I was born on the First of April, 1942 in Lincoln, England. During my very early years we lived on a smallholding in the Staffordshire village of Alrewas. I spent all of my remembered time amongst the animals there and on the larger farm opposite. Not surprisingly I developed an enduring love of animals which has become a lifelong passion.
I've kept tropical and freshwater fish, amphibians and reptiles. I've trained budgerigars, chickens and goats. I've trained foxes and am now working with two wild deer. But I am particularly involved in training to resolve problems afflicting horses and dogs. Until I was 14 my indisputable ambition was to become a farmer.
After the War (1945) the family moved to surburban Surbiton in Surrey. Eventually my increasing involvement in competitive sport became my developing obsession, overriding my gradually waning enthusiasm for farming. So I took the decision and on my 15th birthday started training seriously for my sports.And I have NEVER stopped training. Although obviously over 55 years my priorities, bias, practices and methods have varied.
In those early days (1957 onwards) there was, in the UK, no readily available mainstream information on advanced training procedures, particularly in the field of PRT - progressive resistance training with weights. I, sort of, made it up as I went along. I studied everything I could find from the Ancient Greeks, Military and Martial Arts Training to Circus Strongmen, Yoga to Muscle Control Courses, not forgetting Charles Atlas and his Dynamic Tension.
My early, unfashionable enthusiasm for exercise and fitness led to solo weight training sessions in the School Gym. At 17 I acquired my first weights - a crude, cast collection - and set about frenetic training sessions in the garage at home. I have devoted my life to the pursuit of Fitness, to learning about Fitness and Health and to helping people with widely differing requirements achieve varying levels and types of Fitness.