How I Got Started

I had always been reasonably active, having attended a Judo club from the age of around 9 to 14, but then the teenage years kicked in and I couldn’t be bothered anymore. It wasn’t until I joined the RAF at age 17 that my interest in exercise was rekindled. Having the use of a fully equipped gym and enforced PT played a part, but the real turning point for me was after my trade training. About a year into my first tour (age 18½) I had just arrived back from the pub via the chip shop and I looked down and couldn't see my feet.....my life changed at that point! 
The gym at RAF Leuchars left a lot to be desired. It consisted of and old (1970s)York multi gym and some loose weights but it was the start of my journey. 
As an 18 year old, my main drive to be in the gym was to look good for the ladies. Although as time went by it became apparent that not only was I strong, but I was getting stronger. This was where I got a bit of direction from my then mentor, a Paul Beattie who worked on 111 Squadron with me.
About 7 years later I decided that it was time to compete at something and I saw an advert in the RAF news for the RAF Powerlifting championship. The year was 1990 and the event was to be held at RAF Cosford. I have obviously deadlifted, squatted and bench pressed as part of my training, but never attempted them competitively. So, I turned up on the day, stood on the scales (I didn’t know why at the time) and was told I was in the under 90k group. I was the asked for my starting lifts so I just said what I was training with at the time - 180k for the bench. The official looked up and said “are you sure?” I thought that I must have said something wrong so changed to 170k. He noted it down and then we had the same back and forth with my answers to the deadlift and squat questions. 

I went on to win the competition by a considerable margin and looking back I think my final numbers were; Bench 205k; Deadlift 260k; Squat 210k.

That performance put me through to the British Finals at which I took the U90k title. It was just after this that I decided powerlifting was not for me because as I pushed to increase my totals I was visited by the injury monster. Lower back issues mainly but also shoulders from heavy benching. 

Although I was first exposed to the world of Bodybuilding in 1984 whilst training at Olympia in Leicester, it wasn't until my Powerlifting days were over that my Bodybuilding life begun.
Whilst doing my Powerlifting training at a gym in Boston I noticed a big bronze trophy that was given to to the winner of the local body building contest. 'I had to win it" I thought.

I won the 1990 Mr Boston (Lincolnshire) title and looking back I was very lucky to win as I had no clue about dieting! 

I have lived and trained in a lot of places all over the world, but I can honestly say that with all of the knowledge and experience I have gained over the years, having recently turned 50 I have never felt, or looked, better.