When your sports career (or the game of life) is on the line, you need more than basic training. Barrett Performance exists to bring elite training programs and proven principles to you, so you can perform where it counts.
Alex Barrett is a 9-year NFL veteran, spending the majority of his career with the San Francisco 49ers, with prior stops with the Detroit Lions and the San Diego Fleet (AAF). His path to the NFL was built through discipline, resilience, and a relentless investment in himself—especially in the weight room. For Alex, training wasn’t optional; it was his competitive edge.
As an undrafted free agent fighting every season to earn or protect a roster spot, Alex learned early that the work you put in when nobody is watching determines the player you become when everyone is. His longevity in the league wasn’t luck—it was process. It was preparation. It was a training system built on world-class strength methodologies.
Alex spent his career training under the legendary Charles Poliquin and later refining his performance under David Lawrence, CEO and Head Trainer at Mecca Gym in Detroit. These methodologies elevated his explosiveness, strength, and durability—ultimately keeping him healthy and available year after year.
“What you do in the weight room has a direct impact on the season you have. It’s just as important—if not more important—than the season itself.”
This philosophy—the foundation of Alex’s entire career—is now the foundation of Barrett Performance. Today, Alex brings these elite systems to athletes and clients of all ages. Whether you’re a high school athlete chasing college opportunities, a collegiate athlete preparing for a professional future, or an adult who wants to reclaim their strength, energy, and confidence, Alex teaches the exact blueprint that carried him through nine seasons in the NFL.
David Lawrence is one of the top strength and conditioning coaches in the United States.
Over the past decade, he has trained hundreds of athletes across more than thirty sports including the NFL, NHL, NBA, Soccer and Olympic disciplines helping them achieve world-class transformations in strength, speed, and performance.
David began his coaching career as an Assistant Strength Coach at the Poliquin Performance Center in 2009, where he learned firsthand from the late Charles Poliquin, one of the most influential strength coaches in modern history. During his time there, David witnessed athletes making more progress in a single offseason than most achieved in an entire college career. This experience shaped his training philosophy and set the foundation for what would later become MECA.
In 2012, David founded Michigan Elite Conditioning for Athletes (MECA) a results-driven personal training and sports performance company built around Poliquin’s methodologies and the science of individualized performance coaching. What began as a single facility has grown into Four locations across Michigan, staffed by around 40 elite coaches, trainers, and nutrition professionals who share David’s commitment to measurable results and professional excellence.
In 2014 – 2018 David served as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Concordia University, Ann Arbor, and was hired as the National Team Performance Coach for the Guyana Women’s Soccer Team. His ability to balance these high-level coaching roles while building a business has made him one of the most respected figures in the field of strength and performance training.
At MECA, athletes and clients routinely experience more progress in 3 months than they have in the previous 3–5 years training on their own or within another program. This proven system has produced record-breaking results — from significant body-composition transformations to measurable increases in strength, speed, and vertical jump. Many of David’s athletes have gone on to sign record-setting contracts and achieve championship success, including over a half dozen Super Bowl winners.
David’s work has been featured in Sports Illustrated, ESPN, The Athletic, The Detroit Free Press, and Bigger Faster Stronger Magazine. He is a highly sought-after consultant and has spoken international, presenting on topics ranging from sports performance and athlete development to leadership and business growth.
Ready to transform your fitness? Whether you’re a professional athlete or just want to build your goal physique, get started by applying below.
