{"id":60537,"date":"2025-10-01T17:43:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-01T17:43:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/?p=60537"},"modified":"2026-02-24T19:13:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T19:13:18","slug":"catching-up-with-mike-brewer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/catching-up-with-mike-brewer\/","title":{"rendered":"Catching Up With Mike Brewer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Red Bull Air Force athlete Mike Brewer talks training, mindset, and what it really takes to keep growing in the sky.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What are the non-negotiables in your training routine?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

My biggest non-negotiable in training is sustainability. You can only train as long as you\u2019re healthy. Other non-negotiables are a clear focus and balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you keep from hitting a plateau or burnout?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Plateaus are a natural part of training. When I reach one, I know it\u2019s time to check the fundamentals and correct whatever is missing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo courtesy of Mike Brewer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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How important is tunnel training to your overall performance?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does your physical training routine look like, and how does it support your flying?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I definitely feel better when I treat myself like the athlete I like to say I am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basically, the better I train, the more fun I can have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo courtesy of Red Bull <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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What do you do outside the sport to ground yourself or unplug?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Honestly, I don\u2019t unplug often. When I do, I love rock climbing, playing guitar, and reading. Anything creative or physical. Bonus points if it\u2019s both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

iFLY Colorado Springs is now part of your training. How does that tie into your bigger goals as an athlete?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m so thankful to have iFLY Colorado Springs\u2019 support in my journey. Freeflying was my first love in skydiving. I\u2019ve had a lot of competition successes in the discipline, but I\u2019m never going to be finished growing as a flyer. Having such a supportive place to train is instrumental in my goals moving forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why that tunnel?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s about more than just flying \u2014 a flight deck cafe, mountain views on a raised terrace, BBQs on the back porch. It\u2019s an equally awesome place to train and to kill time between blocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo courtesy of Mike Brewer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Performance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s your relationship with performance? Has it changed over time?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did the Red Bull opportunity come together, and what does it mean to you?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s something the public doesn\u2019t see behind the scenes of preparation for competitions, new lines, or demo stunts?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Performances are always the proverbial \u201ctip of the iceberg.\u201d Every performance endeavor is balanced atop a mountain of preparation, failure, and fear. It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo courtesy of Mike Brewer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Mindset<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

What does success look like for you now, versus when you started?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do you wish more jumpers focused on earlier in their progression?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Whatever brings you the most joy. There\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s a piece of advice that changed the game for you?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou miss 100% of the shots you don\u2019t take.\u201d I read this on a poster in middle school. I\u2019m still terrible at basketball, but it\u2019s been useful for just about everything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you could speak to your 100-jump self, what would you say?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re an idiot when it comes to girls, school, and tattoo ideas, but you\u2019re on the right track with this skydiving thing. Keep it up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo courtesy of Red Bull<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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What are you still trying to master?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Imposter syndrome. I set high standards for myself, which help me grow. But every time I grow, I raise the standards. It\u2019s a great way to perform at a high level and to simultaneously doubt whether you deserve to be there. Oh well, it\u2019s working so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you had any close calls or wake-up moments that shaped how you approach performance and risk management now?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I took three important lessons from that experience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n