Meet Michael Kuang | Corrective Exercise Specialist and Yoga Therapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michael Kuang and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michael, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
I’ve always looked at the alternatives. I’ve worked in the corporate world before, and I know it’s not something I want to go back to. Challenges will always come up, and you just have to work the problem 1 step at a time. It’s easy to get overwhelmed. I admire anyone who has gone out on their own to do their thing. The risk is worth the reward! If it’s worth doing, then do it with all you’ve got. Working for yourself is not an easy thing to do, and I’m grateful that I’ve been able to do this for 15+ years. There are ups and downs, but you have to know that things generally work out if you can adapt and shift. Being stuck on a specific outcome can slow you down.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve enjoyed working with people who deal with chronic pain and injury. The focus becomes more about how to get people moving without issues getting worse. There’s a lot of problem-solving and improvising to find the right fit for each person. I started as a personal trainer in 2006 and developed an interest in working with injuries. It’s rare to work with someone who doesn’t have any issues going on. The more I learned about the body, the more I fell in love with the work. I’ve personally had some injuries that I had to work through myself. I’m a very active person, and keeping my body in good condition is always top priority. I specialized in Corrective Exercise and incorporated that with the clients I was seeing.

Around 2012, I started going to Yoga classes and found that there was a lot of benefit to the practice. Within a year, I went through Yoga Teacher training and started teaching Yoga. The physical practice was great! I loved the focus of movement. The mental benefits were amazing as well. The breathing, along with the meditation aspect really opened me up to a different world.

I eventually heard about Yoga Therapy, which is a focus on using the Yoga practice to work with people who deal with different injuries and conditions. I knew right away that it was the route I wanted to take. I enrolled in the program and worked with my clientele during the week. During the weekends, I went to the program and studied. After it was done, I had completed about 1,000 hours of both lecture and clinical practicum.

I was able to incorporate what I’ve learned in real time, as I was already working with people with similar health issues. Such as Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Lower Back issues, as well as other injuries. I gravitated towards working with Spinal Health, and the universe agrees, because I’ve had a lot of people come to me for Spinal Health issues.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The beach is always great! I’ve always said that the best way to see a city is on a bike. So riding around is something I enjoy doing personally. Also, being on the water, either paddle boarding or on a boat. I live in Downtown Fort Lauderdale, so Las Olas has plenty of options for things to do. But I usually enjoy hopping on the Brightline and going to Miami. I generally hang out in Wynwood or Brickell. South Beach is usually somewhere I take people if they’ve never been to the area. Perhaps taking them to a Cuban restaurant or somewhere to eat by the water.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d want to thank all of the clients who have come to me over the years. They trust me to help them with their journey to a better quality of life.

Website: https://syphonfitness.com

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