Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 1004 is my conversation with Michael Holland, who grew from 8,000 to 896,000 Instagram followers in just eight months teaching what he calls a modernization of qigong, the MINDBODY Energy Movement. Michael combines his athletic background and Soviet plyometric influences with breath work to create a moving meditation you can do on your feet anywhere. We talk about his viral hook, why he refuses to charge a single dollar, and the app he is building to help millions of people.
Listen now: Megaphone · Apple Podcasts · Spotify · YouTube.
Michael Holland is a MINDBODY Energy Movement instructor and content creator who grew to 896,000 Instagram followers in eight months starting in April. A former football player and fitness model, he studied the Parisi speed program in high school and practiced it for over twenty years before developing his own standing movement system.
The MINDBODY Energy Movement is Michael Holland's modernization of qigong that combines Soviet plyometric influences with breath work and movement. It functions as a full-body, moving meditation that does not require lying down, making it accessible at the beach, in a hotel room, or anywhere you are standing.
Michael grew from 8,000 to 896,000 followers by creating a viral hook that pairs Asian voiceovers signaling Chinese longevity practices with a jacked physique performing traditional movements, which creates instant curiosity. He also mastered ManyChat to deliver automated value through Instagram DMs at scale.
No. Michael has never charged anyone a single dollar for his MINDBODY Energy Movement content. He believes it is more noble to help millions of people than to make millions of dollars, and the only money he has earned has come from brand partnerships while he still works a normal job and develops a subscription app.
Qigong translates roughly to cultivating energy and is a traditional Chinese practice. Michael describes his MINDBODY Energy Movement as a modernization of qigong that incorporates athletic training influences and breath work so the practice can be done without lying down.
Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 1004 with Michael Holland is available on Megaphone, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and the Tom Rowland Podcast feed. The video version is embedded at the top of this page.
I have been following Michael since early in his Instagram journey, and every time I check his account the numbers are bigger. What strikes me most is not the growth but the philosophy behind it. Here is someone who could be monetizing at every turn and is choosing a different path. Like Michael, I have been on my own pursuit of breath work, meditation, and movement, and he has systematized what I had been trying to piece together on my own. I wanted listeners to hear how he thinks.
Press play in the player above to hear it.
Michael started with about 8,000 friends and family and exploded to nearly 900,000 in eight months without charging anyone. He explains the Asian-voiceover hook and the juxtaposition that creates instant curiosity. Hear the full story in the episode.
With nearly a million followers, most creators would have launched paid courses. Michael has not. He explains his belief in an even exchange of value and why helping millions beats making millions. Listen to that section of the conversation.
Michael practiced the Parisi speed warm-up for over twenty years, but it required lying down, which was inconvenient at the beach or traveling. He explains how that frustration drove him to build a standing system. Press play in the YouTube player above.
Michael integrates breath work with movement to create a genuine mind-body connection, a moving meditation rooted in qigong and modernized with athletic influence. Worth hearing in full.
Listen to the full conversation: Megaphone · Apple Podcasts · Spotify · YouTube.
What stays with me about Michael is the philosophy. He could monetize at every turn and instead gives everything away while working a normal job and building an app.
His approach to delivering value at scale is as good as anybody I have seen, and the fact that he frames it as helping millions rather than making millions tells you what drives him. Press play in the player above, or grab Episode 1004 on Megaphone or Spotify.
Michael Holland · MINDBODY Energy Movement · Parisi Speed School · ManyChat · Wim Hof · Bruce Lee · Tom Rowland (host)
The Tom Rowland Podcast brings you long-form conversations with the most accomplished anglers, hunters, conservationists, and outdoor professionals in the game. Listen to every full-length Tom Rowland Podcast interview.
Michael Holland is a MINDBODY Energy Movement instructor who grew from 8,000 to 896,000 Instagram followers in eight months starting in April. A former football player and fitness model, he studied the Parisi speed program in high school and practiced it for over twenty years before creating his own modernization of qigong that combines Soviet plyometric influences with breath work into a moving meditation done on your feet. He has never charged anyone for his content, believing it is more noble to help millions of people than make millions of dollars, and is developing a subscription app while working a normal job.
Subscribe to get the latest episodes, show notes, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.