Red Bull Air Force athlete Mike Brewer talks training, mindset, and what it really takes to keep growing in the sky.
What are the non-negotiables in your training routine?
My biggest non-negotiable in training is sustainability. You can only train as long as you’re healthy. Other non-negotiables are a clear focus and balance.
How do you keep from hitting a plateau or burnout?
Plateaus are a natural part of training. When I reach one, I know it’s time to check the fundamentals and correct whatever is missing.
Avoiding burnout is all about balance. I check in with myself. Where am I going and why? What are my priorities? If I fulfill my needs in all aspects of my life, not just the athletic ones, I find it easy to stay motivated and happy as I work toward my sporting goals.
How important is tunnel training to your overall performance?
Wind tunnel training has been a total cheat code in my progression. Uninterrupted training, available rain or shine. What better way is there to gain air awareness? I see the benefits not just in freefall skydiving, but also in subterminal BASE and even in parachute flocking.
What does your physical training routine look like, and how does it support your flying?
I definitely feel better when I treat myself like the athlete I like to say I am.
A solid cardio base really helps me stay focused on long training days, or in performance situations where my heart rate is inherently elevated. Core training, stretching, and pre-hab help stave off overtraining injuries. General strength training helps me move better and minimizes damage and recovery time when injuries do happen.
Basically, the better I train, the more fun I can have.
What do you do outside the sport to ground yourself or unplug?
Honestly, I don’t unplug often. When I do, I love rock climbing, playing guitar, and reading. Anything creative or physical. Bonus points if it’s both.
iFLY Colorado Springs is now part of your training. How does that tie into your bigger goals as an athlete?
I’m so thankful to have iFLY Colorado Springs’ support in my journey. Freeflying was my first love in skydiving. I’ve had a lot of competition successes in the discipline, but I’m never going to be finished growing as a flyer. Having such a supportive place to train is instrumental in my goals moving forward.
Why that tunnel?
iFLY Colorado Springs is unique among American tunnels. The culture there puts the love of flight and the flying community first. Sure, they provide an excellent training venue, but they also provide a communal space that’s about more than just flying — a flight deck cafe, mountain views on a raised terrace, BBQs on the back porch. It’s an equally awesome place to train and to kill time between blocks.
Performance
What’s your relationship with performance? Has it changed over time?
I’ve always been really performance-driven. Striving for performance goals is a way to measure my progress, but also a method to unlock more ways to enjoy the sport and creatively express myself. The balance of these motivations shifts from time to time, but the motivations themselves have been consistent since the beginning.
How did the Red Bull opportunity come together, and what does it mean to you?
Joining the Red Bull Air Force was this sort of abstract fantasy that I had when I started skydiving as a teenager. I loved the sport more than anything, and seeing a group of friends perform together and express their creativity at the highest level was a dream worth aiming for.
It wasn’t about getting sponsors; it was about growing with my friends and following my love of flight wherever it took me. Eventually, it took me here.
What’s something the public doesn’t see behind the scenes of preparation for competitions, new lines, or demo stunts?
Performances are always the proverbial “tip of the iceberg.” Every performance endeavor is balanced atop a mountain of preparation, failure, and fear. It’s the same with every new objective, and I think finding new ways to grow past this mountain is the most valuable thing we get out of these endeavors.
Mindset
What does success look like for you now, versus when you started?
As a teenager, success was being good enough in all disciplines to never miss out on an invite to a fun experience. Now it’s more about creating those fun experiences.
What do you wish more jumpers focused on earlier in their progression?
Whatever brings you the most joy. There’s nothing wrong with finding what you love and obsessing about it, as long as you take a safe, strategic path there, and you leave room for occasional detours. You never know what other things you might discover along the way.
What’s a piece of advice that changed the game for you?
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” I read this on a poster in middle school. I’m still terrible at basketball, but it’s been useful for just about everything else.
If you could speak to your 100-jump self, what would you say?
You’re an idiot when it comes to girls, school, and tattoo ideas, but you’re on the right track with this skydiving thing. Keep it up.
What are you still trying to master?
Imposter syndrome. I set high standards for myself, which help me grow. But every time I grow, I raise the standards. It’s a great way to perform at a high level and to simultaneously doubt whether you deserve to be there. Oh well, it’s working so far.
Have you had any close calls or wake-up moments that shaped how you approach performance and risk management now?
In 2022, I suffered a speed flying accident that almost took my life. Though I have always been relatively safety-minded, I let my desire to train outweigh my assessment of conditions. My hyper-currency on a high-consequence launch lessened my perceived risk.
I took three important lessons from that experience:
- The desire to train or perform always takes a back seat to safety assessments, especially in the mountains.
- Perceived risk is a variable. Consequence is a constant. Evaluate consequence objectively.
- Swiss hospital food sucks.
Who are your sponsors?
Red Bull, Fluid Wings, UPT, Squirrel, Deep and Steep, SSK, iFly Colorado Springs
