across the board. After multiple discussions with my wife I held on until I could start attending Mike's classes and this is when it all changed for me. From the end of June till February I went from 2 days a week to 5 days a week at the gym. In all that time not once did Mike make me feel like I had committed some horrible act by letting my body get to where I was. He constantly provided encouragement, directed specific coaching on form and how to overcome my competitive mind when I wouldn't be the best in class. He constantly challenged my to push myself but never to the point of risking injury. With all of this I had dropped to 247 lbs. and I felt stronger than I had in a very long time.

Once I saw my progress with just working out I decided to take the next step and start paying attention to what I was putting in my body as well. With the nutrition guidance Mike went to a whole new level of support. No matter what day of week or time he allowed me to have open communication with him for questions or tips. He never hesitated to provide ideas for me to hit my goals while traveling or if I had a rough weekend at a Sounders game. Between working out, eating right, and Mike's amazing guidance I have been able to get to 232 lbs and am far stronger than I was in high school.

So in short and at the risk of sounding dramatic, Mike's coaching, guidance, and overall care and passion for what he does has improved my life. I can't thank him enough.

Erin

I’ve never been one that took “dieting” seriously. Over the past couple of years, my motto was “I Crossfit so I can eat whatever I want”. It wasn’t going too badly for a while, but then the numbers on the scale started to creep up. So my solution to that was to starting eat less and less food (because that is always the answer, right??). Back in January 2017, I decided that I had to do something. I had reached 178lbs and I was horrified. So I started a dieting plan with my 2 best friends. By April, I had lost 16lbs. I was happy, but soon realized that the plan was not sustainable for me. Before I knew it, I was right back at 175lbs. I had seen on Mike’s Facebook that he was doing nutritional coaching on top of the athlete training.

In July, I contacted Mike and asked for his help. He was super encouraging from the get go. I decided to have him write me an actual meal plan. He gave me meals and snacks to eat (foods, pictures, and where to get each item). I started on July 27th, and quickly started seeing improvements. I was tracking my food each day. I was shocked because I was eating WAY more food than I was before and the weight was just dropping off. I have had struggles throughout my weight loss, but each time, Mike encourages me and gets me back on track. He had given me information on the flexible dieting , but having to figure out the numbers on food scared me, so I just always stuck to the exact food he had given me. Then in the beginning of November I decided to give the whole flexible dieting a shot. I spent about 20 minutes one night trying to play with different foods for the next day to get my numbers. And it worked! I was able to go to Panera and have my favorite sandwich! It was awesome! Since then, the lightbulb has just clicked and I’m totally onboard with the flexible dieting! Mike has given me the tools to be able to eat what I want, and still lose the weight I need to. It takes some planning, but it’s totally worth it! As of December 2, I am down to 151.6. Thank you Coach Mike for all your help on this journey! I’m excited to see where this path takes me!

Elizabeth

I reached out to Mike at Snapback Athletics to focus on my nutrition. At this point in my life, I was at my wits end and felt I had nothing to lose by dialing in my nutrition. After all, I was following a paleo lifestyle, working out on a regular basis, eating real food… what could be wrong with my nutrition?

Boy was I wrong. Dead wrong.

I suffered through years of frustration with my declining performance in the gym, as well as, numerous challenges with my health. And, quite frankly, was on the verge of giving up.

I noticed Mike’s clients achieved results, both in performance and in body composition. I was intrigued and decided to dedicate 3 months to “just see what happens.”

That was one of the best decisions of my life. Period.

Everything changed and the results were immediate. Clearly my body needed this change and it responded swiftly and in a way that was beyond any of my expectations.

Since my shift to macros, in 6 months I have experienced:

Body composition improvements validated with 2 DXA body scans
- Beginning scan at 21.2% body fat
- Most recent scan at 17.4% body fat and still improving
A loss of 17 pounds of body fat while still retaining my lean muscle mass
An insane improvement in performance in the gym
Everything is better—sleep, overall sense of well-being, confidence, aesthetics
A remarkable mind/body connection where I finally understand the signals the body sends me, i.e. thirsty vs hungry; eat until I’m full (something I NEVER understood)

Aesthetics aside, words can’t express how I feel.

Rather than living in a frustrated fog of not feeling well, having doctors prescribe medications I didn’t need, underperforming in all aspects and an overwhelming sense of unhappiness, I now thrive.

Survival mode is over and I’m thriving.

Food is medicine and I’m a testament to that statement. I look forward to seeing where this journey takes me. I’m still improving and seeing gains in all aspects of my life.

Without Mike’s guidance I would have never healed my body and fed it the food it so desperately needed/wanted.

James

2017 CrossFit Games 14-15 year Athlete

Let's just say... this guy right here mike Dolan was a life changer for me , before I was with mike , I was doing terrible things for my body that only halted my growth and weren't really helping me as an athlete. I made it clear to him that I wanted to make the 2017 Reebok crossfit games in January 2017, he said , ok we are going to make it there, I will get you there James ... I put all my trust into this guy and his programming and his training methods and styles, no matter how much of a struggle it was and was able to make it and take 4th in the world with him by my side the whole time, he is such an incredible coach and man and is always in high spirits and has a smile on his face. If your looking to reach any goal and need assistance in nutrition , fitness , or anything , mike is your man.. TRUST his process because he will lead you to victory, I wouldn't be who I am without mike and I'm thankful beyond earth for my relationship with him!

Stacia

I started training with Mike in a group setting and I really enjoyed his coaching style. In order to get more focused on the specific goals that I had for myself I also included personal training with him. By working one on one with him he has been able to help me improve my form and increase my overall strength. For my second Powerlifting meet Mike helped me address weaknesses by writing my programming: i.e additional strength movements, variations of the primary lifts (bench, squat and deadlift) and accessory lifts that complemented my strength progression program. I continued to follow a nutrition plan he also outlined and met my targets to stay within my weight class while still gaining strength and building muscle.

The combination was successful in helping me to hit a new meet PR 145 kg Deadlift (319 lbs) at a body weight of 55 kg (120 lbs) which earned me a 173 Wilks score. This was a 15 kg (33 lbs) improvement over my previous meet and I placed first in my weight class for Deadlift. Mike not only supported my training leading up to the meet but provided coaching during the meet to give in the moment feedback on my lifts, attempt selection and help keep my my mental game on point as well.

I am so happy with my progress and accomplishments so far and look forward to breaking records in the future. I have appreciated his attention to various factors that impact performance -- diet, sleep, rest days, and overall training volume. He incorporates a variety of accessory movements and banded lifts to support training in a comprehensive way. I have seen much faster results and more overall progress by having individualized strength plan than I would have been able to achieve on my own.

Erika

I finally committed to Crossfit and tracking macros because I was unhappy with not only the way I looked but also the way I felt. Everyday was a battle with myself; I wanted to look and feel better but I didn’t know how to do it on my own. Mike helped me by being that supportive yet tough coach that I needed. The results have been undeniable. Not only have I lost 15 pounds and gone down 2 pant sized, I have gained confidence in myself and my abilities. Performing at the gym in a way i didn’t know I was capable of because I’m finally eating to fuel my body and being pushed to my potential.

I greatly appreciate Mike’s ability to understand my personal abilities in and outside the gym. He knows just exactly where to start and how fast to progress so that you feel like you’re being pushed to your limits but still make achievements. I would highly recommend Mike and his coaching to anyone who feels a little intimidated by Crossfit or are hesitant to try another “diet” (again, so not what this is) because it’s too hard. With his style of coaching you will feel capable of anything and finally see results.