Michael Hoover

Strength training is my therapist. I've encountered a lot of loss over the past two years, and I almost lost my life. We have a home gym, which I named Therapy, because I go to therapy everyday. I cannot tell you the number of times I've used a barbell to beat my daily anxiety, fear, worry, loss, brokenness, out of my mind. I feel that no matter what is going on around me and what I'm going through, nothing changes my position like a hard workout, leaving it all on the bench, and walking away.

Strength training. Physically exerting myself is how I get through the days. I wake up at 5:30am everyday and have coffee with my wife for an hour. Then she and I go downstairs and we workout together. I feel so empowered after my grueling workouts that the stress of the rest of the day is in perspective and the demands of my career are under control. I feel like my strength training is what keeps me going from day to day. It's what I look forward to. I don't have to workout, I GET to workout!

My wife is studying to become a yoga instructor. I'd use it to convert our walkout basement into a yoga studio for her. Or use it to pay off debt. Or use it add more equipment to our home gym. Or possibly use it to finally add a garage on to our house! $20k would change a lot of things!!