Mike Groth has been my personal trainer for a little over 9 years now. I was very active in athletics from Junior High School through college, having played Lady Longhorn basketball at the University of Texas. When I began my professional career in policy work at the Texas Legislature I continued to play sports and joined a number of gyms in Austin over the years. At the second gym, I finally could afford a trainer and began experiencing the pattern of high trainer turnover. After having been through at least 3 trainers per year, I found Mike Groth. I found a trainer that could and would tailor my fitness program to my changing needs and schedule. He was positive, energetic, well educated, and devoted to a career in fitness training and lifelong learning. I followed Mike then, by joining whichever gym I could get Mike as my trainer. Finally, he had his own gym and independent practice. Mike's approach is to always check in with me before we start training. If I am having a problem ( arms and back hurting from carrying a grandchild up steep stairs) ; he asks me to demonstrate "how" I do it. He watches, asks questions and begins having me try different exercises. He monitors the results. Then we work out for an hour and he gives me top priority items to work on between sessions. Pain, soreness, strains are all overcome. Some take longer than others and strength building and maintenance are always reinforced. As a Masters level Kinesiologist, graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, Mike's internship with UT men's and women's basketball teams, provided him the opportunity to work with top level experienced fitness experts and enabled him to learn how and why injuries occurred and how to help an athlete heal and get back to maximum capacity. This has been very special, important and extremely valuable to me. Camille D. Miller President/CEO Emeritus Texas Health Institute read more

Mike Groth has been training my wife and I for almost 2 years. It started with one session as a Christmas present from my daughter who already knew Mike. Due to my lack of experience with a personal trainer or better, due to a previous unpleasant experience with one, I was hesitant but had to use the gift and within few sessions, I was hooked. Mike's approach was to be able to have an effective exercise without the need of equipment. We have an elliptical and a training bike in the house, but we never needed them. The wall, the chair or the edge of a sofa, a mat and some weights were sufficient to make a big difference in our muscles. The plan is to be able to exercise anywhere we are. I always felt better after every session. At the start of each session, I would express to Mike how I am feeling regarding a weakness or pain in a muscle or tiredness and he would direct the activities towards resolving such issues. He is very precise in how the exercise gets executed and often corrects a simple error such as the direction of one foot with respect to the other or bending one knee to a certain limit or having it completely straight. My wife had a previous surgery on her foot that left her in almost continuous pain and had to wear special shoes to support her arch. I remember him saying that he will get her foot better through exercise and in about a year of exercising, she was able to walk bare footed and wear regular shoes which is something she hadn't done in many years. In about the same time, she was walking upstairs without complaining about her knees and the stairs which during a certain period, we discussed adding an elevator to the house. Thanks Mike for your efforts and for having us achieve such good results. Abi Fata, Austin, Texas read more

I finally saw amazing results with Mike Groth after failing to recover from ongoing knee pain having completed over 30 physical therapy sessions and contemplated surgery and injections with my orthopedic doctor. He is extremely knowledgeable and understands injury recovery having experienced sports injuries himself earlier in his life. Unlike traditional physical therapists and doctors Mike targets not just the injury but also the interconnected parts of the body taking on a more holistic approach. He gets to the root cause and then develops a customized program. My injuries were due to years of lifting, running and overuse at the gym. After over stretching my hamstring back in April I experienced a lot of clicking in my walk and after that stopped I started feeling discomfort and weakness in my walk and pain after sitting, getting out of my car and going up and downstairs. I followed up with my doctor and was diagnosed with arthritis in both my knees noting a sizable lack of cartilage and small ganglion cyst in my left knee. This caused my left knee not to track very well. After my evaluation and first session with Mike I immediately I felt relief. My left knee is tracking smoothly again and I can go up and downstairs with no more discomfort or pain. I'm now doing low impact leg workouts and just made it through my first spin class this week with no issues. I couldn't be happier about my knees and not needing surgery or injections after all. I will be working with Mike on my tennis elbow next and am very excited to get back to a healthy state again. It goes without saying that I highly recommend Mike to help you reach your health and fitness goals and see the results for yourself. Dan R. read more

I finally saw amazing results with Mike Groth after failing to recover from ongoing knee pain having completed over 30 physical therapy sessions and contemplated surgery and injections with my orthopedic doctor. He is extremely knowledgeable and understands injury recovery having experienced sports injuries himself earlier in his life. Unlike traditional physical therapists and doctors Mike targets not just the injury but also the interconnected parts of the body taking on a more holistic approach. He gets to the root cause and then develops a customized program. My injuries were due to years of lifting, running and overuse at the gym. After over stretching my hamstring back in April I experienced a lot of clicking in my walk and after that stopped I started feeling discomfort and weakness in my walk and pain after sitting, getting out of my car and going up and downstairs. I followed up with my doctor and was diagnosed with arthritis in both my knees noting a sizable lack of cartilage and small ganglion cyst in my left knee. This caused my left knee not to track very well. After my evaluation and first session with Mike I immediately I felt relief. My left knee is tracking smoothly again and I can go up and downstairs with no more discomfort or pain. I'm now doing low impact leg workouts and just made it through my first spin class this week with no issues. I couldn't be happier about my knees and not needing surgery or injections after all. I will be working with Mike on my tennis elbow next and am very excited to get back to a healthy state again. It goes without saying that I highly recommend Mike to help you reach your health and fitness goals and see the results for yourself. -Dan R read more

My wife had had acupuncture, massage, physical therapy, new mattresses, cupping, etc. and nothing was giving her relief from back problems and other tightness associated with aging and numerous operations. Then she connected with Mike whose combination of soft tissue work, stretching, and exercising has left her virtually pain free. Before she was virtually debilitated from flying more than three hours or she changed out mattresses every four months. Now, she is pain free. While it took six months of diligent effort with Mike's approach, the benefits are well worth time and money. The most important aspect of working with Mike is his complete dedication to finding a protocol that works for you and his energy and enthusiasm for finding it. We are not squatting 500 lbs, but getting a particular stretch or exercise correct feels like a terrific achievement because Mike is as enthusiastic as well. Mike works hard to make sure that the client is served and takes genuine pleasure in each client's growth and improvement. Both my wife and I have been able to identify the root cause of back and hip pains and Mike has given us the tools to address them. There is no magic bullet or simple massage protocol. Mike has shown us the soft tissue work, the stretching and the exercises that are required to overcome the physical limitations. One of his greatest interpersonal qualities is positive feedback. It does not matter how simple or complex the movement is, Mike helps you get it right and celebrates with genuine enthusiasm when you repeat the anatomically correct movement. read more

My original motivation for seeking out a trainer was to continue the weight loss that I had started by adding a fitness component to it. Some things that I like about his approach with our sessions is that he is able to determine how much I was able to achieve in our workouts each time we met. Many days I was able to work really hard and he pushed me to accomplish more, and then those days when I was injured or not feeling it, he understood and still provided a complete workout. I also appreciate how he is a 'therapist' at some sessions as well, understanding that fitness is one component of a whole person. I like how he is able to offer concrete solutions in how to set aside time to work out. My favorite benefits are when I see workouts in articles that incorporate the same skills that we work on! That way I know that I am doing the most current, relevant and safe exercises for me. I also value his emphasis on form. It's truly amazing how his ability to evaluate a movement and tweak it so slightly that it results in a different feeling/stretch/lengthening of the muscle. I also welcome how he describes the mechanics of his instructions and their intended purpose. He has changed my thinking about resting when there is pain. I see now that it's best to still continue to move a sore area, but only to the point before the pain, and not as intense or fast. He provides variety when I get bored, and gives me options to change up my workout. I really appreciate his kind and welcoming demeanor every time we meet for our training. read more

I have worked with Mike over the last 4 months and started seeing real progress in the first month. I tore my meniscus in both of my knees and damaged ligaments in my left ankle from running 5 miles twice a week. Previously, I had worked with two different physical therapists, two doctors, and an orthopedic surgeon over the course of 8 months. After the first three months with them, my progress had plateaued and each of them told me I would never be able to run or hike more than a mile or walk more than 2 miles at a time. I am 27 years old. I started looking elsewhere and interviewed a half dozen personal trainers. Mike stood out as the only one with a deep understanding of joint issues and was able to personalize a workout plan around it. In my first session, Mike studied the way my body moved and diagnosed my joint issues as tight hips and flat feet. He then created a workout regimen that focused on correcting the way my legs moved. Within a month I had noticeably higher arches on both feet and the tightness on the left side of my hip was gone. I am now running a mile and a half twice a week with no soreness during or after. I highly recommend working with Mike if you are recovering from an injury. Mike's approach is very detail-oriented and he talks through his thought process on his treatment. read more

The most telling comment about Mike's expertise is actually from my orthopedic surgeon who said, "you don't need to go to physical therapy because your trainer has done more for you already than they would do." I had a 5-pound weight limit restriction for six weeks after surgery for a broken wrist. During that six weeks, Mike had done much to keep my tendons and ligaments moving while honoring the restriction. At that time, I had been training with Mike for about a year because I wanted to get into strength training. As a long distance runner, I had some knee pain. A physical therapist and others said it was the shape of my leg bone or the tightness in my IT band. Mike is the only person in over a decade who identified the cause of my knee pain as same-side hip and ankle issues. Mike successfully had me exercise to correct these. I no longer have knee pain. As an older person, I am grateful to Mike for educating me about how important building muscle strength is. I appreciate his ability to train me safely while he gets me to push my limits without me realizing that I am doing so. Training with Mike is an unexpectedly enjoyable experience. My friends have noticed a big improvement in my posture and strength. I have much more energy to chase after my grandsons, thanks to Mike. read more

Mike has been providing customized personal training for me and a couple of friends of mine in a small group setting for about four months now. I am so pleased with Mike's training style as well as my personal success in his training regimen. I've lost over 12 pounds smoothly and gracefully, and feel firmer, stronger, and healthier. Mike really knows a lot about the body and gives me tons of information about how my body is moving and working. Even in a small group setting where he's working with more than one of us, Mike provides a very customized program to suit my specific needs, and he changes the routine often enough to give me plenty of variety. His training includes corrective exercises as well as strength and stamina building, and Mike is always patient and kind when demonstrating movements and making sure I am doing the activities correctly. Mike is a great motivator and makes me feel proud of my accomplishments after each session. Mike has also provided me with workout activities I can do at home along with suggestions for my diet and nutrition to help support the body work I'm doing so that I get the most out of my fitness program. I would highly recommend Mike for any personal training needed! read more

I initially sought out Mike to lose weight and improve my overall physique before I could no longer do so (getting older!) I felt Mike understood well what I was looking for, but instead of going straight into gym mode, he first did a "movement screen" where he mapped out various parts of my body that, for one reason or the other, did not move as well as it could. Based on this, he tailored a workout routine just for me that was very efficient. Mike is very hands-on in the gym. He will help you correct your form and make minor adjustments that will help you to get the best results. Every time we had a gym session, we would review the plan, make adjustments, and introduce new elements based on my progress in the gym or the homework assigned. Mike makes you feel special; there is nothing cookie-cutter about your training plan. You do everything for a reason, and Mike does a good job explaining why we are doing the exercise we are doing. Between sessions, he would follow up with text messages of encouragement, and since one of my goals was weight loss, he also made me accountable for everything I consumed. 10/10 - I would do it all over again! read more

This training program was AMAZING! I am not much of a runner, so the quick interval-style conditioning portion that we did at the end of our circuit workout was the perfect way for me to get in better shape without thinking I was killing myself. I feel like the strength training circuit has really made a difference in the muscle tone of my body. I feel tighter and leaner after just five weeks of the program. Mike is an excellent trainer that really cares about the progress of those in the fit camp. I feel confident in moving forward with my personal exercise routine because, although I was in a camp with several other people, he really took the time to show me the correct way of doing things, and personally corrected me when I wasn't doing something 100% correctly. He also sent me nutrition information to supplement my workouts. I would recommend this to anyone and everyone who is ready to make a lasting change in the quality of their health, and who are tired of working out independently without truly knowing if they are executing moves correctly. I also give a thumbs up to the affordable price! Perfect for college students in a pinch. read more

For years I have been dealing with chronic pain. It started with my lower back, then middle and now my shoulder. I have tried so many different treatments to reduce and/or get rid of the pain. Physical Therapy, Orthopedic Care, Chiropractors you name it, none of it worked. About 5 months ago I was introduced to Mike at Attainable Growth, and we started working together. After a couple of weeks of working with Mike I started to feel some relief. Mike showed a lot of patience working with me, he quickly realized that I was inexperienced with proper form, and he really focused on helping me learn the fundamentals of proper stance while working out and rehabilitating my injuries. Mike is excellent when it comes to follow up and holding me accountable for my progress, I can honestly say that after a couple of months working with Mike, I was experiencing noticeable improvements in mobility, strength and overall, well-being. I would highly recommend Mike for personalized, well thought out rehabilitation or strength training sessions, he is also very well versed in nutrition, diet and weight loss. read more

I reached out to Mike after I ended up with inflammation in my hip after yet another marathon. I was doing strength training already but needed some more specific work focusing on solving the problems causing the hip pain to begin with. Mike worked patiently with me to restore mobility and build up strength to support my joints and trying to figure out the root cause. I really like his approach to try something else if the path first chosen isn't really working. Although I have relocated to another state, I still use some of the exercises and stretch techniques we worked on to keep my body in balance and work on the areas that I in the past have had issues with. Mike is really knowledgeable about not just anatomy but the biomechanics and will safely build up your strength so you can maintain it injure free. And I just finished yet another marathon and this time without any signs of that old hip pain that kept coming back year after year. I'd definitely would recommend Mike, not just for rehab but to help with any fitness need in a sustainable way. read more

Attainable Growth has made such an impact that is so notable, that I've recently reconsidered my at least 2 yr. absence from reviews (mainly receiving them if someone asked if I didn't mind) due to the "algorithm" that expels/deletes positive reviews! I was relegated to telling anyone I knew that I thought could benefit from Mike's one of a kind or at least highly rare "style" & skill set. His knowledge of anatomy/physiology, movement, ergonomics and the practical analysis of application to everyone's personal level & unique sensibilities. He knows how to design a custom session for anyone; whether it be a college or professional athlete to a working professional, or preventive, recovery & rehab. Even though he's always learning and growing with his experience & expertise, he's been on the cutting edge at all times (leaps and bounds compared to most). You'll notice, if not by the end of your first training session, like me in the set of the first training, he's the best! read more

Mike is a professional in every sense and is truly a god send for anyone looking to improve their health and athleticism. I've been working with mike for 6-7 months now with the goal of gaining strength and muscle as efficiently as possible, and since we've started I've seen a dramatic change in my physique, strength, and overall health. What Mike has shown and taught me will undoubtedly help me continue with my goals far into the future, and prevent serious injury which is commonplace with serious weightlifting. There were certain movements with my hips and back that I just could not do for the life of me, and now I am able to comfortable use both for my heavy deadlifting sets. His level of comprehension and understanding of everything that is going on with the body sets him above the rest, and is of value to anyone regardless of their level of athleticism or passion for being physical. read more

Mike has been my trainer for the past year and not only has he been a great instructor, he has been an amazing mentor, a tough loving accountability partner, and a genuine kind person. I came to him when I was trying to get back into a regular workout routine, I had gotten caught up in small business owner life and started losing my exercise practice. With owning my business, my hand grip strength wasn't up to par with what was necessary, so Mike helped me in that area extensively to build my dexterity and strength where it needed to be. I feel very grateful since meeting him, because thanks to Mike, I can easily deadlift 135lb, and actively hang on a bar for just under a minute, which is no easy feat! Safe to say Mike made my grip and overall body stronger and more energized, allowing me to be successful in my day-to-day. read more

Mike has a great work out program! When our sorority was looking for a trainer it was hard because we all wanted different things. Mike worked with all of us so we all gained from the program everything we wanted and more. I personally loved the way he trained with different stations. It allowed me to work out different sets of muscles in a quick interval style. Also Mike not only encouraged us to work out but brought new stretches and workouts to the table that i have never done before. This allowed me to learn new work outs i could do in my spare time. On top of everything else Mike brings all the equipment! What more can you ask for? Mike has a great encouraging personality and works to help you. I would recommend him to anyone. read more

I can't say enough about Mike. I started training with him in August of 2011 and he is the sweetest guy and the best trainer I've worked with. I have lost 10 pounds and many inches. Even though I weigh the same as I did on my wedding day 5 years ago and have since had a baby, I am much more lean and I'm wearing a smaller size now than I was then. I absolutely attribute this to Mike's training and my diet. Mike is great at knowing exactly what is going on with your body, muscles, weaknesses and tailoring your workouts to help you strengthen and get the most out of your sessions. He has also given me workouts to do on my own and has given me lots of dietary help and support. But most of all, Mike is a great motivator. read more

My whole family has been working with Mike for years, and he's seriously helped us all, we love him. I was dealing with some intense chronic back pain that would flare up if I sat too long or during exercise, and it was really frustrating. Mike gave me some targeted core and shoulder exercises and stretches for my spine as well. Within literally two weeks, my back pain was gone, and now I don't have to think about it! Plus I can always do the same exercises if it causes more issues. I love Mike's sessions because he has a private gym where I can feel comfortable, and he's really good about listening to my needs while also making sure i'm working really hard. Seriously, go visit Mike, he's like a wizard. read more