Info

Mike Robertson is the President of Robertson Training Systems and the co-owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training (I-FAST) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mike has made a name for himself as one of the premier performance coaches in the world, helping clients and athletes from all walks of life achieve their physique and sports performance goals.

Mike received his Masters degree in Sports Biomechanics at Ball State University. His graduate assistantship was performed in the Biomechanics Lab, a division of the Human Performance Lab. In his time there, Mike was responsible for setting up a complete online exercise database, assisting in research on strength and power development, and also played an integral role in starting up the strength diagnosis clinic. Working in the athletic weight room is where Mike found his calling, however, and he put in nearly 1400 volunteer hours as an assistant strength and conditioning coach in 2 years time. Mike worked primarily with the football, volleyball and soccer teams, while counseling and coaching individual athletes from all of Ball State's 26 varsity sports.

Finally, Mike is an accomplished athlete and coach in the sport of powerlifting. Mike has totaled 1400 pounds in the 198 pound weight class, and has improved in each and every meet he has attended. Mike has coached several National champions in the Collegiate ranks, and as an assistant coach for the 2004 USA World Bench Press Team, Mike helped the team clinch a second and first place finish for the Men's and Women's teams, respectively.

Trainer Testimonials

"Mike Robertson could very well be the Clark Kent of the fitness industry. Quiet. Unassuming. Almost goes unnoticed. But underneath that quiet demeanour is a world class coach armed with almost superhuman skills and knowledge on almost every aspect of fitness training.

Definitely a name that's on my radar. And on my personal advisory team. Mike not only has the knowledge, but he can actually apply it in the real world."

Alwyn Cosgrove
www.AlwynCosgrove.com

“Mike Robertson has established himself as one of the top strength coaches and corrective exercise specialists in the world. His knowledge of the musculo-skeletal system is staggering. Yet even more impressive is his ability to improve the movement and function of the human body. From improving knee pain and shoulder weakness - to lifting bigger weights, Mike always has a fresh and new way of looking at the body."

Dr. John Berardi, CSCS
Adjunct Professor: University of Texas
Author: Precision Nutrition, Gourmet Nutrition, Scrawny to Brawny
President: Science Link, Inc., Translating Research Into Results
www.JohnBerardi.com, www.PrecisionNutrition.com, www.ScrawnytoBrawny.com

"I have to admit; I'm somewhat of a snob for recommending other fitness professionals. Very simply, I'm not impressed very easily. The simple fact that I've made two information products, co-authored ten articles, attended several conferences, and chat almost daily WITH MIKE ROBERTSON speaks volumes about his abilities as a coach. Mike has a tremendous ability to make the complex seem simple; if you aren't reading his stuff, you're missing out."

Eric Cressey, Performance Enhancement Specialist - Boston, MA
www.EricCressey.com
www.ExcelStrength.com

"Mike Robertson is one of the few coaches in my 'inner-circle' that I trust & respect with training advise. His knowledge & understanding of the human body is on par with the best in the industry. I would recommend anything with Mike's name on it to anyone looking to get stronger, healthier or perform better."

Joe DeFranco
www.DeFrancosTraining.com

“I had the pleasure of meeting Mike at Dr. John Berardi’s G-Flux Seminar in Chicago. I had read a few of Mike’s articles on the internet and was impressed by his knowledge as well as his ability to articulate it. But, it wasn’t until I had the chance to sit down and talk shop with him that I was able to really appreciate his passion for educating himself as well as others. I feel that Mike will continue to be a leader in the Fitness Industry for a very long time.”

Joe Dowdell
Owner, Peak Performance NYC
www.PeakPerformanceNYC.com

"I've been in this business for a long time and it's not every day that some one comes along and makes me sit up and take notice. When I first started reading Mike Robertsons stuff a few years back I was seriously impressed. Mike has an incredible knowledge of the human body and ton of practical experience to go along with it. I honestly wouldn't hesitate for a second to recommend anything with Mike's name on it to those looking to improve their strength and conditioning knowledge. On top of that, and more importantly to me, Mike is a first class, stand up human being."

Jason Ferruggia, Performance Enhancement Specialist
www.J1Strength.com
www.CombatConditioningSecrets.com

After all our communication via e-mail, and Mike's selfless coaching for myself and my athletes, I must say he's one of the most genuine Coaches in our field.

Any time I have a question or need your assistance, Mike is always available and giving. Best of all, he's ego free! For someone who knows as much as he does he sure keeps it quiet! Bottom line is I want to thank Mike for all his guidance since we've first spoken and I can say with absolute confidence that any athlete or Coach who can receive training from him should jump on the opportunity ASAP!

Zach Even - Esh, Strength Coach
www.ZachEven-Esh.com

One of the things that sets Mike apart is his ability to 'see the training process through several different lenses.' I think this is due to several factors: his extensive formal education, his power-lifting background, his work experience in the rehab setting and his training of athletes. Additionally, Mike has developed a network of some of the best people in the fitness/rehab/athletic training industry that he is able to utilize as a valuable resource whenever needed. All of this allows Mike to take a holistic view of training, rather than focusing on only one style or variable and being blinded to the others. Personally, I feel that this holistic view will result in long-term success through the implementation of a training program designed to maximize benefit while minimizing risk. Not every person or athlete has the same training needs, and being able to view training through multiple lenses makes it easier to see what is needed for each individual.

Ryan Smith, D.C., A.R.T.
Chiropractic Physician and Sports Injury/Rehab Specialist
www.chirocolumbus.com
www.EliteFTS.com

Mike Robertson has one of the sharpest minds in the industry and has a unique ability to make difficult concepts sound simple. The industry is flooded with poor products and information, but you can always count on Mike to constantly put out quality, useful and innovative articles and DVD's. He is one of the first guys I turn to when I need assistance to better help my athletes.

Brijesh Patel
Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning, College of the Holy Cross
Co-founder and Partner of S B Coaches College, LLC
www.sbcoachescollege.com

Client Testimonials

"The reason I contacted Mike was because I had been having increasing hip and low back pains for the last 2 years. It started as what I thought was IT Band tightness or soreness, and gradually over time worked its way up into my low back. The warm-ups were worse and longer than my actual workouts. I was also having a lot of upper back tightness and neck pains, where it felt like I just couldn't get it popped into place.

I went to 3 different chiropractors over that span, and spent over $2,500 dollars in adjustments and massages and it just kept getting worse. I was convinced I needed to be stretching more (and I had been), but it just didn't seem to be helping much. I had been going through a stretching routine for about 4-5 months which did help some, but nothing for the time I was putting into it. It was hit or miss; some days I would be fairly flexible (for me anyways) and some I couldn't even get into position to get a stretch because it felt like my back and hips were out of place. I got to the point where I could not even sit for more than 15 minutes without extreme low back, glute and neck pain. I had to do something.

While I was looking for ways to alleviate some of the pain, I came across a few articles by Mike over on T-Mag but I was still at a loss on where to start; what stretches to do for my problem, how hard to push the stretches, how often, etc. It was a lot of info to learn and I didn't have time - I needed relief RIGHT THEN, so I emailed Mike for his help. He told me what he thought the problem was and gave me some rather simple stretches to do to fix the problem. Some I was trying to do already, but I was doing them wrong. A few simple adjustments and within a week I noticed some relief. By week two I was seeing some more progress and by week four, ALL hip and back pain was GONE! What's more, my upper back and neck pain cleared up too! I thought for sure I needed to be stretching my upper back, but the pain was just working up from the hips.

After 4 weeks, my previously exhaustive warm-up routine for my hips was dramatically reduced to a few stretches and I was ready to go in under 10 minutes (this is down from about 30-40 minutes - No joke!). There was no hip pain when squatting, or after, and it was much easier to achieve depth. The increased ROM has also helped me get into a better position to DL and get a better arch my bench which was non-existent before.

All that is great, but I cannot begin to tell you about the relief from the constant hip and low back pain from squatting and pulling heavy week after week. I was seriously considering hanging up the chucks because it was getting so bad. I felt way too old and decrepit to be as young as I am. Mike I can't thank you enough for your help man!"

Sam Byrd, Competitive Powerlifter

All Time 198 Squat Record of 1,050 pounds
All Time 220 Squat Record of 1,063 pounds
** 1063 squat , 611 bench, and 733 deadlift for 2408 Total

Mike Robertson's honest and dedicated approach to coaching made him the ideal choice for someone like me; an athlete working toward a future in her sport while battling the ghosts of injuries past.

Although I was mildly skeptical about distance coaching, my concern was immediately remedied by the thorough and personalized attention I received. I was impressed and amazed by how quickly Mike delivered a program, and how quickly that program delivered results. Within one month of working with Mike, I was seeing incredible improvements in my mobility, speed, strength and body composition. I posted personal and team bests at each stage of fitness and skill testing in my collegiate pre-season, and with help from Mike, went on to play my strongest field hockey season ever. This was only the beginning.

Mike matches the work ethic he inspires in his clients and with under his guidance and encouragement this season, I was honored to be named team captain, as well as the 2008 Carleton University Women's Field Hockey MVP. What sets Mike apart from other coaches is his ability to generate independence and empower the athletes he works with. As an elite athlete himself, he understands not only the physiological, but the underscoring mental processes that produce results, and affect athletes in their daily lives. His good humor, professionalism and focus make him a pleasure to work with and a driving force behind my ever-improving performance in sport, and lifelong pursuit for flourishing health.

- Jaya Dixit

I first met Mike at a lifting forum towards the end of 2003. At that time I was taking a break from bodybuilding training to give strength training a try. But I was suffering from a myriad of upper and lower body injuries that were hampering my progress. One of my injuries was a shoulder injury caused by less than stellar posture. Overhead pressing movements, chin-ups and pull-ups caused me a lot of pain and were practically impossible for me to do.

Mike made several programs for me to help address these issues. The first program was geared towards helping to improve my posture. The two others were strength training programs which incorporated powerlifting elements.

I made some nice strength gains while working with Mike despite my injuries and decided to stick with strength training after finishing Mike's programs. Eventually I decided to go headlong into powerlifting and am currently preparing for my first meet. I credit my work with Mike for helping to get me back on the road to lifting health.

Over the course of the four to five months I worked with Mike he patiently answered all of my questions. He never told me he was too busy for me despite his hectic schedule. He is an officer and a gentlemen and I have nothing but the highest respect and regard for him.

- Maureen Shafer

Mike wrote my workout before the Omaha Collegiate nationals where I placed 6th overall, and had the 2nd best bench (325 pounds) in the nation in the 148lb weight class. You've been a great training partner, coach, and friend in my powerlifting career.

- Brett Clark
Ball State University Powerlifter

From the year that I was with him Mike was a WONDERFUL strength coach. I came in as a scared little freshman and he not only took me under his wing and watched out for me, but he also made sure I got what I needed in the weight room to make me a better competitor on the floor. Mike was known for his individual guidance to my teammates and myself. If it was our allotted time to train he would work with each one of us individually, making sure we were doing the exercises correctly so we could get the most out of each rep. This is something that rarely happened after he left.

Mike also took us up into the (Biomechanics) lab a few days a week to help us maximize our vertical. He was always looking for ways to make us better and improve our abilities. Not only was Mike great at what he did for us, he made it personal. He used to make it out to almost all of our home games and would read the internet or the newspaper to check and see how we did when we played on the road.

Furthermore, he got to know each one of us individually and still, four years later, we keep in touch and he checks up on us to see how we're doing. He is a great motivator, friend, coach and mentor. I am convinced he will touch even more people and have even more success in the future! Thanks Mike!!!

- Melissa Oliver
Ball State University Volleyball Player

I gained 8lbs of lean muscle mass after one year of working with Mike on his weight training program designed specifically for my body structure! All 100% drug-free! Eight pounds is a tremendous gain for anyone-especially me since I am tall and thin. His plans are well thought out and easy to follow. If I did have a question or needed anything else, he was easily accessible and quick to respond. I competed in Figure competitions for 3 years before I was introduced to Mike and always finished in the bottom 2/3rds. After working with Mike I took home the 2nd place trophy in the Midwestern States Figure competition! Mike was there to cheer me on. If it wasn't for him I still would be following the "workout of the month" and getting no where. Thanks Mike!

- Kimberly Pais

(Commenting on the Neanderthal No More program):

...The difference is amazing. Not only am I totally pain free (for the first time in about 2 years) but I also look much better posture-wise. Thanks!

- Keith