As you can tell from the title, I am one of the thousands of success stories that Gymnastic Strength Training has helped to produce over the years. I am a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and former competitor, but after suffering my third major knee injury I was forced to take a break from training. In my time away from Jiu-Jitsu I discovered the GymnasticBodies Courses. While browsing through their large online forum for a way to rehab my knee I found a post that, at the time, I didn’t know would change my life for the better.

This is when I first learned about the GymnasticBodies Knee Series. Many members have claimed that this series helped them rehab their knees. Desperate to find a way to finally become injury free, I dove right in and started the GymnasticBodies Courses. After just 10 months of following their gymnastics online workout programs I was able to achieve exercises I never thought I’d be able to do. I learned how to do a handstand and was even able to learn exercises like the single leg squat, pancake and front split.

Despite my success, the road to recovery has been a long one. At the ripe young age of 26, I have spent nearly a decade of my life fighting knee injuries. Let me take you through the onset of my injuries and the rehabilitation with GymnasticBodies that changed my life.

A Humble Beginning

My first experience with severe injury occurred in December 2007. A skateboarding accident left me grounded, and unable to walk. At the time, I was unaware of the severity of my injury. I soon discovered that my right knee had complete tears to my ACL, MCL, and partial tears to both menisci. Six months later, I went under the knife to have my knee repaired. Unfortunately, recovery didn't go as planned. During a follow-up session with my Orthopedic Surgeon, I learned that my new ACL graft had loosened, and the procedure needed to be redone.

Heartbroken, I made the decision to undergo another surgery the following summer. Recovery was much slower the second time around. My knee was not the same, but I eventually made my return to physical activity the following year.

During this time I started training Jiu-Jitsu. I trained and competed through pain, which I realize now, is exactly what Coach Christopher Sommer says not to do.

The wear and tear I put my body through finally took its toll and I suffered another injury to my left knee. After this, I spent 10 months living in denial about the possibility of needing another surgery before finally seeking medical advice. I finally gave in and found a torn ACL as well as a partially torn meniscus.

Devastated, I thought to myself “Why Me?” I went under the knife yet again to have hopefully my last knee surgery.

The Road to Recovery

As soon as I was cleared to begin with rehab I began my GymnasticBodies training. GST^TM has helped me to stay injury free while rebuilding two full functioning knees. Today, I can’t even tell that I had these previous injuries. It’s all because of the hidden gem, the knee series, from the Foundation Courses. This treasure trove has been the most effective form of treatment and rehabilitation for my injuries. The exercises have not only strengthened the connective tissue in my knees, but also the surrounding muscles that stabilize the joint (including the quads, hamstrings, inner thighs, and calves).

Learn more exercises like this natural leg curl using the GymnasticBodies Foundation Courses!

The natural leg curl exercise is one of my favorite gymnastic lower body exercises from the Foundation Courses. Incorporating these regularly into my home workout plan has helped me build strong and powerful hamstrings and has helped keep me injury free.

Another fantastic exercise that has helped me to rehab my knees is right out of Foundation One. The GymnasticBodies Twisting Squat. This exercise has tremendously strengthened the connective tissue and ligaments in my knees. At first, I struggled to perform even one repetition, but with time and dedicated practice I was able to go through the full range of motion in this exercise.

Today, now that my knees are fully recovered and I am injury free, I have set goals far beyond my greatest expectations. I am slowly working towards my return to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with hopes of stepping foot onto the competition scene once again.

I have no doubt that with the GymnasticBodies Rehab Exercises in my vault, I will achieve anything I set my mind to. - Mikey Cunanan