Mike Stewart
- Current #1 Ranked California Beach Volleyball Player
- Ohio State University Volleyball
- 2011 NCAA Division One Men’s Volleyball National Champion
- BS Exercise Science, Ohio State University
- CSCS Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Favorite Coffee Shop: My kitchen
- Favorite Restaurant: Chuck’s Steakhouse.
I grew up watching my mom compete in volleyball tournaments...
...in Hermosa, Manhattan, Orange County, she was really good. But until 8th grade, baseball was my sport. But then I burned out on baseball, and like an old friend, volleyball was there waiting for me. Thanks Mom!
Most people choose their college major based on...
...what they want to do for a career. I majored in exercise science, because I wanted to learn how to get myself faster and stronger. But in the back of my mind, I always thought one day I'd like to work for Peter Park. After I graduated from Ohio State, I came straight to Santa Barbara and knocked on Peter and Kelly’s door. They put me up at their house, Peter helped me study for the CSCS exam, and he took me to Platinum every day so I could shadow him as he trained his clients.
Beach volleyball is getting way more competitive...
...so the kids who want to make it to the higher levels, especially if they’re looking to earn a scholarship, need power and explosiveness to get better, and resilience to avoid injury. They also need to understand what it takes to win. I’m fortunate to have been on a team that won a Division 1 NCA Men’s National Championship and learned first-hand what kind of commitment it takes to reach the top. And I’m able to pass that on to the young athletes I work with who have hopes of competing at a high level themselves.
My first session with a new client...
...goes like this: I do a simple evaluation, a mini circuit of movements that paints for me a clear picture of their strengths and weaknesses. Once I know where they’re at, we talk about what they want out of training. Is it just to lose weight? To look better? To feel better? To get back to doing sports again? Just general fitness? Are they an athlete who wants to increase performance? All those goals require different approaches, but they all demand the same level of commitment.
I train a lot of different kinds of people...
...including professionals who just want to get fit, I teach groups, classes, and also a lot of high school and college baseball, basketball, water polo and football players. And I have trained pro basketball players with Peter in LA. But I love working with volleyball kids. I coach club teams and do one-on-one and group training sessions with them.
My nutrition philosophy...
...is in part based on activity level. So for instance on days when I’m active, I add in some carbs, because I need some sugar to fuel me, especially if I'm doing higher-intensity training. But on days when I know I’m going to be less active, I cut back not just on calorie intake as a whole, but also carb intake. Carbs turn into sugar, and if I'm not burning it off, that sugar turns into fat. So on those more sedentary days, I fuel my body almost only on healthy fats – and fewer of them. And that's what I recommend to my clients.
I've been at Platinum for four years...
...and I love working there and working out there too. The gym functions at such a high level and the whole crew, all successful athletes Peter hand-picked and trained himself, come from such different backgrounds and do a really good job collaborating.
