Find out how My Personal Trainer Mentor owner Mike Adkins transitioned from an out-of-shape guy to a fit and fabulous motivating trainer

By Mary Malik

Every journey is more successful with an encouraging partner guiding you along the way. Reaching weight loss and fitness goals is no different. No one can do it for you but having a supportive and knowledgeable mentor showing you a better, faster way certainly helps.

Mike Adkins, owner of the new My Personal Trainer location in Mentor, wants to make your fitness journey more efficient, strictly individual and a lot more fun. And don’t worry about being intimidated. Mike understands the frustrations and setbacks involved because he’s been there himself.

“My career as an activities director kept me somewhat active, but I didn’t take my own health and fitness very seriously,” says Mike. “Two years ago, I found myself at 308 pounds with high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes at age 42. I was afraid that if I were to get Covid-19 I wouldn’t fight it well.”

Mike’s wife is a nurse at the Cleveland Clinic, and he knew there was a good chance the virus was coming home.

“I wanted to be ready,” says Mike. “I began by running laps up and down the driveway, watching what I ate, adding more cardio and I did pretty well. Then I hit the dreaded plateau. It seemed no matter what I did I couldn’t lose any more weight.”

Mike began researching strength training and the best workouts for someone with Type 2 diabetes. After starting a strength training regimen, the weight started coming off again.

“I was hooked,” says Mike. “Not only by the fact that it was working for me, but also because it was an all-around workout, easy on my joints, and it made me feel stronger when I was finished instead of exhausted.”

Mike began training to become certified in exercise science by the International Sports Science Association (ISSA) and got his personal fitness certificate with a specialty in strength and conditioning. After receiving his ISSA degree, he became a personal trainer at My Personal Trainer in Strongsville.

“My experience with strength training and the principles behind it are what drove me to want to invest, both financially and physically, in My Personal Trainer. I believe in it,” says Mike. “Strength and conditioning helped me break through my weight loss plateau. With the education I have now, I know I will help so many people at my new location in Mentor.”

The My Personal Trainer program produces results in two 20-minute workouts per week. Before you start thinking it’s another too-good-to-be-true workout fad, let Mike explain.

“We start with a comprehensive body assessment and develop a plan based on where you are now in terms of fitness and strength, and we talk about what your goals are,” says Mike. “Guided by your certified trainer, who sets the machines to the appropriate weight, you will take each exercise to momentary muscular failure. This is when the magic happens. This is a slow and steady pace where we focus equally on the positive and the negative and time under tension.”

Mike says that successful strength and conditioning training must continuously stress your muscles. Each compact lift you perform is intended for more than one muscle group, maximizing the effectiveness of each session.

“The reason sessions are only twice a week is to give your body time to recover,” explains Mike. “It’s in recovery that muscle builds. People often think if a little is good, more must be better. When it comes to strength training the opposite is true. Lifting too much weight or weight training too often puts you at a much higher risk for injury.”

My Personal Trainer also offers nutritional training and advises you on things you can add to your routine to accelerate your results.

“In terms of exercise, when you do the same thing all the time your body adapts and you no longer see the results of your efforts,” says Mike. “That’s fine when you want to maintain your weight and fitness. But if you want to progress, you have to make changes.”

Mike certainly is a testament to the fact that change works. Today, his weight is down more than 80 pounds, he feels better than ever, and he is sharing his knowledge and passion for strength training.

“My Personal Trainer is for all ages and abilities,” says Mike. “It’s never too early, or too late, to learn the right way to weight train efficiently, avoid injury, and get the best results.”

My Personal Trainer is located at 7448 Mentor Ave., in Mentor. For more information check the website, OhioMyPersonalTrainer.com. To schedule your free first session, call 440-306-8788.