Due to my interests in the military from a young age, I have always been active. Striving for personal best times in running, and body weight exercises like push-ups, pull-ups and sit ups.

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When I turned 16 I joined the local gym to which I’d walk 30 minutes there and back 5 times per week. By the age of 18 (pictured) I had completed the potential Royal Marines course which pushed me to my limits and beyond what even I perceived my potential to be, and further fuelled a desire to be a part of the Worlds most elite fighting force.

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Unfortunately I wasn't able to pursue my dream of joining the Royal Marines. This had a hugely detrimental effect on me mentally and I practically isolated myself at home playing computer games. This was a difficult part of my life which has set me back in terms of my physique. For months I had limited activity staring at a computer screen, while consuming very little food which usually consisted of sweets and quick meals.

Thankfully, the desire to always be better, perform better, and exceed my own expectations never left me. This desire was channelled into gaming for a while, until I made the 30 minute journey once again and restarted my training.

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Throughout my journey I have always accepted that there will always be somebody who knows more than me, someone better than me, or somebody who does my heaviest lift, heavier. I learn from these people, constantly expanding what I know and bettering myself, whether that is through learning the importance of rest and recovery, or how to feel my every fibre of my lat by changing my body’s position on a machine.

When I was 18 training at my local gym, I was given a lot of misleading advice from people who were not qualified to help me, and from online forums that were full of theory and myths. I’ve since learned that most of this was nonsense and, consequentially, wasted time. I’m hoping that this guide will assist you in learning what is necessary for you to achieve the most from the effort that you put in at the gym and out the gym.