Today we’d like to introduce you to Mikayla Pock.
Hi Mikayla, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been moving my body ever since I was little. In 4th grade, I began competitively swimming and continued up until my senior year of high school. I was always wanting to find ways to get faster in the water-but my other passion was inspiring and motivating others. I would find inspirational videos for my teammates and send them around before every meet. I loved the collective feeling of having a team-even if all of our races were individual.
It wasn’t until a traumatic car accident my senior year of high school that I truly became immersed in how the human body works and moves. I was in a head on collision, where I broke bones in both of my feet. This was almost five years ago, and I still feel the effects of it. I went from being in a wheelchair to crutches to learning how to walk again.
It made me want to study Kinesiology in school. It also made me realize how truly resilient our bodies can be. They can be broken down fully and can still build themselves back up. I wanted to be that guide for others. When they feel they are at ground zero, they can slowly build back up their body their confidence and take back their life.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would definitely say there were some challenges along the way. Being immersed in the fitness industry, I definitely struggled with body image and over exercise – especially in college. I felt like in order to be in the personal training profession, I had to look a certain way. It ate me up inside. I would get stressed out to the max if I missed one day in the gym. After lots of education and actually being forced to slow down during the pandemic- I learned that less is more and that a more balanced approach to movement is key to a healthy, happy body.
I’ve also seen a lot of what I don’t want. A big majority of the fitness industry is so focused on looks and how others see us. It can be a very toxic place. After doing my own work and interning at MVMNT Studio, I’ve realized that there are spaces in fitness that are doing it right. MVMNT Studio is unique and special. It’s a place where women can come- wherever they are at in their journey with movement.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My passion and career is personal training. My mission is to help women of all stages of live navigate movement. I specialize in corrective exercise, mobility work, strength training, pre/postnatal, former athletes and injury prevention/recovery.
I am most proud of the fact that I can have a career that helps others. I want to be the guiding light for people to realize their true potential. I want people to leave my sessions feeling empowered and confident.
My empathy towards others, as well as my own experiences with injury and movement set me apart from other trainings. I come with a mindset of knowing that everybody that is coming to me is different. Different muscle imbalances different former injuries, all needing different attention. My big thing is modifications, modifications, modifications. I NEVER want someone to feel bad about what their body can and can’t do. I meet you where you are at with no judgement.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I think that my ability to never give up is one of the most important reasons for my success. There have been times that I have been confused, unsure where to start, scared, and uncertain. But when I think about how many people I have the ability to help, I don’t ever want to stop. I am also proud of the fact that I have never given up on myself. Just recently, I’ve gotten back into physical therapy for my feet so that I can reach goals of mine that I never thought would be possible after my car accident. Giving gentle kindness to myself and never giving up on myself has allowed me to give even more to my clients-allowing them to get the absolute best that I can offer them.
Contact Info:
- Email: wellnesswmik@gmail.com
- Website: mikaylapockfitness.com
- Instagram: @wellnesswmik
Image Credits
Kristen Karhio
