Testimonials
What the Team is saying!
"Probably one of the things I miss most about living in LA!
Mike's workouts are amazing. He knows how to motivate and push his team members without being overwhelming. He has so much positive energy and vibe and it's very contagious. The workouts change periodically and you can always expect to break a sweat. The location is perfect and it adds to the beauty of the workout: even on my crappiest day, I still felt great to go and breath in some fresh air by the water.
I was at my best shape when I was working out with Mike! Mike, would you consider coming to south OC? ;-)"
— Mona M, Santa Monica
"Big Mike's Boot Camp is amazing and unique. And it is Mike that makes it so. It is a true professional, very passionate about his job, truly dedicated to each of his students, as he considers his job as mission which he performs at the highest level. He exudes energy, enthusiasm, and happiness. He's incredibly trustworthy and a gentleman. He's the best at what he does. His combination of exercises which he varies every time is masterful and really effective. My husband attended the boot camp for three years. He had NEVER exercised before. And yet he participated in the Tough Mudder competition twice in a row. People hardly believed him when he told them he had been exercising only for two or three years before joining the competition. He looked forward to going to class every other day, and came home refreshed and reinvigorated. The boot camp group is also great. You feel that you're part of a group of people that are into something fun and challenging together. I myself was not part of the boot camp, but somehow felt like it, as Mike organized parties from time to time that were wonderful opportunities to meet the other members of the group and make new friends. In brief, the boot camp is a great opportunity to become healthier, stronger, happier, and make new friends. A must do experience in Santa Monica. Can you imagine of a better place than the beach to exercise, earlier or later in the morning, tasting the ocean breeze and watching dolphins play with the water?"
— Simona G, Santa Monica,
“Big Mike’s Boot Camp is the best workout I’ve ever had!!! I feel so energized and toned. I highly recommend it to everybody who likes to sweat”
— Steve H, Santa Monica
“I’ve been doing Big Mike’s Ultimate Beach Workout for about a year now and really enjoy it.
I initially lost 10 pounds and I now feel stronger than ever. I feel full of energy after each workout which helps me get through my busy day. I used to marathon train and would have hip and knee pain from running, but all those issues are gone now since running on sand has been so much easier on my joints. Mike is a genuinely nice guy that will correct your form and keep you motivated. He routinely changes the workouts to work out different muscles groups and keep you on your toes so you will never be bored. The scenery is beautiful and it feels great to work out with the sound of the waves and the ocean breeze. He supplies bottled water, mats and fresh towels which is a very nice gesture, all you have to do is show up. I highly recommend Big Mike’s Ultimate Beach Workout, you’re guaranteed a great workout in a fun natural environment with an awesome trainer and friendly people!”
— Ana I, Santa Monica
“Mike is GREAT - thorough, knowledgeable, and fun - he produces amazing results and is well worth the money and time.”
— Alex M, Venice Beach
“Big Mike’s Ultimate Beach Workout is lots of fun and one of the first things I’ve found that really motivates me to get up in the morning to workout!”
— Nelli M, Venice Beach
“I LOVE Big Mike’s Ultimate Beach Workout!!! Mike is SO conscientious and caring about his students and will push and push you to be your absolute best! He really cares and is constantly on the lookout for ways you can correct your form or do even better. The workouts change constantly so that you are always challenging your body, and never reach a plateau. I love how the training is all-round and targets all your muscle groups as well as building your cardiovascular fitness. I burn an average of 700 to 800 calories a workout. Totally worth it!! And Mike is the NICEST guy ever who genuinely cares about hist students and wants the best for them. You can tell he’s coming from a heart-centered place in really making you believe in yourself. It’s like having an amazing personal trainer. Make sure you go, this is not an experience to be missed. If there’s ONE thing you should DEFINITELY DO in life, it’s go workout with Mike at Santa Monica beach in the mornings. It’ll change your life, in a great way :).
P.S. He uses a combination of interval training (which is great for fat loss and increasing your cardiovascular fitness), weight training, and plyometrics.”
— Hanna Z, Santa Monica
“I highly recommend Big Mike’s workout. Its a great way to start the day, def. get a solid workout and will kick you butt no matter what condition you are in. He’s very good at motivating and pushing you to finish each workout.”
— Amir Y, Santa Monica
“Big Mike’s Ultimate Beach Boot Camp is awesome! We have a different sequence of exercises every week and every month, which helps with working out different groups of muscles. Mike attempts to meet each person’s individual goals, and always gives an option for you to challenge yourself. Mike is great on giving you modified exercises, if you have some kind of injury, as long as you are willing to do the work out and show up to classes consistently. He also provides you with the tools you need to meet your personal goals. You will see good results in your body, if you stick to the program. Working out in the sand is not always easy, but it is a great work out, and easy on your joints. Mike has great personality and is patient. I am very happy with Big Mike’s Beach Boot Camp and I would recommend it to those looking for a great workout with an awesome coach.”
— A Sousa, Santa Monica
“Hands down best full body work out you can get. (Plus you’re starting your day on the beach with a gorgeous ocean sunrise view... how can it get better than that?)
I started out in Big Mike’s class through a 2 month Groupon deal, and within 2 weeks I already knew I was hooked. I get bored with my workouts really easily, but Mike is constantly switching things up, which keeps things fun and challenging. Also LOVE that he helps you track all of your progress. (Everything from your weight, to your body fat %, to your actual physical fitness progress is tracked monthly, which really gives you something work towards.)
Within the first month I lost 10 pounds, lowered my body fat percentage, and felt much better overall. The group atmosphere is really motivating as well. There are people of all different fitness levels, but Mike finds a way to equally challenge everyone. It’s honestly the best combo between group work out class and personal trainer. PLUS you get all that in the fresh Santa Monica beach air. There’s just no going back to stale sweaty gym sock weight rooms after this one...”
— Gabrielle P, Santa Monica
“I love this class. It challenges me in so many ways. I appreciate Big Mike for his gentle spirit and commitment to helping me reach my fitness goals.”
— Sandra L, Santa Monica
“Great instructor, focuses on form which many places don’t do, and provides nutritional info plus testing, so you can track your level of fitness as the weeks go on. Great energy from Big Mike, the people are fun, and how amazing is it to get to work out on the beach 3 times a week?!?!”
— Tim G, Pacific Palisades
“Let me preface this review by saying a few things: I don’t like waking up early, I don’t like working out in groups, and I generally dislike sand. Despite this class requiring me to wake up early and workout with a group on the beach, I signed up for the Groupon because I was in serious need of something different.
If you’re like me, you have held a membership at every gym in town at some point. You make the promise in the beginning of the year to work out 3 - 4 times a week and eat healthier, but life gets in the way and there is never enough time in the day (so you tell yourself). Enter Mike...
I can’t say enough good things about this class, and specifically, Mike. Unlike other classes, Mike gives you personalized attention, ensures you are always challenging yourself, promotes good posture (something I have always struggled with), and is genuinely encouraging and high energy throughout class.
My fiance and I opted for the early class. Class starts at 6:00am and each class is something different (one of the main reasons I love this class). One day you’re running in intervals from the incline at California all the way to the pier while mixing in body resistance exercises and the next day you’re doing a circuit of strength and core exercises with sandbags. He mixes up the routines every class which keeps you guessing and keeps things interesting.
After my first class, it was pretty clear that I was out of shape and I was a little discouraged by my lack of conditioning. By the end of the first full week I was sore, but already feeling more comfortable with the exercises and the idea of the class. A month in, and there were noticeable increases in my energy, strength and conditioning. Mike measures you month-to-month and charts your progress along the way, which gives me the one thing I desperately need...accountability.
Accountability has a snowball effect. I work my ass off early in the morning, so I’m less likely to grab a donut or a bagel at work. By the time lunch rolls around, instead of hitting the greasy food trucks, I get a salad or healthy sandwich. I’m chugging water all day (and I never drink water), and usually end the night with something simple like fish or chicken. After stringing together a few weeks of healthy eating and intense workouts, the results come quickly, and you don’t want to go back to gym hopping.
If you’re looking for something different, or just need a kick in the ass for once, try Mike. You won’t be disappointed!”
— David W, Santa Monica
“Its great, the beach is awesome. perfect way to start the day.”
— Maria R, Mar Vista
“I’ve only had 3 sessions so far - but I’m loving it! He keeps it fun and interesting! Would definitely recommend”
— Cecil W, Brentwood
“Complete Package! Mike is incredibly knowledgeable, organized, encouraging and fun. He puts a tremendous amount of thought into the variety of workouts he takes you through. The workouts are designed to challenge you and increase your ability and strength. Mike doesn’t just offer a boot camp, he provides in-depth fitness evaluation of each individual, from body fat analysis to complete weekly meal plans. From unique workouts to proper form when performing an exercise, his attention to detail is phenomenal. The change and improvements I feel in my body is wonderful and I get comments daily from friends and family. I feel great! Plus, his rates are extremely reasonable. If you are serious about getting fit, than Mike is the perfect trainer for you. You will love the change you experience working with Mike. I recommend him 1000 percent!”
— Jackie F, Marina Del Rey
“Mike is great- very knowledgable. The workouts are challenging without being unbearable”
— Steven K, Brentwood
“Well organized program...and one of the more challenging workouts I’ve ever done outside of working one-on-one with a personal trainer. I feel this will be great for breaking out of my plateau!”
— Helen C, Pacific Palisades
“Mike is supportive, a great communicator and motivator....I haven’t exercised in 3 years and thought we had a group of 7 starting out, he was able to work with us all at our own individual levels...awesome value for money, we had a weigh in, assessment etc, talk about nutrition and all will come to us with an individual plan today...we are very excited to continue...we would recommend Mike above anyone else we have tried in the past..”
— Danny T, Santa Monica
“Great workout, great results, awesome energy and motivation. I love that Big Mike keep it fresh and new by mixing it up each week. Thanks guyss”
— Cathy N, Culver City
“Great workout, great trainers!! I have fun, get an amazing workout AND it’s on the beach!! Can’t beat it!!”
— Tan H, Santa Monica
“Big Mike’s Ultimate Beach Boot Camp is awesome! We have a different sequence of exercises every week and every month, which helps with working out different groups of muscles. Mike attempts to meet each person’s individual goals, and always gives an option for you to challenge yourself. Mike is great on giving you modified exercises, if you have some kind of injury, as long as you are willing to do the work out and show up to classes consistently. He also provides you with the tools you need to meet your personal goals. You will see good results in your body, if you stick to the program. Working out in the sand is not always easy, but it is a great work out, and easy on your joints. Mike has great personality and is patient. I am very happy with Big Mike’s Beach Boot Camp and I would recommend it to those looking for a great workout with an awesome coach.”
— C, Santa Monica
“I think Big Mike is a serious pro when it comes to working out. He is very motivating and inspirational. He takes what he does very seriously and always makes you feel like you can do it, even when you think you can’t! I have worked out in many different ways, and they all end up being boring or monotonous with very little physical change. I think I have finally found a workout which will not bore me and will definitely keep me coming back. I like the monthly weigh-ins and learning about the other numbers, ie visceral fat, muscle%, plus the daily calorie goal he provides. I think Big Mike has more than met my expectations!”
— Ben G, Pacific Palisades
I haven't worked out consistently since high school. Like some other people here I started out with a groupon deal because I wasn't sure I would be able to consistently exercise based on my track record. Well after a month my wife and I decided to sign up for a year. What a great year it has been too.