Michael Silbernagel is the manager of Sanford Sports in Bismarck, ND, and an adjunct professor in the Master of Science in Kinesiology program at the University of Mary.
Prior to joining Sanford Sports Performance, Silbernagel was part of the collegiate strength and conditioning community for over 20 years at both the Division I and Division II levels.
After playing collegiate football and earning his undergraduate degree from Valley City State University, he started his coaching career at the University of North Dakota as a graduate assistant while earning his master’s degree in kinesiology. This was followed by a six-year stint as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Colorado State University. He most recently spent just shy of 13 years as the head strength and conditioning coach and adjunct professor of the exercise science department at the University of Mary.
During his career, Silbernagel has worked with a wide range of sports and has been fortunate enough to work with athletes who competed in the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB and UFC, as well as International and Olympic levels of competition.
Silbernagel has also mentored coaches who are currently working in the private sector to NCAA Division I.
He describes his coaching style as structured yet adaptable with an emphasis on technique and athlete interactions. He pushes athletes to be better than they were yesterday rather than trying to attain perfection.
Sanford Sports Performance allows Silbernagel to collaborate with a driven and educated team that consists of coaches, athletic trainers and physical therapists. He sees the impact they have on people of all ages in their journey to return to performance, athletic enhancement and overall health and well-being.
Certifications:
- Master Strength and Conditioning Coach (MSCC) through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA)
- Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified (SCCC) through the CSCCA
- Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach (CSCC) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association
- Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach with Distinction (RSCC*D) through the NSCA
- Certified Club Coach and Sports Performance Coach (USAW 2) through United States Weightlifting
- Level 2 Certified in the Functional Movement Systems (FMS 2) through Functional Movement
- Completed Level 1 Certification Course (RPR 1) through Reflexive Performance Reset
- Certified Speed and Agility Coach (CSAC) through the National Sports Performance Association
- Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certificate (PN1) in Nutrition and Coaching through Precision Nutrition
- Speed Specialist Certification (SSC) through USTFCCCA
- Special Strengths Certified (WSBB SS) through Westside Barbell
- Body Tempering Certified (BT-C) through Body Tempering LLC
- First Aid and CPR Certified through the American Heart Association
Awards:
- First Team All-Conference Defense (2001)
- USA Powerlifting National Champion (2010)
- Valley City State University: Div. of Health and Physical Education Academic Award (2003)
Research Publications:
- Athlete’s Use of Exercise Imagery During Weight Training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2007
- Review of The Mental Athlete. The Sport Psychologist. 2004
Interviews: