Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michaela Munsterman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Michaela, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, let’s take a stroll on memory lane, back to when you were an apprentice or intern. What’s a memorable story from that time that you can share with us?

I was fortunate enough to intern with Dr. Michael Jones, the creator of the Medical Exercise Training Institute. This institute’s purpose to help those with medical conditions manage them through exercise. My experience with him and his team completely changed my views and understanding of physical training. I was an athlete all through college so my view of training was focused solely on pushing hard and lifting heavy. Through medical exercise, I learned the importance and diverse benefits of incorporating strength training with focus on joint health, stability and connecting to your body.

I got to see how the benefits of medical exercise enrich people’s lives first hand. I got to work with several patients, with various medical conditions and watch their lives transform. One patient with Parkinson’s was unable to walk straight up and after a few months with us, she was walking upright again. Another patient had undergone a total knee replacement and was frustrated with the limitations this was putting on her life. Through training, she was able to start living life again the way she wanted – doing the activities that she thought wouldn’t be able to do. Seeing these results – the physical and the emotional – made me realize that helping others through exercise was my purpose in life.

I became deeply passionate about medical exercise and chose to pursue becoming a medical exercise specialist as my career. This ultimately led to opening my own gym here in Austin, Elite Medical Exercise, also known as “EMX”.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I was raised as a true Texan, messy-haired, barefoot adventurer. This lifestyle instilled an active spirit in me. I spent my collegiate years playing NCAA volleyball while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Sports Science. I continued my studies at Texas State University (Go Bobcats!) where I earned a Master’s degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science focusing on the research of yoga and its mental health benefits. My research was published by the International Journal of Yoga (InJOY) and presented at a national yoga research conference.

Life is too short to be restricted by aches and pains. As the founder of Elite Medical Exercise (EMX), it is my personal mission to be an anomaly among the fitness industry by helping you evoke the best version of yourself through personal attention, rather than a one-size-fits-all program. So what is medical exercise? Medical exercise fills the gap between the medical establishment and fitness community, filling a need for services for clients who have undergone a procedure or illness and who need additional services beyond the initial rehab process.

At EMX, we believe in a well-rounded approach that includes exercise, mobility, stability, and strength. We specialize in medical exercise protocol and work to guide people with medical conditions on a journey of healthy living to increase function, stamina, and strength to help them stay independent and live rich and abundant lives – to live a life without limitations. We take the time to listen to your needs and goals, in order to develop a program tailored to you.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I have auditory dyslexia, which is a fancy way of saying that I don’t process the basic sounds of language like most people do. You say ‘Mount Rushmore’ and I hear ‘mashed potatoes’. As you might imagine, this made learning in school difficult and allowed doubt in my abilities to creep in. These doubts led me to believe that I was “less than”.

However, I was able to learn how to overcome this and achieved things that I’m very proud of; such as, obtaining my Masters degree and becoming a Medical Exercise Specialist. Better yet, as I accomplished these things, I began to doubt that self-doubt that had creeped in before.

I became more confident in myself. After researching auditory dyslexia and its effects on the brain, I unlearned that doubt and learned that actually, I am a unique problem-solver. I was able to rewrite those lies of doubt and live in my full identity. The truth is, I am unique – not less than. I am creative, I can overcome and I am a very capable woman.

I am especially grateful for this “lesson unlearned” because it allows me to help others do the same through my profession. Medical exercise helps those that have limitations rewrite that narrative into one of overcoming and learning how to live without limitation.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I am a big fan of Michael Hyatt, specifically these three books of his: “Your Best Year Ever”, “The Vision-Driven Leader”, “No Fail Habits”.

What I like most about Michael Hyatt is that he incorporates all the different avenues of life into a holistic approach to leadership, accomplishing balance between personal and professional goals. If you don’t have the systems and resources in place to achieve your goals, you’re not set up for success. In their own respective ways, his books provides the tools and practices needed to figure out your priorities when you have an overwhelming laundry list of things you’re trying to achieve.

His books have helped me gain clarity on my vision and develop long-term habits all in the service of helping me achieve both my personal and professional goals.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.elitemedicalexercise.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elitemedex/?hl=en; @elitemedex
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Elitemedex/photos/?ref=page_internal
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?fetchDeterministicClustersOnly=true&heroEntityKey=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_profile%3AACoAAB61c1oB1K0E7zRXoDEFdLfBccRK_qvowCA&keywords=michaela%20scroggins&origin=RICH_QUERY_SUGGESTION&position=0&searchId=74228b6e-9880-402b-b059-f05c0917cebe&sid=kzw
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelamunsterman2696