Watch American Muscle

American Muscle is a reality television series that aired on the Discovery Channel in 2014. The show follows the life of Mike Barwis, a strength and conditioning coach who owns a gym in Michigan, as he trains professional athletes and tackles personal projects. The show primarily follows Barwis as he works with athletes who are struggling with injuries or who need extra training to improve their performance. Throughout the episodes, viewers get a behind-the-scenes look at the intense training regimes that Barwis puts his clients through, as well as the emotional struggles that come with overcoming injuries and setbacks.

At the same time, the show also delves into Barwis' personal life, featuring segments on his family and his own fitness journey. Viewers get to meet Barwis' wife, Sandy, and their two children, as well as learn about the challenges that Barwis faced after suffering a serious injury himself.

One of the standout features of American Muscle is the focus on Barwis' unconventional training methods. Rather than relying on traditional weightlifting techniques, Barwis incorporates a range of different exercises and equipment into his workouts, including sled pulls, car pushing, and tire flipping. Many of these exercises are meant to mimic the physical demands of a particular sport, making them highly relevant to the athletes that Barwis works with.

Throughout the show, we see Barwis working with a variety of different clients from different sports. These include NFL stars such as Rashad Jennings and Joe Barksdale, as well as Olympic athletes like Andrew Wheating and Lindsey Vonn. Each episode typically follows Barwis as he tailors his training regimen to meet the unique needs and goals of each athlete, resulting in some truly inspiring transformations.

One of the other key themes of American Muscle is the importance of teamwork and support. Barwis' gym is a highly collaborative environment, with athletes from different sports coming together to train and support each other. We see several examples of athletes pushing each other to excel, and of Barwis himself going above and beyond to provide emotional support to his clients when they need it most.

Overall, American Muscle is an engaging and inspiring reality show that offers a unique insight into the world of professional athletes and the trainers who help them succeed. Barwis is a highly charismatic figure who is clearly passionate about his work, and his unconventional training techniques make for a refreshing change from the more mundane approaches employed by other trainers. Fans of sports documentaries or reality TV shows are sure to enjoy this series, and anyone looking for inspiration to achieve their own fitness goals will find plenty to like here as well.

American Muscle is a series that ran for 1 seasons (7 episodes) between July 9, 2014 and on Discovery Channel