I first came across Michael's page when he was prepping for Collegiate National 2018. What impressed me the most about Michael wasn’t his total nor medals, but rather his genuine intention and unmatched enthusiasm towards the powerlifting community in Houston. Needless to say, I reached out to him and expressed my interest in hiring him as a powerlifting coach. Under Michael’s guidance, not only do I increase my total tremendously as well as advance my technique, I also learned great humility, diligence and most importantly the willingness to give back to the community. Michael works tirelessly to make sure all of your questions are answered with great knowledge and you’re completely taken care of at meets. I am proud to call him a great friend, mentor and role model, not just another "online" coach.

I have only been under Michael’s coaching for about 5 months and have improved on my form and techniques tremendously and learned so much under his guidance both as a coach and friend. He programs you based on how your body works to help improve on your weaknesses. Since everyone has a different body type not every program is the same, they are personalized specifically for you. He wants his clients to train safely and have a fun experience at meets rather than having high expectations on hitting big numbers. I think that’s important because you don’t want to have a pessimistic mindset in competing or training. I have learned to embrace the wins and failures in training and how not every lift will be in perfect sync. He’s also given me a great community of lifters that I got to know and has supported each other inside and outside of the gym which I am greatly thankful for!

When I first started training with Michael Jin, I was really mainly interested in getting in shape. The strength aspect was secondary for me, but also pretty important. However, when I watched him compete in the 2018 Collegiate Nationals Competition, it motivated me to get on the platform. When I started with him, my squat was at 335, deadlift was around 395 and my bench was at 255 with terrible form. I also suffered from chronic low back pain. After a year of serious training, my numbers have gone as high as 413 on squat, 524 on deadlift and 287 on bench and the gains are still continuing. Also, I completely forgot that lower back pain was a thing for me since I started warming up properly, and am now engaging the appropriate muscles when lifting. Although training with Michael Jin has helped me improve my lifts, the biggest improvements were made once I was fully invested in his training methods.

I have been working with Michael since October 2017 when I joined the University of Houston powerlifting club. My first meet as a UH Powerlifting member I went 9/9 with Michael’s coaching and attempt selection. I decided to work one-on-one with Michael after seeing great success under him as my club coach. With Michael’s guidance I have achieved a 409 Wilks at Raw Nationals and continue to grow in the sport in multiple ways. I moved away from Houston to Washington DC, but Michael still coaches me remotely. This remote situation has not diminished the quality of his coaching and I still feel like a priority as a client. In April 2019, I had a meet in Maryland and Michael was able to coordinate a trip to Washington DC and offer game day coaching. Michael is more than a coach to me; he is a confidant and an unwavering source of guidance. I have grown in physical strength and mentality. He helps me balance a busy schedule as a university professor while still powerlifting around an ever changing calendar. He prioritizes my personal development in and out of the gym and these aspects contribute to my success. Michael treats his clients as fully developed individuals and this care is what makes him my ideal coach.

I started with Michael in June 2018, and it was mainly to learn how to lift and to be a competitive athlete. With his extensive knowledge and attention to detail, my competition total increased about 165 pounds in about a year while staying in the same weight class. That being said, my technique has dramatically improved, and he helped me exceed my personal goals. His dedication and hard work outshined other coaches, and it inspired me to give back to the powerlifting community by volunteering or introducing the sport to new people. With his guidance, he was able to show me how to have fun at meets. One of the biggest things that i’ve learned from Michael is that powerlifting is a marathon and not a sprint. He creates a trusting and motivating atmosphere to where our Coach-Athlete relationship thrived, which I am most grateful for.