WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.620 This episode is sponsored by Transcend, a veteran 00:00:02.620 --> 00:00:04.980 -owned and operated performance optimization 00:00:04.980 --> 00:00:08.039 company that I introduced recently as a sponsor 00:00:08.039 --> 00:00:10.820 on this show. Well, since then I have actually 00:00:10.820 --> 00:00:13.080 been using my products and I have had incredible 00:00:13.080 --> 00:00:15.939 success. There was initial blood work that was 00:00:15.939 --> 00:00:19.039 extremely detailed and based on that they offered 00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:23.519 supplementation. So I began taking DHEA. BPC 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:26.399 -157 for inflammation based on the fact that 00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:28.300 I've been a stuntman, a martial artist and a 00:00:28.300 --> 00:00:30.579 firefighter my whole life. Lots of aches and 00:00:30.579 --> 00:00:33.880 pains. Dihexa to help cognition after multiple 00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:36.899 punches to the head and shift work and peptides. 00:00:37.079 --> 00:00:39.520 Four months later they did a detailed blood work 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:42.259 again and I was actually able to taper off two 00:00:42.259 --> 00:00:44.479 of the peptides because my body had responded 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:47.079 so well to just one of them that it was optimized 00:00:47.079 --> 00:00:50.530 at that point. So I cannot speak highly enough 00:00:50.530 --> 00:00:53.530 of the immense range of supplementation that 00:00:53.530 --> 00:00:55.789 they offer, whether it's male health, female 00:00:55.789 --> 00:00:58.530 health, peptides to boost your own testosterone, 00:00:58.630 --> 00:01:00.829 which I would argue is needed by a lot of the 00:01:00.829 --> 00:01:03.570 fire service, or whether it's exogenous testosterone 00:01:03.570 --> 00:01:06.750 needed, especially after TBIs or advanced age. 00:01:07.239 --> 00:01:09.480 Now, as I mentioned before, the other side of 00:01:09.480 --> 00:01:11.980 this company is an altruistic arm called the 00:01:11.980 --> 00:01:14.840 Transcend Foundation, which is putting veterans 00:01:14.840 --> 00:01:17.620 and first responders through some of their protocols 00:01:17.620 --> 00:01:21.359 free of charge. Now, Transcend are also offering 00:01:21.359 --> 00:01:24.019 you, the audience, 10 % off their protocols. 00:01:24.260 --> 00:01:27.120 And you can find that on jamesgearing .com under 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:29.840 the Products tab. And if you want to hear more 00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:32.560 about Transcend and their story, listen to episode 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:37.390 808 with the founder, Ernie Colling. or go to 00:01:37.390 --> 00:01:42.670 transcendcompany .com. This episode is sponsored 00:01:42.670 --> 00:01:45.590 by Team Builder, yet another company that's doing 00:01:45.590 --> 00:01:47.730 great things for the first responder community. 00:01:48.370 --> 00:01:50.530 As a strength and conditioning coach myself, 00:01:50.650 --> 00:01:54.129 who also trains tactical athletes, dissemination 00:01:54.129 --> 00:01:56.510 of wellness information is one of the biggest 00:01:56.510 --> 00:01:59.310 challenges. Now, Team Builder is the premier 00:01:59.310 --> 00:02:01.689 strength and conditioning software for tactical 00:02:01.689 --> 00:02:04.250 athletes. And there are several features that 00:02:04.250 --> 00:02:07.920 really impress me. Firstly, there is a full exercise 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:10.599 library, so you, the personal trainer, does not 00:02:10.599 --> 00:02:12.680 have to create that within your own department. 00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:16.400 Secondly, you can send out programming, but also 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:19.800 individualize, which I love. So you blanket program 00:02:19.800 --> 00:02:23.060 for everyone. Now you can tweak based on someone's 00:02:23.060 --> 00:02:25.639 injury, someone's need to maybe drop some body 00:02:25.639 --> 00:02:28.379 composition, rather than having to write a program 00:02:28.379 --> 00:02:31.699 for every single person on their own. TeamBuilder 00:02:31.699 --> 00:02:34.060 also allows you to build custom questionnaires 00:02:34.060 --> 00:02:37.379 to collate health and wellness data. It integrates 00:02:37.379 --> 00:02:39.919 with wearables. And I think one of the most important 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:43.740 things is obviously it tracks. To me, it's imperative 00:02:43.740 --> 00:02:47.199 that we as a profession start tracking our people 00:02:47.199 --> 00:02:51.099 from day one and then over the full span of their 00:02:51.099 --> 00:02:54.319 career, therefore catching potential wellness 00:02:54.319 --> 00:02:57.860 issues and injuries before they happen. Now, 00:02:57.860 --> 00:03:00.080 if you want to try Team Builder, they are offering 00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:02.419 you, the audience of the Behind the Shield podcast, 00:03:02.840 --> 00:03:07.039 a free 14 -day trial to experience all of the 00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:09.560 features. And if you want to take a deeper dive 00:03:09.560 --> 00:03:14.080 into Team Builder, listen to episode 1032 with 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:18.099 Melissa Mercado or go to teambuilder .com. And 00:03:18.099 --> 00:03:19.639 I'll spell that to you because it's not as you 00:03:19.639 --> 00:03:26.659 think, T -E -A -M -B -U -I -L -D -R .com. Welcome 00:03:26.659 --> 00:03:28.520 to the Pioneer Shield podcast. As always, my 00:03:28.520 --> 00:03:30.319 name is James Gearing and this week it is my 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:33.139 absolute honor to welcome on the show personal 00:03:33.139 --> 00:03:37.240 trainer, former Royal Marine PTI, and the man 00:03:37.240 --> 00:03:41.879 behind Tier 1 coaching, Jim Redding. Now in this 00:03:41.879 --> 00:03:44.659 conversation we discuss a host of topics, from 00:03:44.659 --> 00:03:47.819 Jim's journey into the military, training the 00:03:47.819 --> 00:03:52.659 tactical athlete, obesity in the UK, his transition 00:03:52.659 --> 00:03:56.139 story, training our next generation of military 00:03:56.139 --> 00:03:59.360 and so much more. Now, before we get to this 00:03:59.360 --> 00:04:01.740 incredible conversation, as I say every week, 00:04:01.819 --> 00:04:04.819 please just take a moment, go to whichever app 00:04:04.819 --> 00:04:07.340 you listen to this on, subscribe to the show, 00:04:07.539 --> 00:04:11.680 leave feedback and leave a rating. Every single 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:14.919 five -star rating truly does elevate this podcast, 00:04:15.240 --> 00:04:17.600 therefore making it easier for others to find. 00:04:17.779 --> 00:04:22.439 And this is a free library of well over 1 ,000 00:04:22.439 --> 00:04:26.120 episodes now. So all I ask in return is that 00:04:26.120 --> 00:04:28.879 you help share these incredible men and women's 00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:32.500 stories so I can get them to every single person 00:04:32.500 --> 00:04:35.899 on planet Earth who needs to hear them. So that 00:04:35.899 --> 00:04:40.890 being said, I introduce to you Jim... Reading. 00:04:40.890 --> 00:05:02.949 Enjoy. Well, Jim, I want to start by saying thank 00:05:02.949 --> 00:05:05.189 you so much for taking the time and coming on 00:05:05.189 --> 00:05:08.250 the Behind the Shield podcast today. No, thank 00:05:08.250 --> 00:05:10.110 you. Thank you for having me. I'm excited to 00:05:10.110 --> 00:05:13.170 get into it and get started. And as I said to 00:05:13.170 --> 00:05:14.769 you, and I'll say to people listening now, I 00:05:14.769 --> 00:05:16.610 apologize for my voice. I've got the man flu 00:05:16.610 --> 00:05:19.389 and it's legit. So it's kicking my ass at the 00:05:19.389 --> 00:05:24.050 moment. Going round. We've had it at our end 00:05:24.050 --> 00:05:27.279 as well, mate. So it's all hitting us away. Yeah, 00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:28.920 it'd be interesting to see the stats, actually, 00:05:28.959 --> 00:05:31.180 what it's doing, because this one hit me way 00:05:31.180 --> 00:05:33.060 harder than any of the COVID variants that I'm 00:05:33.060 --> 00:05:36.079 aware of. So I wonder what it's doing behind 00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:38.360 the scenes of some of our, you know, more vulnerable 00:05:38.360 --> 00:05:42.480 population. Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. No, 00:05:42.639 --> 00:05:44.959 it's yeah, we had it pretty bad myself, to be 00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:47.540 fair. Probably. Well, yeah, again, worse than 00:05:47.540 --> 00:05:50.360 the COVID variation. So it's yeah, it wiped me 00:05:50.360 --> 00:05:53.699 out for a week. Back into it now. Yep. Yep. Sounds 00:05:53.699 --> 00:05:55.420 like the same one then. All right. Well, very 00:05:55.420 --> 00:05:57.199 first question. Where on planet Earth are we 00:05:57.199 --> 00:06:01.579 finding you today? I'm based in Reading at the 00:06:01.579 --> 00:06:07.480 moment. So, yeah, born and bred in Reading. Family 00:06:07.480 --> 00:06:09.899 are down here. So, yeah, down in the southeast 00:06:09.899 --> 00:06:12.399 in the UK. Brilliant. Well, let's start there. 00:06:12.519 --> 00:06:13.740 So you said you were born and bred in Reading. 00:06:13.819 --> 00:06:15.360 Tell me a little bit about your family dynamic, 00:06:15.579 --> 00:06:22.699 what your parents did, how many siblings? Reading 00:06:22.699 --> 00:06:28.939 -Barkshire Hospital, 29th of July 1991. Father 00:06:28.939 --> 00:06:37.120 ran his own business from his mid -20s, if you 00:06:37.120 --> 00:06:44.420 like, in the construction industry. Mum has always 00:06:44.420 --> 00:06:47.430 been in the healthcare industry. Looking after 00:06:47.430 --> 00:06:51.490 the elderly, which has been class. And she's 00:06:51.490 --> 00:06:53.850 just always been a hard worker and laid themselves. 00:06:54.069 --> 00:06:58.290 Got three siblings, two older brothers and one 00:06:58.290 --> 00:07:02.310 older sister. So, yeah, that's me in a nutshell. 00:07:03.209 --> 00:07:05.509 What was your mum's experience during COVID? 00:07:05.649 --> 00:07:07.589 Because, I mean, not only being in healthcare, 00:07:07.709 --> 00:07:10.350 but dealing with, again, a more vulnerable population, 00:07:10.470 --> 00:07:12.410 the elderly, that must have been a pretty powerful 00:07:12.410 --> 00:07:17.069 perspective that she had. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it 00:07:17.069 --> 00:07:20.509 definitely, it wiped out a lot of the, not a 00:07:20.509 --> 00:07:23.529 lot, but some of the older generation. And yeah, 00:07:23.629 --> 00:07:28.709 she had to deal with that, which was quite challenging. 00:07:28.750 --> 00:07:32.290 But, you know, she loves the job. She loves helping 00:07:32.290 --> 00:07:36.610 people. And she just doesn't stop. So, you know, 00:07:36.629 --> 00:07:40.459 she gets... uh for a weird way a little bit of 00:07:40.459 --> 00:07:42.920 a buzz from from that helping helping people 00:07:42.920 --> 00:07:45.339 not a buzz to see them you know fall short of 00:07:45.339 --> 00:07:48.360 of things like covert but but yeah she's she 00:07:48.360 --> 00:07:50.639 she gets gets stuck in which is which is class 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:54.100 have you ever had a conversation with her about 00:07:54.100 --> 00:07:56.660 the relationship between what she does and what 00:07:56.660 --> 00:07:58.540 you do now because this is one of the things 00:07:58.540 --> 00:08:00.579 i think that was completely disregarded during 00:08:00.579 --> 00:08:03.899 covet certainly here in america was making people 00:08:03.899 --> 00:08:07.060 healthier, more resistant to any virus that comes 00:08:07.060 --> 00:08:08.839 across. And obviously that includes nutrition 00:08:08.839 --> 00:08:13.920 and fitness. Yeah, to be fair, we don't really 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:20.079 touch on that in all honesty. Of course, we speak 00:08:20.079 --> 00:08:26.120 about what I do and what she does, but I guess 00:08:26.120 --> 00:08:29.899 we don't go into it in that much detail, if you 00:08:29.899 --> 00:08:36.639 like. But yeah, I think I get my, what should 00:08:36.639 --> 00:08:41.620 I say? The skills, but the way I am around, I 00:08:41.620 --> 00:08:47.019 thrive. I love helping people. I love that side 00:08:47.019 --> 00:08:51.279 of things, the whole generosity, gratitude things. 00:08:51.440 --> 00:08:54.519 I definitely get that from my mum. So yeah, that's 00:08:54.519 --> 00:08:56.899 really where that side of me comes, if you like. 00:08:57.500 --> 00:08:59.549 Beautiful. Well, staying with your childhood, 00:08:59.649 --> 00:09:01.669 what were you playing and doing as far as exercise 00:09:01.669 --> 00:09:05.850 and sport? Always been competitive, always a 00:09:05.850 --> 00:09:10.730 competitive lad. As a young lad, I was into football, 00:09:10.970 --> 00:09:17.929 like most. Tried rugby, didn't really take to 00:09:17.929 --> 00:09:20.570 that very well. So it was always footy to me, 00:09:20.610 --> 00:09:24.659 love running, love anything cross -country. um 00:09:24.659 --> 00:09:27.419 to be fair i i enjoyed anything anything sport 00:09:27.419 --> 00:09:29.340 related anything when i was a bit of like competition 00:09:29.340 --> 00:09:33.580 it was a bit of me um and then as i sort of grew 00:09:33.580 --> 00:09:36.120 up and you know fell in love with the fitness 00:09:36.120 --> 00:09:38.580 industry and and fell into that sort of sort 00:09:38.580 --> 00:09:42.039 of thing if you like when you were younger as 00:09:42.039 --> 00:09:43.980 an athlete were you exposed to strength and conditioning 00:09:43.980 --> 00:09:46.360 then because i know when i reflect back to my 00:09:46.360 --> 00:09:48.919 youth you know compared to what these american 00:09:48.919 --> 00:09:52.340 and uh school and colleges are having now there's 00:09:52.340 --> 00:09:54.179 a very kind of embedded strength and conditioning 00:09:54.179 --> 00:09:56.419 program may not be taught properly but there's 00:09:56.419 --> 00:09:59.299 an understanding to relate when i reflect back 00:09:59.299 --> 00:10:01.259 to my childhood which is a little you know before 00:10:01.259 --> 00:10:04.019 yours i don't remember the schools really doing 00:10:04.019 --> 00:10:06.419 strength training or fitness training aside from 00:10:06.419 --> 00:10:10.039 simply playing sports do you know what i'd agree 00:10:10.039 --> 00:10:13.080 with that i don't think um i think it was quite 00:10:13.080 --> 00:10:16.399 um should we say old old school mentality i don't 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:18.620 know you just you just got like You just went 00:10:18.620 --> 00:10:21.279 in the gym and all like playing sport. It was 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:23.779 like, you know, your classics, you know, jog 00:10:23.779 --> 00:10:25.820 on the spot, star jumps, and then you're straight 00:10:25.820 --> 00:10:31.860 into it. I was a bit naive to it until I sort 00:10:31.860 --> 00:10:35.059 of like, you know, got sort of year 10 in school 00:10:35.059 --> 00:10:37.080 where you could sort of pick what direction you 00:10:37.080 --> 00:10:39.480 wanted to take with your GCSEs, et cetera. That's 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:41.320 when I sort of found like, I think at the school 00:10:41.320 --> 00:10:44.720 it's labelled physical education. um and i loved 00:10:44.720 --> 00:10:46.799 it it to be fair it was probably the only subject 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:51.279 that i really took to at school um bar sort of 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:55.679 sport and pe um itself so yeah it was that it 00:10:55.679 --> 00:10:58.039 was that time that i sort of was like this is 00:10:58.039 --> 00:10:59.659 me this is the space that i'm going to invest 00:10:59.659 --> 00:11:02.399 in and uh it was the only route i was going to 00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:04.299 invest in to be fair and and that's what sort 00:11:04.299 --> 00:11:07.139 of where i went and did my further external research 00:11:07.139 --> 00:11:10.419 in the area And at that point, had you got any 00:11:10.419 --> 00:11:12.279 family members in the military or anyone else 00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:14.639 who would kind of be an inspiration later to 00:11:14.639 --> 00:11:18.759 join the Royal Marines? No, I was the first. 00:11:20.220 --> 00:11:22.200 Obviously, grandfather, everyone's grandfather. 00:11:22.419 --> 00:11:24.840 You know, we've got that heritage back in the 00:11:24.840 --> 00:11:26.720 days. But other than that, I was like the first 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:31.600 out of the family and the last to this point, 00:11:31.620 --> 00:11:35.019 you know, right now. Well, walk me through that 00:11:35.019 --> 00:11:37.639 journey then from GCSEs to how you found yourself 00:11:37.639 --> 00:11:45.019 in personal training. Yeah, so left school with 00:11:45.019 --> 00:11:50.480 one GCSE, which was physical education. You know, 00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:54.419 got a C in that. And then went off to college. 00:11:54.519 --> 00:11:58.039 And at college, I studied sports science. So 00:11:58.039 --> 00:12:01.320 it was like a foundation BTEC sports science 00:12:01.320 --> 00:12:07.080 course. um loved it and enjoyed it did well in 00:12:07.080 --> 00:12:10.820 it and went down there it was called the bnd 00:12:10.820 --> 00:12:13.000 sports science which was like a national diploma 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:17.399 if you like finished that and literally from 00:12:17.399 --> 00:12:20.700 that i went onto a government -funded course 00:12:20.700 --> 00:12:22.799 which was a level two fitness instructor course 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:27.120 um you had to apply for it and go through a sort 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:29.360 of like joining process because it was all funded 00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:33.519 um which i i got through was selected went and 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:35.259 did that course and as part of that course you 00:12:35.259 --> 00:12:36.960 had to do like a bit of work experience in a 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:39.820 gym which i did at a club called castle royal 00:12:39.820 --> 00:12:42.019 golf and country club which is around sort of 00:12:42.019 --> 00:12:45.279 reading way reading maidenhead um luckily enough 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:47.059 was picked up straight off that after like my 00:12:47.059 --> 00:12:53.580 placement into a job there um and walked the 00:12:53.580 --> 00:12:56.000 gym floor many years walking the gym floor writing 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:59.580 training programs um for sort of all clients 00:12:59.580 --> 00:13:04.019 it's quite premium um country club so you had 00:13:04.019 --> 00:13:08.299 a lot of the elderly if you like um down to you 00:13:08.299 --> 00:13:10.399 sort of young lads so programming for for all 00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:15.659 sorts of ages and and levels of fitness um and 00:13:15.659 --> 00:13:18.320 then i went into a pt course from there and then 00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:20.820 it just you know went that sort of route and 00:13:20.820 --> 00:13:22.440 i've never really steered away from it in all 00:13:22.440 --> 00:13:24.399 honesty until i joined the military but then 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:28.379 i found my way back into it so you know it's 00:13:28.379 --> 00:13:30.600 funny i haven't heard the word b tech in forever 00:13:30.600 --> 00:13:33.120 i did the b tech i did b tech and i did diploma 00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:36.259 of higher education and um exercise or sports 00:13:36.259 --> 00:13:38.700 science like it was in uh university of north 00:13:38.700 --> 00:13:42.200 london and b -tech i don't remember really doing 00:13:42.200 --> 00:13:45.240 much studying as far as the classroom stuff i 00:13:45.240 --> 00:13:47.519 just remember we played sports all the time like 00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:49.500 every single sport there was is it the same one 00:13:49.500 --> 00:13:53.840 you did yeah probably mate yeah yeah yeah that's 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:56.200 it just uh you can't beat the practical side 00:13:56.200 --> 00:13:59.759 of it yeah that was so much fun really was all 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:02.179 right well then so now you you go through the 00:14:02.179 --> 00:14:06.049 pt so What started to be the evolution as far 00:14:06.049 --> 00:14:09.450 as your training principles compared to the textbook 00:14:09.450 --> 00:14:14.710 element of your journey into fitness? I think 00:14:14.710 --> 00:14:18.049 it was just getting stuck in. Honestly, I think 00:14:18.049 --> 00:14:23.450 from... I remember at college, I'd always loved... 00:14:23.870 --> 00:14:26.629 the you know evade i was quite a vain sort of 00:14:26.629 --> 00:14:31.009 young lad 15 16 you know um always dreamt of 00:14:31.009 --> 00:14:33.289 having this this these abs and you know muscles 00:14:33.289 --> 00:14:36.269 poking out and i think i was just i but i was 00:14:36.269 --> 00:14:38.529 too young to really get stuck into a gym and 00:14:38.529 --> 00:14:40.230 then obviously i couldn't afford a gym membership 00:14:40.230 --> 00:14:42.610 but i had to you know chew my mum's ear off to 00:14:42.610 --> 00:14:45.409 get me stuck into it to a gym as soon as i i 00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:48.299 had that gym membership that was that was where 00:14:48.299 --> 00:14:50.000 he'd find me you know and i walked into the gym 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:52.240 and i just saw the fitness instructors pts i 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:53.779 was like this is a bit of me and i think i just 00:14:53.779 --> 00:14:56.360 you know they they programmed me you know and 00:14:56.360 --> 00:14:58.299 i was learning from what the hell they were programming 00:14:58.299 --> 00:14:59.980 me of course i was learning from the course itself 00:14:59.980 --> 00:15:05.580 um and then i just you know got like i think 00:15:05.580 --> 00:15:08.909 you you just learn learn on the job You learn 00:15:08.909 --> 00:15:10.649 training. You learn training yourself. You get 00:15:10.649 --> 00:15:13.549 into your own sort of habits. And obviously because 00:15:13.549 --> 00:15:15.970 I was always invested in that, I'd always seek 00:15:15.970 --> 00:15:18.049 advice from others as well that had been there, 00:15:18.070 --> 00:15:19.669 done it, and learned from their mistakes and 00:15:19.669 --> 00:15:23.649 learned from their experience. I love learning. 00:15:23.789 --> 00:15:29.090 I didn't realize that until I found, you know, 00:15:29.090 --> 00:15:30.509 until I got to year 10 at school where I could 00:15:30.509 --> 00:15:33.149 sort of do my GCSE. That was the only, you know, 00:15:33.149 --> 00:15:35.320 as soon as I found that, that was me like. yeah 00:15:35.320 --> 00:15:38.259 cool this is my space but before I found that 00:15:38.259 --> 00:15:41.419 like I hated learning it wasn't it wasn't I was 00:15:41.419 --> 00:15:46.019 quite a disruptive child um and I and it wasn't 00:15:46.019 --> 00:15:50.559 until like I guess at school you're taught to 00:15:50.559 --> 00:15:52.779 you've got to be here you've got to do this you're 00:15:52.779 --> 00:15:55.480 you know it's the system of education that I 00:15:55.480 --> 00:15:57.440 never really bought into but when I could buy 00:15:57.440 --> 00:16:00.059 into actually what I wanted to to learn and actually 00:16:00.059 --> 00:16:02.500 I was very good I was I loved it and I still 00:16:02.500 --> 00:16:05.220 love it today so I've gone on a massive tangent 00:16:05.220 --> 00:16:08.620 there, James. I apologise. No, no. Here, there, 00:16:08.759 --> 00:16:11.399 and then back down to school. It's pertinent. 00:16:11.419 --> 00:16:15.059 I think my average for my GCSEs was Cs, so C 00:16:15.059 --> 00:16:18.340 student. And when I went and became a firefighter 00:16:18.340 --> 00:16:20.200 and a paramedic, and all through the schooling, 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:22.299 I was an A student. And the difference was, again, 00:16:22.519 --> 00:16:24.399 it was something that I truly understood. And 00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:26.220 even the maths and the physics and the chemistry, 00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:28.440 all that started to make sense now, whether it 00:16:28.440 --> 00:16:31.039 was a human body or whether it was fire. So I 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:33.779 think this is it. A lot of people really don't 00:16:33.779 --> 00:16:36.899 get to ever tap into their potential if the only 00:16:36.899 --> 00:16:39.980 benchmark was a fixed education of their country. 00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:45.320 Yeah, absolutely. I think it's one of those, 00:16:45.419 --> 00:16:50.460 isn't it? When you're told, like... I just think 00:16:50.460 --> 00:16:53.500 when it comes down to subjects like maths, algebra, 00:16:53.659 --> 00:16:56.399 I just go, when am I going to use this? And if 00:16:56.399 --> 00:16:59.940 I can't see it, how this is going to benefit 00:16:59.940 --> 00:17:01.940 me, and I'm sure it does some way down the line, 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:04.180 but if I can't see it there and then, I'm like, 00:17:04.259 --> 00:17:06.279 I can't buy into it. It's just the way I've always 00:17:06.279 --> 00:17:08.960 been. Maybe it's an ignorant way, maybe not, 00:17:09.160 --> 00:17:12.119 but it's just how I've always processed things, 00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:15.039 I guess. And it got me into a lot of trouble 00:17:15.039 --> 00:17:17.799 at school, but it's all part of it. It's all 00:17:17.799 --> 00:17:20.819 part of the making of who we are today, right? 00:17:21.640 --> 00:17:24.019 Absolutely. Well, what took you on the route 00:17:24.019 --> 00:17:27.220 to the military then? What took me on the route? 00:17:28.819 --> 00:17:31.559 I guess, right, so from the fitness industry, 00:17:31.819 --> 00:17:36.339 if you like, from PTM, I actually wanted to be 00:17:36.339 --> 00:17:38.539 a PE teacher. I wanted to go down the teaching 00:17:38.539 --> 00:17:43.369 route. And with that, I knew I had to have a 00:17:43.369 --> 00:17:48.789 degree. So I retook my GCSEs, my maths and English, 00:17:49.109 --> 00:17:52.430 come to the time to submit the application to 00:17:52.430 --> 00:17:57.509 go to university. I applied and I knew I had 00:17:57.509 --> 00:18:00.569 the UCAS points, but I knew my GCSEs might hinder 00:18:00.569 --> 00:18:03.109 me here. And of course, they did come up against 00:18:03.109 --> 00:18:05.150 that inevitable barrier where I didn't get taken 00:18:05.150 --> 00:18:09.660 by any universities. Instead of just going, yeah, 00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:12.480 cheers, easy, I picked up the phone and I just 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:14.299 called Southampton Southern University where 00:18:14.299 --> 00:18:16.460 I wanted to go. I wanted to do their course. 00:18:17.019 --> 00:18:19.720 Asked to speak to the head of sports science. 00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:24.319 I won't mention his name, but yeah, Dr. BL, shall 00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:28.900 we say. And he was taken back. He was like, who's 00:18:28.900 --> 00:18:31.059 this lad calling me out? This has never happened 00:18:31.059 --> 00:18:32.839 before. And it was quite like one of those conversations. 00:18:32.940 --> 00:18:34.480 We had a really good chat. And he offered me 00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:37.299 in for an interview. He was like, I've never 00:18:37.299 --> 00:18:39.299 done this before. but you come in for an interview 00:18:39.299 --> 00:18:42.559 and then we had a good interview and it was i 00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:45.380 was taking my math gcsc at the time um which 00:18:45.380 --> 00:18:47.059 i was predicted to see he said can you get a 00:18:47.059 --> 00:18:49.299 b grade of course i just said in the moment said 00:18:49.299 --> 00:18:53.480 yes um and he said right well you know show me 00:18:53.480 --> 00:18:55.380 you can get b grade and you're in we'll bring 00:18:55.380 --> 00:18:57.019 you in like that was fantastic interview we want 00:18:57.019 --> 00:18:58.759 you on board and i was like cool happy with that 00:18:58.759 --> 00:19:02.819 then i hit a bit of a barrier where i got myself 00:19:02.819 --> 00:19:06.869 into a little bit of trouble um where i picked 00:19:06.869 --> 00:19:10.450 up a criminal record and it didn't do me not 00:19:10.450 --> 00:19:12.190 didn't do me any favors i mean i had to then 00:19:12.190 --> 00:19:16.009 just bring up dr biel and explain a story called 00:19:16.009 --> 00:19:19.170 you know we got there but he then made me promise 00:19:19.170 --> 00:19:20.890 him i'll get a first -class degree and that's 00:19:20.890 --> 00:19:23.920 why i was like cool that that was my next goal 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:25.960 if you like teaching probably wasn't going to 00:19:25.960 --> 00:19:28.859 happen because of the you know it becomes a bit 00:19:28.859 --> 00:19:31.700 of a barrier there so my my route changed but 00:19:31.700 --> 00:19:33.319 i knew i loved sports science i knew i wanted 00:19:33.319 --> 00:19:35.119 to do this course and i went off and i did it 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:40.140 and i got a first class degree um towards the 00:19:40.140 --> 00:19:42.519 back end of university my third year my friends 00:19:42.519 --> 00:19:46.640 three of my friends uh all joined the royal marines 00:19:46.640 --> 00:19:50.720 and They described, they were like, Jim, this 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:52.839 is you. This is right up your street. You know, 00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:57.460 it's hard. It's, you know, there's ways, you 00:19:57.460 --> 00:19:59.359 know, you can go through promotions, et cetera. 00:19:59.420 --> 00:20:02.539 And they just sold me this dream. And that was 00:20:02.539 --> 00:20:04.579 it. They were my influence. Like, I was like, 00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:07.440 cool. I like hard. I like anything challenging. 00:20:07.640 --> 00:20:10.559 I love the camaraderie. I love being around the 00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:13.839 guys. And, you know, that was my route in. It 00:20:13.839 --> 00:20:17.700 was never really a... it was never like i'm not 00:20:17.700 --> 00:20:19.380 one of those lads that goes since i was a kid 00:20:19.380 --> 00:20:21.359 i dreamed of joining the military i'd always 00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:24.920 had like little like looked into it but never 00:20:24.920 --> 00:20:27.539 really went for it but it was my friends that 00:20:27.539 --> 00:20:32.500 sort of influenced my decision if you like when 00:20:32.500 --> 00:20:35.259 i reflect back now i did university of north 00:20:35.259 --> 00:20:37.059 london did sports science and then university 00:20:37.059 --> 00:20:41.859 of florida here um the gators uh school i did 00:20:41.859 --> 00:20:45.660 exercise physiology And even though, of course, 00:20:45.720 --> 00:20:49.960 I learned a lot, a lot of people go into this 00:20:49.960 --> 00:20:54.400 schooling expecting to have the toolbox that 00:20:54.400 --> 00:20:57.740 they need for coaching. And what I found was 00:20:57.740 --> 00:21:00.180 it was quite myopic. And really, it almost seemed 00:21:00.180 --> 00:21:02.240 to set you up to stay in that system and now 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:04.220 become a teacher of sports science rather than 00:21:04.220 --> 00:21:06.420 go out into the real world and apply the things 00:21:06.420 --> 00:21:09.140 you've learned or be in a lab, you know, testing 00:21:09.140 --> 00:21:11.980 very, very kind of narrow fields of improvement. 00:21:12.829 --> 00:21:16.289 With the route that you went on, how did your 00:21:16.289 --> 00:21:19.089 schooling affect your ability to teach when you 00:21:19.089 --> 00:21:24.789 graduated? In the sense of, sorry, teaching? 00:21:25.869 --> 00:21:28.990 Mine was very academic. So there wasn't really 00:21:28.990 --> 00:21:31.410 a lot of application to what we were learning. 00:21:31.549 --> 00:21:34.630 It was more theories. And like I said, this might 00:21:34.630 --> 00:21:38.059 create a, you know, 2%. increase on you know 00:21:38.059 --> 00:21:40.900 muscle fiber contractility or something doesn't 00:21:40.900 --> 00:21:43.539 help you as you said at the country club teaching 00:21:43.539 --> 00:21:47.400 the the teenager and the 70 year old so with 00:21:47.400 --> 00:21:50.279 that higher education level did it did it add 00:21:50.279 --> 00:21:52.720 a lot of value to your ability as a coach or 00:21:52.720 --> 00:22:01.099 did it fall short in some way um it it did for 00:22:01.099 --> 00:22:04.480 me look i think when you're when you're coaching 00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:09.019 unless you're coaching athletes like like real 00:22:09.019 --> 00:22:12.079 high level elite athletes i think getting into 00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:15.619 the really finer detail like people don't necessarily 00:22:15.619 --> 00:22:19.339 want to or or need to know that well you know 00:22:19.339 --> 00:22:21.119 it's a bit different now with who i coach now 00:22:21.119 --> 00:22:22.799 with you know potential raw marines but like 00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:25.940 when i was pting and and i was i was pting whilst 00:22:25.940 --> 00:22:29.660 at university um i think what you realize what 00:22:29.660 --> 00:22:32.740 you get to know is is actually people they don't 00:22:32.740 --> 00:22:37.720 buy they don't buy your pt sessions because of 00:22:37.720 --> 00:22:40.259 like your education and what you know they buy 00:22:40.259 --> 00:22:42.779 into you they buy into like they want someone 00:22:42.779 --> 00:22:45.119 to spend time with they don't want to spend time 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:46.839 with someone that they don't like like you know 00:22:46.839 --> 00:22:48.460 they don't waste their money with an hour of 00:22:48.460 --> 00:22:52.019 like someone that some people do some people 00:22:52.019 --> 00:22:54.000 love that element of like let's go down the gym 00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:56.299 and let's get fresh by pt but actually some people 00:22:56.299 --> 00:22:57.579 just want your time they just want to have like 00:22:57.579 --> 00:23:00.400 enjoy it a bit of enjoyment and get something 00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:02.750 get some fitness out of it you know but Some 00:23:02.750 --> 00:23:05.009 people want that feeling of feeling good that 00:23:05.009 --> 00:23:08.950 fitness brings rather than necessarily the results. 00:23:09.869 --> 00:23:12.329 It's very far and far between. But what I'm trying 00:23:12.329 --> 00:23:15.549 to say is like, yes, it did help when the people 00:23:15.549 --> 00:23:18.670 that wanted that little bit of the why, the reason 00:23:18.670 --> 00:23:21.230 behind it. Actually, what I found in the fitness 00:23:21.230 --> 00:23:25.710 industry, people just buy you because they like 00:23:25.710 --> 00:23:29.029 you. You know, that makes sense. No, it does 00:23:29.029 --> 00:23:32.779 completely. What has been your... kind of observation 00:23:32.779 --> 00:23:38.059 of the impact of um the kind of mental health 00:23:38.059 --> 00:23:40.079 journey of some of these people that you end 00:23:40.079 --> 00:23:42.079 up coaching because when i've done a lot of the 00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:44.200 sessions and again i've never been a full -time 00:23:44.200 --> 00:23:46.059 coach always been kind of like a you know part 00:23:46.059 --> 00:23:49.200 -time weekend warrior but it's amazing when you 00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:53.319 unpack the the um the person that you're coaching 00:23:53.319 --> 00:23:57.359 there why There's so much power to understanding 00:23:57.359 --> 00:23:59.559 why they even show up in the first place. Oh, 00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:01.259 I want to lose some weight. Okay, that's not 00:24:01.259 --> 00:24:03.559 good enough. Let's go. Why do you want to lose 00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:05.339 some weight? And then you start learning that 00:24:05.339 --> 00:24:07.119 they were bullied when they were young or maybe 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:09.799 they just left an abusive relationship or whatever 00:24:09.799 --> 00:24:12.700 it is. And now you kind of are able to kind of 00:24:12.700 --> 00:24:15.119 dig into that when it comes to motivating them 00:24:15.119 --> 00:24:17.930 and giving them goals. So even though obviously 00:24:17.930 --> 00:24:20.690 we're taught mainly the kind of technical, physical 00:24:20.690 --> 00:24:24.029 side in a lot of these programs, I realize how 00:24:24.029 --> 00:24:27.809 understated the psychological side was. Yeah, 00:24:27.829 --> 00:24:32.309 absolutely. Fully agree with that. I think you've 00:24:32.309 --> 00:24:37.089 framed that up really well. It goes back to the 00:24:37.089 --> 00:24:40.789 point that I made. You've just obviously elaborated 00:24:40.789 --> 00:24:42.730 on it in a much easier way to probably understand. 00:24:42.950 --> 00:24:45.069 But it's like, I think, again, it goes like. 00:24:46.730 --> 00:24:49.750 the people that you don't get to understand like 00:24:49.750 --> 00:24:52.309 the the onion analogy peeling back the layers 00:24:52.309 --> 00:24:55.190 right you don't get to understand this psychological 00:24:55.190 --> 00:24:57.210 side until you actually start coaching someone 00:24:57.210 --> 00:24:59.430 until you get to know them they don't come and 00:24:59.430 --> 00:25:02.109 say that jim i want i want you to be my pt um 00:25:02.109 --> 00:25:06.109 because of this that happened back in the i was 00:25:06.109 --> 00:25:08.210 bullied you know for my weight or that you know 00:25:08.210 --> 00:25:10.069 they don't open up they just say exactly like 00:25:10.069 --> 00:25:12.000 you said i want to lose weight I want to look, 00:25:12.119 --> 00:25:14.980 you know, I want to get big. I want to get juicy, 00:25:15.240 --> 00:25:17.259 you know, all of these things. Then once you 00:25:17.259 --> 00:25:24.980 get coaching, once you get to know them, build 00:25:24.980 --> 00:25:27.240 rapport, understand each other. This is where 00:25:27.240 --> 00:25:29.380 I think you get into that side of things. And 00:25:29.380 --> 00:25:30.579 I think that's like, for me, that's a beautiful 00:25:30.579 --> 00:25:32.359 thing because like, that's like the training 00:25:32.359 --> 00:25:35.660 that I love as well. I love the mindset and understanding 00:25:35.660 --> 00:25:37.640 someone, their why. Because I think when you 00:25:37.640 --> 00:25:40.019 know someone's why, the how is like, that's our 00:25:40.019 --> 00:25:42.400 job. It's given the how. And I think that's why, 00:25:42.519 --> 00:25:44.940 again, I love the coaching process is because 00:25:44.940 --> 00:25:46.599 everyone's different. If you coach everyone the 00:25:46.599 --> 00:25:49.400 same, well, okay, great. You might get these 00:25:49.400 --> 00:25:51.420 results. Like, you know, get everyone in the 00:25:51.420 --> 00:25:53.599 calorie deficit of 1500 calories. Yeah, cool. 00:25:53.920 --> 00:25:55.440 but it's going to be it's going to look good 00:25:55.440 --> 00:25:58.839 for you for your for your like testimonials but 00:25:58.839 --> 00:26:01.160 I know it's got to be about them right it's their 00:26:01.160 --> 00:26:03.039 journey so I'm a big believer of that I think 00:26:03.039 --> 00:26:05.059 that's where I come into my own with like again 00:26:05.059 --> 00:26:07.640 going back to my mum the caring side of things 00:26:07.640 --> 00:26:09.740 and the way she is there I think that's the side 00:26:09.740 --> 00:26:12.279 that comes out of me in that sense if you like 00:26:12.279 --> 00:26:16.500 absolutely all right well let's walk into the 00:26:16.500 --> 00:26:20.910 uh the front door of the training then How well 00:26:20.910 --> 00:26:22.750 do you feel like you were prepared from this 00:26:22.750 --> 00:26:24.769 journey that you'd been on? And then what were 00:26:24.769 --> 00:26:27.349 the highs and lows of the first few months of 00:26:27.349 --> 00:26:34.730 that? Royal Marines training, sorry. Physically 00:26:34.730 --> 00:26:40.069 prepared, yes. I think I'd have done things differently 00:26:40.069 --> 00:26:44.730 from what I've learned. But I was fit. And the 00:26:44.730 --> 00:26:47.789 fitness was never really an issue for me. I was 00:26:47.789 --> 00:26:50.779 always, you know. up there at the front of the 00:26:50.779 --> 00:26:55.980 pack in that sense um everything else like i 00:26:55.980 --> 00:26:58.299 was not prepared like again my friends like that 00:26:58.299 --> 00:27:00.500 sold me the street they were not they were natural 00:27:00.500 --> 00:27:04.000 you know siblings three three three brothers 00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:06.839 just just it was a it was in a heritage right 00:27:06.839 --> 00:27:09.240 they've you know family previous all military 00:27:09.240 --> 00:27:11.619 this was like a new territory to me and i'd just 00:27:11.619 --> 00:27:14.279 gone off like oh jim you'll love it like down 00:27:14.279 --> 00:27:16.099 at the pub after a few drinks yeah get get involved 00:27:16.099 --> 00:27:18.599 mate it's a bit of you and that's like Cool. 00:27:18.660 --> 00:27:20.599 What do you do? Fitness is like right in the 00:27:20.599 --> 00:27:22.440 street. Cool. Then it got into the soldier side 00:27:22.440 --> 00:27:25.099 and I was like, wow, this is a different ball 00:27:25.099 --> 00:27:30.279 game. And yeah, I was a bit naive going into 00:27:30.279 --> 00:27:31.619 that side of things. It was a bit of a steep 00:27:31.619 --> 00:27:33.960 learning curve in there. And I'm not the fastest 00:27:33.960 --> 00:27:36.599 learners. So I'd say it took me a little bit 00:27:36.599 --> 00:27:46.160 to digest and get fully locked into. I was just 00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:48.359 a slow learner in that sense, if you like. It's 00:27:48.359 --> 00:27:49.680 a very fast -paced course, the Royal Marines. 00:27:51.660 --> 00:27:55.819 What did you see as far as a common denominator 00:27:55.819 --> 00:27:59.920 between the ones who passed and the ones who 00:27:59.920 --> 00:28:08.779 fell out? Mindset. Mindset, always. You've got 00:28:08.779 --> 00:28:14.369 to want it. I think in training, you'll always 00:28:14.369 --> 00:28:19.009 get the inner chimp in your head that, you know, 00:28:19.029 --> 00:28:21.990 this is cold, this is wet, this is shit. This 00:28:21.990 --> 00:28:23.950 is sometimes like, you know, you've got nothing 00:28:23.950 --> 00:28:26.930 else to give. And that's the part of the job 00:28:26.930 --> 00:28:31.009 of the training, the training team as well. In 00:28:31.009 --> 00:28:32.869 a sense, it's there to try and break you down. 00:28:33.269 --> 00:28:36.029 And I think when you get broken down, that's 00:28:36.029 --> 00:28:38.369 when it's easy to go like, that's my shit, I'm 00:28:38.369 --> 00:28:41.430 out of here. But if you can just hold on to that. 00:28:42.200 --> 00:28:45.420 and keep that level -headed, that's what sets 00:28:45.420 --> 00:28:49.480 you apart. I've seen it in the fire service too. 00:28:49.599 --> 00:28:53.359 That why is huge. If you're in the middle of 00:28:53.359 --> 00:28:55.839 a collapse maze that we have and it's hot and 00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:57.819 you're in all this gear and you're breathing 00:28:57.819 --> 00:29:00.740 off the tank on your back and you're wedged into 00:29:00.740 --> 00:29:03.619 this maze and you can't move and you can't even 00:29:03.619 --> 00:29:07.119 reach your mask if you need to pull it off, there's 00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:09.099 that voice that tells you you just want to quit. 00:29:09.759 --> 00:29:12.460 However... You know, a lot of us were there for 00:29:12.460 --> 00:29:14.180 a reason, you know, and I think it's that why 00:29:14.180 --> 00:29:16.839 that is so important. And I've heard it so often. 00:29:16.880 --> 00:29:19.119 It's funny, even the Navy SEALs, a lot of them 00:29:19.119 --> 00:29:22.539 is if they don't pass selection, then the Navy 00:29:22.539 --> 00:29:24.339 can decide what they do. They could be turning 00:29:24.339 --> 00:29:26.759 wrenches on a submarine or something. So a lot 00:29:26.759 --> 00:29:28.500 of them, even that was the why, like failure 00:29:28.500 --> 00:29:31.519 was not an option. When you reflect back now, 00:29:31.640 --> 00:29:33.900 not having this burning desire to be in the Royal 00:29:33.900 --> 00:29:36.900 Marines initially, what was that why that kept 00:29:36.900 --> 00:29:41.759 you moving forward? my friends, my friends that 00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:44.960 had been there and done it. It, you know, they, 00:29:45.079 --> 00:29:49.019 they were, they were born in, you know, they 00:29:49.019 --> 00:29:51.619 were, they were very, they took to it like water, 00:29:51.619 --> 00:29:54.680 you know, duck and water. They, two of them Kings 00:29:54.680 --> 00:29:58.740 badge men, one diamond, you know, they were excelled 00:29:58.740 --> 00:30:00.980 in everything. I was just the guy that got, you 00:30:00.980 --> 00:30:04.200 know, the gym superior and, you know, I was super 00:30:04.200 --> 00:30:07.420 fit and got recognised for that. Look, I wasn't 00:30:07.420 --> 00:30:09.819 bad. I wasn't bad in training. I was an original 00:30:09.819 --> 00:30:11.819 from start to finish, but I just wasn't, you 00:30:11.819 --> 00:30:15.579 know, I just took into it a little bit slower 00:30:15.579 --> 00:30:19.599 than others. But I knew that that competitive 00:30:19.599 --> 00:30:23.119 side of me, I was like, they can do it. I can 00:30:23.119 --> 00:30:26.160 do it. And that was it, in all honesty. I think 00:30:26.160 --> 00:30:28.720 there were times where I was like... nah they 00:30:28.720 --> 00:30:36.099 sent me there were times but I've not got a quitting 00:30:36.099 --> 00:30:38.400 attitude in me I guess and they were just like 00:30:38.400 --> 00:30:42.099 there as well and I knew that you know they've 00:30:42.099 --> 00:30:46.819 got one up on me if I jack this in so Did you 00:30:46.819 --> 00:30:49.900 spend a lot of time in the water? Ah loads yeah 00:30:49.900 --> 00:30:51.640 yeah yeah always I was always the one getting 00:30:51.640 --> 00:30:57.630 thrashed for you know just admin was it was terrible 00:30:57.630 --> 00:31:03.430 so i was in uh you know um yeah just drying up 00:31:03.430 --> 00:31:09.769 puddles so did kind of remind me i know you obviously 00:31:09.769 --> 00:31:12.769 end up as a pti or version of um did you deploy 00:31:12.769 --> 00:31:18.230 prior to that and just training exercises just 00:31:18.230 --> 00:31:20.670 training training exercise i know we never during 00:31:20.670 --> 00:31:24.009 the time i was in i never deployed uh on any 00:31:24.009 --> 00:31:26.650 operations nothing ever happened in that sense 00:31:26.650 --> 00:31:29.789 if you like for us to to really get stuck into 00:31:29.789 --> 00:31:33.170 anything which is like you know i think like 00:31:33.170 --> 00:31:35.269 like i said i never really i never joined the 00:31:35.269 --> 00:31:36.730 i'm not one of those that joined the royal marines 00:31:36.730 --> 00:31:41.250 because i wanted to you know go and deploy and 00:31:41.250 --> 00:31:44.500 go to war it was it was more of a It was like 00:31:44.500 --> 00:31:47.099 a challenge, an experience, an adventure that 00:31:47.099 --> 00:31:48.960 I sort of wanted from it. But then I think once 00:31:48.960 --> 00:31:54.079 you do the training and that sort of gets instilled 00:31:54.079 --> 00:31:56.160 into you, you want to go and do it. It's what 00:31:56.160 --> 00:31:59.059 you're trained to do. And I'm probably being 00:31:59.059 --> 00:32:04.400 quite, you know, very, you know, I wasn't a bad 00:32:04.400 --> 00:32:06.220 recruit by any sense. You know, it was just, 00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:10.579 I just liked to, you know. on that a little bit 00:32:10.579 --> 00:32:12.920 because I think you've got to stay humble in 00:32:12.920 --> 00:32:15.480 everything you do, right? And I think that's 00:32:15.480 --> 00:32:17.299 what it's about, right? Isn't it? But I think 00:32:17.299 --> 00:32:19.140 that's one thing I think if leaving the Royal 00:32:19.140 --> 00:32:22.960 Marines, I would have loved to have done is go 00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:25.319 on, you know, get an up or two under my belt. 00:32:25.480 --> 00:32:27.240 But then again, I'm a big believer of be careful 00:32:27.240 --> 00:32:28.819 what you wish for because some guys don't come 00:32:28.819 --> 00:32:32.789 home and that is the reality of it. Yeah. Yeah, 00:32:32.809 --> 00:32:35.309 I had Mark Ormrod on the show a couple of times. 00:32:35.390 --> 00:32:37.569 I actually had coffee with him when I was visiting 00:32:37.569 --> 00:32:40.609 RE -ORG. God, that was probably two -plus years 00:32:40.609 --> 00:32:42.750 ago now. But, I mean, you know, you get to see 00:32:42.750 --> 00:32:45.809 the impact of the service to some of our men 00:32:45.809 --> 00:32:48.730 and women if they come back. And it is, you know, 00:32:48.730 --> 00:32:52.210 a real conversation, hopefully. you know a uh 00:32:52.210 --> 00:32:54.410 something that people can be made to consider 00:32:54.410 --> 00:32:56.349 when they're sending our men and women to the 00:32:56.349 --> 00:32:58.809 next conflict is you know i mean all these coffins 00:32:58.809 --> 00:33:00.309 that we've seen all these men and women that 00:33:00.309 --> 00:33:03.250 come back missing limbs or obviously the uh the 00:33:03.250 --> 00:33:05.829 mental injuries that we see and so often so yeah 00:33:05.829 --> 00:33:07.529 i mean that careful what you wish for is true 00:33:07.529 --> 00:33:09.829 because i mean we've seen what happens for 20 00:33:09.829 --> 00:33:13.430 years of war in the us and the uk absolutely 00:33:13.430 --> 00:33:18.339 and um you know i think I guess even your line 00:33:18.339 --> 00:33:20.619 of work, James, it's a similar sketch, right? 00:33:20.720 --> 00:33:24.819 You're trained to do what you guys do. And it's 00:33:24.819 --> 00:33:27.220 a serious job. It's a real job. And, you know, 00:33:27.259 --> 00:33:29.359 it's great to get stuck in. Everyone wants to 00:33:29.359 --> 00:33:30.859 get stuck in when you're trained to do it. But 00:33:30.859 --> 00:33:32.740 you must have seen some tragic things, right? 00:33:32.819 --> 00:33:36.240 And it's like, you know, in your time. Yeah. 00:33:37.940 --> 00:33:41.579 Yeah. I guess it goes back to be careful what 00:33:41.579 --> 00:33:44.480 you wish for, isn't it? You know? Absolutely. 00:33:44.500 --> 00:33:46.279 Well, I mean, what you're doing now, what I've 00:33:46.279 --> 00:33:47.920 done from the physical side and also with this 00:33:47.920 --> 00:33:51.000 podcast is obviously trying to help the men and 00:33:51.000 --> 00:33:52.839 women that are in uniform be the best version 00:33:52.839 --> 00:33:54.960 of themselves so they have the highest chance 00:33:54.960 --> 00:33:56.859 of coming home and completing their mission. 00:33:57.680 --> 00:34:02.240 When did your kind of shift begin from raw Marine 00:34:02.240 --> 00:34:11.159 recruit to PTI? So I think. The reality was I 00:34:11.159 --> 00:34:14.840 was always going to fall down into that line 00:34:14.840 --> 00:34:17.099 of work. You know, I think it was like, it was 00:34:17.099 --> 00:34:19.039 written in the stars, if you like. I remember 00:34:19.039 --> 00:34:21.599 in a recruit week five of training families day, 00:34:21.679 --> 00:34:24.019 your parents come down and, you know, they get 00:34:24.019 --> 00:34:27.179 to see you do your phys and in the gymnasium 00:34:27.179 --> 00:34:30.820 and they get a bit of a tour around the place. 00:34:30.880 --> 00:34:33.840 And they went to Parker Hall, which is the rehab 00:34:33.840 --> 00:34:36.860 center for the recruits and Royal Marines and 00:34:36.860 --> 00:34:38.300 obviously permanent staff, but it's more geared 00:34:38.300 --> 00:34:42.659 towards. the recruits um and I remember my parents 00:34:42.659 --> 00:34:45.000 said that that's what that's where your your 00:34:45.000 --> 00:34:46.800 your line of work is that's they could just see 00:34:46.800 --> 00:34:48.719 it they could see that's probably where I'd end 00:34:48.719 --> 00:34:50.679 up and I was like nah you know I had aspirations 00:34:50.679 --> 00:34:53.460 to you know go special forces and a mountain 00:34:53.460 --> 00:34:55.260 leader all these things I was like I've done 00:34:55.260 --> 00:34:56.619 the fitness side of things I wouldn't go and 00:34:56.619 --> 00:35:00.519 you know excel in that um but the reality was 00:35:00.519 --> 00:35:04.179 it was like you know actually stick to what your 00:35:04.179 --> 00:35:06.570 strengths are My strength was Fizz. My strength 00:35:06.570 --> 00:35:09.170 was the theory. And that was my love and my passion. 00:35:09.349 --> 00:35:13.630 So you can't go off to do, you know, it's not 00:35:13.630 --> 00:35:16.750 like the Navy or the RAF in the sense that you 00:35:16.750 --> 00:35:18.510 can pass out recruit training and just become 00:35:18.510 --> 00:35:21.150 a PTI. You have to promote or be recommended 00:35:21.150 --> 00:35:23.369 for promotion to a junior, to a corporal. And 00:35:23.369 --> 00:35:27.949 that's the point four and a half, five years 00:35:27.949 --> 00:35:30.809 into my career where I got that positive recommend 00:35:30.809 --> 00:35:32.670 and the time that I could go off and do the aptitude 00:35:32.670 --> 00:35:35.090 for the PT course. And that's when I sort of 00:35:35.090 --> 00:35:38.590 fell into that line of work. So I've heard, you 00:35:38.590 --> 00:35:40.809 know, that the high standard that that requires, 00:35:40.969 --> 00:35:43.329 that it's extremely hard to even gain that role. 00:35:43.489 --> 00:35:45.630 So kind of talk to me about the expectations 00:35:45.630 --> 00:35:49.849 along the crucible that is becoming a PTI in 00:35:49.849 --> 00:35:56.769 the Royal Marines. Yeah, it's the course is just 00:35:56.769 --> 00:36:00.960 geared to. It's just a fashion. It really is. 00:36:01.000 --> 00:36:03.420 It's just like, it's like, you know, you're redlining 00:36:03.420 --> 00:36:06.599 yourself for 17 weeks. The course is 17 weeks 00:36:06.599 --> 00:36:09.760 long. Of course, there's some theory side of 00:36:09.760 --> 00:36:11.940 it that there is, but it's because it's a short 00:36:11.940 --> 00:36:14.739 course, it's a condensed course. It's more of 00:36:14.739 --> 00:36:20.420 just like, are you fit enough to be the standard 00:36:20.420 --> 00:36:23.079 of a PTI, Royal Marines PTI? You know, I remember 00:36:23.079 --> 00:36:26.000 as a recruit, you know. anyone that would walk 00:36:26.000 --> 00:36:29.340 towards me with a green lid like you you're like 00:36:29.340 --> 00:36:31.679 terrified i was 24 as a recruit right and i was 00:36:31.679 --> 00:36:35.900 like still like this is this is uh you know intimidating 00:36:35.900 --> 00:36:37.679 right but then when you see someone walk down 00:36:37.679 --> 00:36:40.260 with a white vest and a green lid it's like well 00:36:40.260 --> 00:36:42.300 like i'm gonna go the other way because i'm probably 00:36:42.300 --> 00:36:44.119 just gonna get thrashed if that's the case you 00:36:44.119 --> 00:36:46.980 know that's the sort of um the persona they they 00:36:46.980 --> 00:36:51.440 held on camp very very um you know serious dudes 00:36:51.440 --> 00:36:55.570 right and uh And I think it's because the course 00:36:55.570 --> 00:36:58.269 that you go through, you earn the respect in 00:36:58.269 --> 00:37:00.670 that sense, not to take anything away from any 00:37:00.670 --> 00:37:02.710 other courses in the Royal Marines. Like, you 00:37:02.710 --> 00:37:07.190 know, we are, you know, Fizz Warriors, you know, 00:37:07.210 --> 00:37:09.849 that's the reality. Of course, like some great 00:37:09.849 --> 00:37:12.929 soldiers in the branch and some, you know, it's 00:37:12.929 --> 00:37:15.170 a very, you know, we've got experience from everywhere, 00:37:15.230 --> 00:37:19.630 but I think you just held on quite a high pedestal 00:37:19.630 --> 00:37:22.090 because of the challenging nature of the course. 00:37:23.869 --> 00:37:26.329 So we talked about this a few weeks ago when 00:37:26.329 --> 00:37:29.550 we chatted. You now have this kind of journey 00:37:29.550 --> 00:37:32.789 when it comes to personal training on the civilian 00:37:32.789 --> 00:37:35.369 side. Now you enter the military. There's a lot 00:37:35.369 --> 00:37:38.630 of thrashing. At what point did you start to 00:37:38.630 --> 00:37:44.329 question in a positive way the training ethos 00:37:44.329 --> 00:37:47.230 and start thinking about maybe a metamorphosis 00:37:47.230 --> 00:37:52.090 of training raw Marines? yeah it's interesting 00:37:52.090 --> 00:37:59.929 i think skinning this with recruits is like i 00:37:59.929 --> 00:38:04.150 think you have to read not read the troop read 00:38:04.150 --> 00:38:05.809 because you're always going to get people that 00:38:05.809 --> 00:38:08.050 love it people that hate it people that are really 00:38:08.050 --> 00:38:11.289 like you know high level fears and people that 00:38:11.289 --> 00:38:13.250 aren't they're just like they're great soldiers 00:38:13.250 --> 00:38:15.349 but they're not the best at the phys side of 00:38:15.349 --> 00:38:19.949 things and i think like It has to be hard, right? 00:38:20.050 --> 00:38:23.010 I think to really periodize their training and 00:38:23.010 --> 00:38:26.389 to get too academic in that sense, you can't 00:38:26.389 --> 00:38:28.469 really do enrollment. You can to a certain element, 00:38:28.630 --> 00:38:31.929 but these guys are eating not the best nutrition. 00:38:32.730 --> 00:38:34.690 They're in ration packs in the field. They're 00:38:34.690 --> 00:38:38.429 late nights. Their sleep's not great. They're 00:38:38.429 --> 00:38:43.489 yomping heavy kitties. I think you've got a syllabus, 00:38:43.590 --> 00:38:45.369 essentially. You've got to get them from point 00:38:45.369 --> 00:38:48.559 A to point B. and that that's it and and how 00:38:48.559 --> 00:38:51.320 you get them there is like you have to you have 00:38:51.320 --> 00:38:53.300 to read the troop obviously but you have to you 00:38:53.300 --> 00:38:56.219 have to hit um well the the troop have to hit 00:38:56.219 --> 00:39:00.239 certain uh criterias otherwise you get that truth 00:39:00.239 --> 00:39:05.340 and that's that's it so so i'd say like you can't 00:39:05.340 --> 00:39:11.009 really get too too torn up on on the whole linear 00:39:11.009 --> 00:39:13.230 periodization etc because i just don't think 00:39:13.230 --> 00:39:15.389 it necessarily works for training unfortunately 00:39:15.389 --> 00:39:18.530 you know i'd love to get into it but it's you're 00:39:18.530 --> 00:39:22.329 just limited on time so that so that selection 00:39:22.329 --> 00:39:24.329 is going to stay as it is so what made you start 00:39:24.329 --> 00:39:27.829 thinking about helping people prepare for entry 00:39:27.829 --> 00:39:30.230 into the raw marines and using a different training 00:39:30.230 --> 00:39:38.329 modality so i went from a pti role um And then 00:39:38.329 --> 00:39:40.869 I went into the rehab role, which is where, you 00:39:40.869 --> 00:39:43.469 know, like I said, funny enough, parents got 00:39:43.469 --> 00:39:46.449 a bang on. You have to go off and study again 00:39:46.449 --> 00:39:49.030 for that course. It's an exercise rehab instructor. 00:39:49.869 --> 00:39:55.090 It's a six -month course, pretty intense. And 00:39:55.090 --> 00:39:59.090 that's when I worked past that course and worked 00:39:59.090 --> 00:40:00.929 down in the rehab center in the Royal Marines, 00:40:00.989 --> 00:40:02.369 that's when I noticed, like, that's when you 00:40:02.369 --> 00:40:04.250 see, like, the amount of injuries coming in, 00:40:04.269 --> 00:40:07.210 you know, to Royal Marines training. And nearly 00:40:07.210 --> 00:40:12.550 half of Hunt's company, so like the rehab troop, 00:40:12.829 --> 00:40:17.690 the guys in it are within the first eight weeks 00:40:17.690 --> 00:40:21.730 of mainstream training. So that's nearly 50 % 00:40:21.730 --> 00:40:25.090 of Hunt's company. Sometimes we've had up to 00:40:25.090 --> 00:40:27.829 200 people in Hunt's company at one point. It's 00:40:27.829 --> 00:40:31.500 not that now. It's definitely reduced. But when 00:40:31.500 --> 00:40:33.320 you look at those stats and you're thinking, 00:40:33.420 --> 00:40:35.280 then you look at the injuries, the main injuries 00:40:35.280 --> 00:40:37.840 we see, shin splints, you know, stress fractures, 00:40:38.860 --> 00:40:42.360 telotendinopathy, Achilles tendinopathy, all 00:40:42.360 --> 00:40:44.340 these preventable injuries, overuse injuries 00:40:44.340 --> 00:40:47.019 that can be reduced if the preparation leading 00:40:47.019 --> 00:40:51.800 up to Royal Marines is better and they're more 00:40:51.800 --> 00:40:54.460 conditioned coming into it. You can have a massive 00:40:54.460 --> 00:40:56.900 impact on that, on those stats. And that for 00:40:56.900 --> 00:40:59.239 me was like when I was down there and I was seeing 00:40:59.239 --> 00:41:02.440 that. I was like, wow. And as a PTR, you can't 00:41:02.440 --> 00:41:04.039 necessarily, you haven't got the time to really 00:41:04.039 --> 00:41:06.199 do that. You've got, you've got, you have to 00:41:06.199 --> 00:41:11.079 push these guys hard. It's that preparation coming 00:41:11.079 --> 00:41:12.780 in. The bigger the foundation, the bigger the 00:41:12.780 --> 00:41:15.760 tower, you know, get this foundation, get this 00:41:15.760 --> 00:41:18.599 solid base. And then, you know, they're more 00:41:18.599 --> 00:41:23.699 likely to go off and be able to withstand raw 00:41:23.699 --> 00:41:25.239 men's training in the way that it's just got 00:41:25.239 --> 00:41:27.440 to be. But I think it starts with the prep that 00:41:27.440 --> 00:41:30.820 you do beforehand. So as you start looking into 00:41:30.820 --> 00:41:35.280 it, what were you seeing as far as the detrimental 00:41:35.280 --> 00:41:39.019 philosophies on training to prepare for Royal 00:41:39.019 --> 00:41:41.579 Marine selection? And what were the different 00:41:41.579 --> 00:41:43.500 training modalities that you started thinking 00:41:43.500 --> 00:41:49.119 about? It's just everything. So like geared towards 00:41:49.119 --> 00:41:51.920 selection, which is like, do your press ups, 00:41:51.960 --> 00:41:53.900 do your sit ups, do your pull ups, you know, 00:41:53.900 --> 00:41:56.000 do your bleep test, because this is going to 00:41:56.000 --> 00:41:59.659 get you to the start line. And that's just how 00:41:59.659 --> 00:42:02.579 the majority of these potential Royal Marines 00:42:02.579 --> 00:42:05.239 are training because they just think about the 00:42:05.239 --> 00:42:06.920 start line. And that's right to do because, you 00:42:06.920 --> 00:42:08.260 know, you've got to get to the start line before 00:42:08.260 --> 00:42:10.340 you can even think about that green lid and, 00:42:10.360 --> 00:42:15.599 you know, 36 weeks later down the line. But people 00:42:15.599 --> 00:42:17.960 are just getting tunnel visioned into this way 00:42:17.960 --> 00:42:19.820 of training. And I think when you look at that, 00:42:19.900 --> 00:42:21.139 they're not building the robustness. They're 00:42:21.139 --> 00:42:23.099 not building the resilience. And every athlete, 00:42:23.199 --> 00:42:24.980 every potential Royal Marine is going to be different. 00:42:26.019 --> 00:42:28.099 A one -size -fits -all program just doesn't cut 00:42:28.099 --> 00:42:32.409 it. in my eyes. These guys are serious. To me, 00:42:32.570 --> 00:42:35.670 where do you see an elite athlete forming in 00:42:35.670 --> 00:42:40.570 the top 5 % just following a program that someone's 00:42:40.570 --> 00:42:43.210 put together 20 years ago and they're just dishing 00:42:43.210 --> 00:42:44.989 out the same thing? They don't do that. They've 00:42:44.989 --> 00:42:47.829 got S &C coaches. They've got sports scientists. 00:42:48.510 --> 00:42:51.730 We can't go on that as sports scientists, but 00:42:51.730 --> 00:42:55.289 we've got a mental performance coach and PTIs 00:42:55.289 --> 00:42:58.739 and nutritionists on my team because these guys 00:42:58.739 --> 00:43:01.239 they're the top five percent they're they're 00:43:01.239 --> 00:43:03.539 not elite athletes but they're they're weak soldiers 00:43:03.539 --> 00:43:05.500 and to me they need to be getting that we need 00:43:05.500 --> 00:43:08.059 to be they need to be treated with more more 00:43:08.059 --> 00:43:11.039 uh individualized programming and i think that's 00:43:11.039 --> 00:43:13.559 for me the the the passion and everything i have 00:43:13.559 --> 00:43:16.679 behind it and the reason i want to to deliver 00:43:16.679 --> 00:43:20.389 a better product for these guys So talk to me 00:43:20.389 --> 00:43:22.730 about your transition then. What made you decide 00:43:22.730 --> 00:43:25.670 to transition out the Royal Marines and then 00:43:25.670 --> 00:43:27.789 how did that interact with what you're doing 00:43:27.789 --> 00:43:35.449 now? Children, kids. That was my why for coming 00:43:35.449 --> 00:43:43.269 out. I think you get one life, right? And you've 00:43:43.269 --> 00:43:46.190 got to make the most of it. And I think in the 00:43:46.190 --> 00:43:47.789 Royal Marines, I ticked off everything I wanted 00:43:47.789 --> 00:43:53.150 to do. I do believe I loved it. I loved my time 00:43:53.150 --> 00:43:56.449 as a PTI. I could see myself promoting through 00:43:56.449 --> 00:43:58.250 the branch and really wanting to have an impact 00:43:58.250 --> 00:44:00.530 in that area because it's such a passion of mine 00:44:00.530 --> 00:44:05.570 and an area I'm so passionate and love. But I 00:44:05.570 --> 00:44:10.190 ticked off my boxes. In the end, I wanted to 00:44:10.190 --> 00:44:11.690 become a PTI. Then I wanted to become an ERI. 00:44:13.130 --> 00:44:14.429 And that was it. There was a few things that 00:44:14.429 --> 00:44:16.730 I wanted to do. I would love to have gone on 00:44:16.730 --> 00:44:18.809 a tour and operated it. But these are things 00:44:18.809 --> 00:44:20.369 that are out of my control. And I think when 00:44:20.369 --> 00:44:24.269 you realize that and you think about your family 00:44:24.269 --> 00:44:26.530 and your kids and wanting to be at home with 00:44:26.530 --> 00:44:28.789 them and see my kids grow up, I think that was 00:44:28.789 --> 00:44:32.150 a time that I was like, yeah, I've done it. I've 00:44:32.150 --> 00:44:35.130 completed it. I'm coming out. The time that I 00:44:35.130 --> 00:44:37.969 decided I wanted to come out, I hadn't set up 00:44:37.969 --> 00:44:42.590 tier one coaching. It wasn't a thing. But I knew 00:44:42.590 --> 00:44:44.989 I was going to leave. And at that point, I think, 00:44:45.010 --> 00:44:47.929 like, I'm quite a, I'm very motivated and I'm 00:44:47.929 --> 00:44:52.789 very, if I want something, I'll make it happen. 00:44:52.929 --> 00:44:54.170 And I don't mean to say that in an arrogant way. 00:44:54.489 --> 00:44:56.610 It's just the way I've always been. If I want 00:44:56.610 --> 00:45:00.150 it, I'll get it. And I think, and that's, fortunately, 00:45:00.309 --> 00:45:02.610 when coaching's taken off and we're having great 00:45:02.610 --> 00:45:05.210 success with it and delivering great results. 00:45:05.510 --> 00:45:08.389 And that's class. So I'm still like, although 00:45:08.389 --> 00:45:10.789 I'm out of Royal Marines now, I still like, I'm 00:45:10.789 --> 00:45:13.280 still part of it. you know in a way in a sense 00:45:13.280 --> 00:45:17.940 so it's cool it's been hard but for going from 00:45:17.940 --> 00:45:20.099 military life to civilian life it's definitely 00:45:20.099 --> 00:45:21.719 had its challenges especially when you go self 00:45:21.719 --> 00:45:23.960 -employed and you've got to make your own routine 00:45:23.960 --> 00:45:26.599 and it's and it you know it's not all been plain 00:45:26.599 --> 00:45:29.619 sailing in that sense what have been the challenges 00:45:29.619 --> 00:45:31.780 because right from the get -go you talk about 00:45:31.780 --> 00:45:34.809 you know going in and this um you know, be an 00:45:34.809 --> 00:45:36.730 experience and adventure. And then, you know, 00:45:36.769 --> 00:45:39.510 you find yourself in the coaching space again. 00:45:39.590 --> 00:45:42.269 So it doesn't sound like there would be as many 00:45:42.269 --> 00:45:44.750 jarring elements as maybe some of these men and 00:45:44.750 --> 00:45:46.269 women that we've had that, you know, that was 00:45:46.269 --> 00:45:48.650 all they dreamed about. They went straight in 00:45:48.650 --> 00:45:51.829 from school and they were in for, you know, 10, 00:45:51.989 --> 00:45:54.949 15, 20 years. And then they come out and that's 00:45:54.949 --> 00:45:56.730 all they've known. And that was their burning 00:45:56.730 --> 00:46:00.219 desire. That was their identity. And, you know, 00:46:00.219 --> 00:46:03.139 it's extremely jarring. But what did you find 00:46:03.139 --> 00:46:05.639 jarring through your perspective of the transition 00:46:05.639 --> 00:46:12.059 out? Yeah. Going into the Royal Marines, I had 00:46:12.059 --> 00:46:13.900 some good life experience already. I went in, 00:46:13.980 --> 00:46:16.460 you know, I was 24. So I had that civilian side 00:46:16.460 --> 00:46:18.000 of things where, like you said, I didn't go in 00:46:18.000 --> 00:46:20.239 as a 16 -year -old straight out of school. So 00:46:20.239 --> 00:46:22.699 I had that side that worked in my favor. But 00:46:22.699 --> 00:46:25.880 actually, it's the going home and actually living 00:46:25.880 --> 00:46:28.489 with my, even my missus, my partner, right? I've 00:46:28.489 --> 00:46:30.050 never lived with her full -time, right? So now 00:46:30.050 --> 00:46:32.389 I'm living with her full -time and my two young 00:46:32.389 --> 00:46:35.570 kids, which are three and one, and love them 00:46:35.570 --> 00:46:37.150 to bits. And it's why I want to come out of it. 00:46:37.250 --> 00:46:40.530 You know, I want to be at home. But you transition 00:46:40.530 --> 00:46:43.190 into their routine. They've got a routine as 00:46:43.190 --> 00:46:46.130 well. And I'm just there now, like rocking the 00:46:46.130 --> 00:46:50.130 boats in that sense. Look, we're super, like, 00:46:50.150 --> 00:46:52.530 we love it. We're always like, so I'm happy I'm 00:46:52.530 --> 00:46:57.030 home, you know, and they are too. But it's even 00:46:57.030 --> 00:47:02.389 like... I manage my own time now as a fortunate 00:47:02.389 --> 00:47:07.590 business owner. But I work from home. So I'm 00:47:07.590 --> 00:47:09.650 always at home. You know, the Royal Marines took 00:47:09.650 --> 00:47:12.690 me away from home as well. So I could have that 00:47:12.690 --> 00:47:15.030 like, bro, back with the boys. Let's go. Yeah, 00:47:15.090 --> 00:47:19.789 cool. Run a business. You know, I'm so busy juggling 00:47:19.789 --> 00:47:22.269 spinning plates, family, business, military. 00:47:23.590 --> 00:47:26.530 And I've gone from that really busy life to now 00:47:26.530 --> 00:47:32.280 like, ah. I've got, you know, being in business, 00:47:32.280 --> 00:47:34.179 it can be quite a lonely place at times, right? 00:47:34.440 --> 00:47:36.079 And you've got to make work. You've got to make 00:47:36.079 --> 00:47:38.119 things happen. I'm not spinning all these plates 00:47:38.119 --> 00:47:40.119 anymore and actually reacting, dealing with that 00:47:40.119 --> 00:47:44.679 and just being okay to actually just take a chill 00:47:44.679 --> 00:47:46.780 pill for an hour or two. I've got nothing to 00:47:46.780 --> 00:47:48.619 do. It's been quite challenging because I've 00:47:48.619 --> 00:47:52.159 always been go, go, go. So, yeah, it's been multiple. 00:47:53.039 --> 00:47:56.380 things i've not not found it super difficult 00:47:56.380 --> 00:47:57.980 but i have i've had i've had times where i've 00:47:57.980 --> 00:48:00.039 been like geez this this is harder than i thought 00:48:00.039 --> 00:48:03.579 for sure yeah something i've said a lot to the 00:48:03.579 --> 00:48:06.739 fire service a lot is you know we've historically 00:48:06.739 --> 00:48:08.699 when when it comes to the contract negotiations 00:48:08.699 --> 00:48:12.619 we chase a an increase in our wages but what's 00:48:12.619 --> 00:48:14.400 happening here in america is they work a lot 00:48:14.400 --> 00:48:17.739 of them work 56 hours a week they're short staffed 00:48:17.739 --> 00:48:20.579 so now it's 80 hours a week sometimes And the 00:48:20.579 --> 00:48:22.460 ultimate currency is actually time with your 00:48:22.460 --> 00:48:25.139 family. And I transitioned out, you know, partly 00:48:25.139 --> 00:48:27.280 because of that. You know, you transitioned out 00:48:27.280 --> 00:48:28.760 because of that. I think it's important. It doesn't 00:48:28.760 --> 00:48:30.800 mean you have to leave, you know, your uniform 00:48:30.800 --> 00:48:33.840 profession. But in my case, where it's being 00:48:33.840 --> 00:48:35.719 abused and these men and women are being kept 00:48:35.719 --> 00:48:38.099 from their families way more than they should, 00:48:38.260 --> 00:48:40.599 you know, now they're so sleep deprived, they 00:48:40.599 --> 00:48:43.059 lose the ability to fight. You know, that is 00:48:43.059 --> 00:48:45.639 the most important thing. If your kids turn, 00:48:45.860 --> 00:48:49.329 you know, 16, 18. And you've missed their childhood 00:48:49.329 --> 00:48:51.469 because you were so embedded in that profession. 00:48:52.110 --> 00:48:54.710 Then you come out the other side, that shame 00:48:54.710 --> 00:48:57.590 and guilt is going to be immense. So finding 00:48:57.590 --> 00:49:01.130 that balance, whether it's being able to navigate 00:49:01.130 --> 00:49:03.190 it through a military career or in my profession, 00:49:03.250 --> 00:49:06.449 simply fighting for a work week that puts you 00:49:06.449 --> 00:49:09.969 home when you should be at home. If it's not 00:49:09.969 --> 00:49:12.670 for them, then for who? To me, that is the most 00:49:12.670 --> 00:49:14.869 important thing. Serving your country, protecting 00:49:14.869 --> 00:49:17.699 your community. absolutely admirable but is if 00:49:17.699 --> 00:49:20.320 it's at the expense of your family it wasn't 00:49:20.320 --> 00:49:25.400 worth it 100 yeah amen i think i can't remember 00:49:25.400 --> 00:49:27.159 the exact quote i'm going to say it very wrong 00:49:27.159 --> 00:49:29.980 but it's you know time is the only currency that 00:49:29.980 --> 00:49:32.659 you do not know the value of right we all know 00:49:32.659 --> 00:49:34.519 our bank balance we know you know how much time 00:49:34.519 --> 00:49:37.119 you know how much money we've got you don't know 00:49:37.119 --> 00:49:39.760 when your time's up and i think making the most 00:49:39.760 --> 00:49:45.199 of that um is is it's essential right and and 00:49:45.199 --> 00:49:48.599 you know you get one life and i think like it's 00:49:48.599 --> 00:49:51.559 precious so you you've got to i think for me 00:49:51.559 --> 00:49:54.199 that was like the thing with the military i think 00:49:54.199 --> 00:49:56.179 so many people can stay in the military and over 00:49:56.179 --> 00:49:58.179 overstay the welcome because it's comfortable 00:49:58.179 --> 00:50:03.599 not always it's hazardous of course it does but 00:50:03.599 --> 00:50:05.159 you know where you've got to be you know and 00:50:05.159 --> 00:50:06.420 it's probably you know same with the fire service 00:50:06.420 --> 00:50:09.440 you've got you've got time you've got to you've 00:50:09.440 --> 00:50:14.400 got a solid structure and and you know i could 00:50:14.400 --> 00:50:16.480 i could do i could do a bad job right down in 00:50:16.480 --> 00:50:19.320 parkour like you know i don't believe i ever 00:50:19.320 --> 00:50:21.059 did i think i you know very credible and love 00:50:21.059 --> 00:50:24.340 doing it but i still get paid at the end of the 00:50:24.340 --> 00:50:27.400 month whatever i do i get paid because it's comfortable 00:50:27.400 --> 00:50:30.300 but now like so it's easy to stay there and then 00:50:30.300 --> 00:50:31.920 people overstay the welcome and i think people 00:50:31.920 --> 00:50:36.829 resent it and they get that side of it and then 00:50:36.829 --> 00:50:38.289 everyone's just you know and then a lot of people 00:50:38.289 --> 00:50:39.989 then stay for their pension because that's you 00:50:39.989 --> 00:50:42.050 know i've just got to stay now because i'm they 00:50:42.050 --> 00:50:45.730 say that you know i'm trapped or however for 00:50:45.730 --> 00:50:49.449 me it was just actually like i'm i loved the 00:50:49.449 --> 00:50:52.489 call i left really like still absolutely love 00:50:52.489 --> 00:50:54.550 it loved everything i've done i've been able 00:50:54.550 --> 00:50:57.090 to walk away from it in a really good headspace 00:50:57.090 --> 00:50:59.829 but i don't resent any of it i've had the best 00:50:59.829 --> 00:51:02.690 time there but actually It was my time to go. 00:51:02.789 --> 00:51:04.670 It was my time to move on. And I think had I 00:51:04.670 --> 00:51:06.969 overstayed my welcome, I might have left resenting 00:51:06.969 --> 00:51:08.510 it because I've missed so much time with my kids. 00:51:08.590 --> 00:51:10.590 And then they, you know, and it's not to the 00:51:10.590 --> 00:51:12.610 later life. And you're like, what did I save 00:51:12.610 --> 00:51:15.090 for another five or 10 years waiting for my pension? 00:51:15.449 --> 00:51:19.590 But actually, that's worth more than any money. 00:51:19.690 --> 00:51:21.429 It's my time with my children. Being able to, 00:51:21.429 --> 00:51:23.789 you know, have the freedom to do what I want 00:51:23.789 --> 00:51:25.710 when I want with them. That's class. So that's 00:51:25.710 --> 00:51:28.510 for me, like, yeah, you hit the nail on the head 00:51:28.510 --> 00:51:32.940 with that. yeah i agree 100 well talk to me about 00:51:32.940 --> 00:51:35.139 tier one coaching then firstly from a training 00:51:35.139 --> 00:51:37.460 point of view what are you able to do with these 00:51:37.460 --> 00:51:41.019 young potential recruits to prepare them for 00:51:41.019 --> 00:51:42.579 the beasting that they're going to get when they 00:51:42.579 --> 00:51:48.280 go through selection yeah um tier one coach you 00:51:48.280 --> 00:51:57.150 know yeah i set it up um in july 23 23 So we're 00:51:57.150 --> 00:52:02.230 under two years now in the space. And like I 00:52:02.230 --> 00:52:05.949 said, I set it up because I felt like there needed 00:52:05.949 --> 00:52:07.989 to be something out there. There's plenty of 00:52:07.989 --> 00:52:09.349 people out there doing this military preparation 00:52:09.349 --> 00:52:13.690 stuff, but I don't think everyone's out there 00:52:13.690 --> 00:52:15.110 doing it for the right reasons. And there's a 00:52:15.110 --> 00:52:17.070 little bit of lack of credibility in the space 00:52:17.070 --> 00:52:23.110 as well, in my personal opinion. And I just think, 00:52:23.110 --> 00:52:26.949 you know, I knew the value I could bring to the 00:52:26.949 --> 00:52:31.670 space. I had my why. And then I went and found 00:52:31.670 --> 00:52:33.530 a how, you know, and I think like, what do we 00:52:33.530 --> 00:52:36.789 do different? I think it's that, it's that empathy 00:52:36.789 --> 00:52:38.829 piece. That's it. You know, we've, we've not 00:52:38.829 --> 00:52:41.570 only been, you know, the team not only been for 00:52:41.570 --> 00:52:43.429 raw range training, they've not had the stripes 00:52:43.429 --> 00:52:47.150 in that sense. We've all seen it as, as PCIs. 00:52:47.170 --> 00:52:49.429 We've all seen what these guys commonly fail 00:52:49.429 --> 00:52:51.849 with the professional failing points, the common 00:52:51.849 --> 00:52:54.059 injuries that are sustained. And I think when 00:52:54.059 --> 00:52:56.159 you add that to what we can bring, I think it 00:52:56.159 --> 00:53:00.420 just makes everything a little bit more fine 00:53:00.420 --> 00:53:10.940 -tuned in that sense. Yes, and I think it's the, 00:53:11.119 --> 00:53:15.480 like I said, the bigger the foundation, the bigger 00:53:15.480 --> 00:53:17.760 the tower. Let's work on foundations and then 00:53:17.760 --> 00:53:19.739 let's get a little bit more specific towards 00:53:19.739 --> 00:53:22.400 the selection piece as we get closer to it. But 00:53:22.400 --> 00:53:24.900 everyone's different, right? Everyone's looking 00:53:24.900 --> 00:53:26.500 at the individual and where their weaknesses 00:53:26.500 --> 00:53:29.440 are, which I think we can really get into the 00:53:29.440 --> 00:53:33.139 nitty -gritty part at T1 Coaching. So what were 00:53:33.139 --> 00:53:34.699 some of the contributing factors that you were 00:53:34.699 --> 00:53:37.360 seeing with the wrong programming that was creating 00:53:37.360 --> 00:53:43.820 this overuse injury problem? So I think where 00:53:43.820 --> 00:53:49.420 I believe military preparation coaches, some 00:53:49.420 --> 00:53:57.880 are going wrong, is... They think because as 00:53:57.880 --> 00:54:00.199 a Royal Marine commando, as a Royal Marine recruit, 00:54:00.380 --> 00:54:02.960 you're going to get thrashed, right? That's part 00:54:02.960 --> 00:54:04.940 of it. You know, that's it. You know, we keep 00:54:04.940 --> 00:54:07.639 using this terminology thrash, but it's terminology 00:54:07.639 --> 00:54:09.679 that these potential Royal Marines will hear 00:54:09.679 --> 00:54:13.380 a lot at Limson. Now, because like, that's what 00:54:13.380 --> 00:54:15.559 you do during recruit training. That's part of 00:54:15.559 --> 00:54:19.519 it. People think you've just, and this isn't 00:54:19.519 --> 00:54:21.380 just, you know. These are just potential Royal 00:54:21.380 --> 00:54:23.440 Marines as well. These lads, just young lads, 00:54:23.440 --> 00:54:25.260 hear this, that this is what they're going to 00:54:25.260 --> 00:54:27.320 do. So let's just, let's thrash ourselves. Let's 00:54:27.320 --> 00:54:29.440 train twice a day, three times a day and just 00:54:29.440 --> 00:54:32.280 absolutely send it before we get down to Royal 00:54:32.280 --> 00:54:34.280 Marines training. Because that's what they'll 00:54:34.280 --> 00:54:36.159 do at Royal Marines training or think they'll 00:54:36.159 --> 00:54:40.940 do. So everyone just starts thrashing themselves 00:54:40.940 --> 00:54:42.619 before they get there. Funny old thing, they 00:54:42.619 --> 00:54:45.840 rock up, they burn out at high risk of injury. 00:54:46.619 --> 00:54:48.460 that you know they've been running with weight 00:54:48.460 --> 00:54:51.159 on their back like you know for six months before 00:54:51.159 --> 00:54:52.860 even rocking up to training where everything's 00:54:52.860 --> 00:54:56.539 done periodized in that sense it definitely is 00:54:56.539 --> 00:54:59.619 in that sense you know we build up to that and 00:54:59.619 --> 00:55:01.400 i think we're like even military preparation 00:55:01.400 --> 00:55:03.599 coach to going that haven't got this experience 00:55:03.599 --> 00:55:06.340 as ptis eris i haven't seen it from the space 00:55:06.340 --> 00:55:09.920 that i have my team have they're delivering from 00:55:09.920 --> 00:55:11.960 their experience and their experience is what 00:55:11.960 --> 00:55:14.059 they experience in raw means training and i think 00:55:14.059 --> 00:55:16.500 then they start thrashing these guys and just 00:55:16.500 --> 00:55:18.079 go you need to do this this this and keep doing 00:55:18.079 --> 00:55:24.219 more of that and actually they're just it's detrimental 00:55:24.219 --> 00:55:28.300 rather than than um positive and you know i just 00:55:28.300 --> 00:55:30.780 think that's what i'm seeing a lot of right now 00:55:30.780 --> 00:55:36.489 now what about um kind of principles as far as 00:55:36.489 --> 00:55:38.409 what you're using like for example in the fire 00:55:38.409 --> 00:55:41.630 service i when i do coach i like to use sleds 00:55:41.630 --> 00:55:44.630 sandbags you know for the carries for the pushes 00:55:44.630 --> 00:55:46.210 and the pulls that's what we do you know on the 00:55:46.210 --> 00:55:48.550 fire ground and so there's some real value to 00:55:48.550 --> 00:55:51.250 those kind of implements over and above if people 00:55:51.250 --> 00:55:53.769 are triathletes or crossfairers or you know whatever 00:55:53.769 --> 00:55:57.530 it is what are you finding as far as um tools 00:55:57.530 --> 00:55:59.409 that are helping these people prepare for this 00:55:59.409 --> 00:56:05.500 selection again i'll go like Everyone's different, 00:56:05.659 --> 00:56:09.219 right? So to answer that exactly would be difficult. 00:56:09.440 --> 00:56:11.719 But what we will do is we'll screen these athletes. 00:56:11.820 --> 00:56:14.960 When we get them on the pathway, it's like, let's 00:56:14.960 --> 00:56:17.880 look at how they move. Let's see if we can identify 00:56:17.880 --> 00:56:20.260 any weaknesses, any imbalances. And if we get 00:56:20.260 --> 00:56:22.340 them early enough, then let's just build the 00:56:22.340 --> 00:56:25.019 foundations. Let's just look at compound lifts. 00:56:25.159 --> 00:56:29.769 Let's not start... it doesn't have to get to 00:56:29.769 --> 00:56:32.530 be too exciting it's just basic snc that we can 00:56:32.530 --> 00:56:34.610 really build on to create a robust resilient 00:56:34.610 --> 00:56:38.190 body then obviously we've got as we get closer 00:56:38.190 --> 00:56:40.690 towards the pre -joining fitness assessment the 00:56:40.690 --> 00:56:42.949 cpc where they'll start to you know they'll need 00:56:42.949 --> 00:56:44.670 press -ups and these setups they'll need to pass 00:56:44.670 --> 00:56:47.469 this bleep test all the elements there then that's 00:56:47.469 --> 00:56:49.809 when the the specificity really really comes 00:56:49.809 --> 00:56:53.409 into that part now like everyone thinks that 00:56:53.409 --> 00:56:57.500 cool pass my cpc See you later. I'm off. I'm 00:56:57.500 --> 00:56:59.900 ready to be a Royal Marine Commando. Well, actually, 00:56:59.960 --> 00:57:02.559 wait one. Let's just now think about, like you're 00:57:02.559 --> 00:57:05.559 saying, the sled pulls, the single leg strength 00:57:05.559 --> 00:57:08.400 work, all of this, you know, stuff now where 00:57:08.400 --> 00:57:11.320 we're thinking about the dynamics there because, 00:57:11.400 --> 00:57:15.360 you know, you go out for a run and without any 00:57:15.360 --> 00:57:18.300 weight on your back, average, you know, three 00:57:18.300 --> 00:57:20.360 to five times your body weight is going for a 00:57:20.360 --> 00:57:22.980 single limb every step. that's that's the general 00:57:22.980 --> 00:57:25.079 principle that they say now add weight on your 00:57:25.079 --> 00:57:28.599 back that times out over so many steps you know 00:57:28.599 --> 00:57:32.280 your big 10k yomp your speed march wow that's 00:57:32.280 --> 00:57:34.599 some serious load going through your single limbs 00:57:34.599 --> 00:57:37.800 there so you know that's where i think getting 00:57:37.800 --> 00:57:41.079 super tuned into that side of things that has 00:57:41.079 --> 00:57:43.199 to come but you need to build the foundation 00:57:43.199 --> 00:57:45.179 you need to get through your cpc and then like 00:57:45.179 --> 00:57:48.099 just Now let's look at that element. And I'm 00:57:48.099 --> 00:57:50.320 not like, I always say to our guys, look, if 00:57:50.320 --> 00:57:52.280 you want to pass your CPC and just go off to 00:57:52.280 --> 00:57:54.119 Roman training next week, that's, that's on you. 00:57:54.159 --> 00:57:56.380 I can't like, that's not like, that's, that's 00:57:56.380 --> 00:57:59.380 totally up to you. And I, I respect that, but 00:57:59.380 --> 00:58:01.500 I'm not here to hold you back, but I'm just, 00:58:01.559 --> 00:58:03.300 if I can reduce like a little, you know, spend 00:58:03.300 --> 00:58:06.579 a few more weeks doing X, Y, Z to save your trip 00:58:06.579 --> 00:58:08.980 to Hunt's company that I can't promise, but I'll 00:58:08.980 --> 00:58:11.219 do everything I can within my power. And so with 00:58:11.219 --> 00:58:14.449 the team. and we can keep you on the right track 00:58:14.449 --> 00:58:15.909 and the right trajectory the right way, well, 00:58:15.949 --> 00:58:20.389 that's what it's all about, isn't it? So, yeah, 00:58:20.710 --> 00:58:22.889 it's a very difficult one to say, but I think 00:58:22.889 --> 00:58:24.789 everyone's different, but it's making sure you're 00:58:24.789 --> 00:58:27.989 hitting all principles. Have you had any indication 00:58:27.989 --> 00:58:31.070 from within the success of the preparation programme 00:58:31.070 --> 00:58:33.989 on the recruits and the reduction of people visiting 00:58:33.989 --> 00:58:39.630 Hunter Company? I think Hunter Company right 00:58:39.630 --> 00:58:42.780 now is lowest it's been in a long time. um which 00:58:42.780 --> 00:58:44.880 is great and that's that's credit to the guys 00:58:44.880 --> 00:58:46.639 down at down at limpson you know i've literally 00:58:46.639 --> 00:58:48.500 just just come out of that job and they've got 00:58:48.500 --> 00:58:52.119 a super credible team down there they're you 00:58:52.119 --> 00:58:54.619 know delivering the right things for the right 00:58:54.619 --> 00:58:57.340 reasons they're all you know super invested in 00:58:57.340 --> 00:59:01.019 that space so i think that comes down to it um 00:59:01.019 --> 00:59:04.039 i think that the pass out rate has gone up i 00:59:04.039 --> 00:59:05.780 can't remember exactly what it is but it's been 00:59:05.780 --> 00:59:09.400 the highest in years that could be multiple reasons 00:59:09.840 --> 00:59:11.900 I would never label it down as the work we're 00:59:11.900 --> 00:59:13.559 doing, but do I think we've influenced that? 00:59:13.659 --> 00:59:17.400 100%. Of course we do. Brilliant. Well, I want 00:59:17.400 --> 00:59:19.880 to just kind of pull back a little bit on the 00:59:19.880 --> 00:59:25.940 lens. I get to go home usually once a year. It's 00:59:25.940 --> 00:59:28.260 back to the UK and I'm usually kind of visiting 00:59:28.260 --> 00:59:32.059 other places too. And sadly, every time I go 00:59:32.059 --> 00:59:35.619 home, the obesity epidemic that I see in America. 00:59:36.250 --> 00:59:38.210 is becoming more and more and more prevalent 00:59:38.210 --> 00:59:41.550 in the UK, which breaks my heart. What are you 00:59:41.550 --> 00:59:45.309 seeing as far as the number of young men and 00:59:45.309 --> 00:59:48.210 women that are even eligible to test for this 00:59:48.210 --> 00:59:51.150 profession now based on the kind of dwindling 00:59:51.150 --> 00:59:55.889 health that I'm seeing in the UK? Yeah, it's 00:59:55.889 --> 01:00:00.349 tragic, really. I don't know why it is because 01:00:00.349 --> 01:00:02.710 I do believe like the fitness industry, the health 01:00:02.710 --> 01:00:05.900 and fitness industry is like... It's definitely 01:00:05.900 --> 01:00:09.480 like, since COVID has hit a peak, everyone talks 01:00:09.480 --> 01:00:11.480 about it. The amount of people that I see drinking 01:00:11.480 --> 01:00:13.800 0 % beer and things like that has shot up as 01:00:13.800 --> 01:00:16.199 well, which is great. I think it's awesome. And 01:00:16.199 --> 01:00:19.360 I'm one that I love to have a beer, but I do 01:00:19.360 --> 01:00:22.840 love 0 % as well. It's great to have that aspect. 01:00:22.960 --> 01:00:28.059 So I do think the health has got better in some 01:00:28.059 --> 01:00:32.059 aspects, but it's far and far between. There's 01:00:32.059 --> 01:00:34.539 no right in between. It seems like... people 01:00:34.539 --> 01:00:36.739 are super like they're into their fitness and 01:00:36.739 --> 01:00:39.059 they're invested in the space or they just completely 01:00:39.059 --> 01:00:43.260 wrap on it i don't know you know i haven't got 01:00:43.260 --> 01:00:44.780 the answer of course we don't have the answers 01:00:44.780 --> 01:00:46.980 for that but it's definitely like i said it's 01:00:46.980 --> 01:00:49.579 definitely something that needs to be taken a 01:00:49.579 --> 01:00:52.360 little bit more serious because you know it helps 01:00:52.360 --> 01:00:55.420 everything what is that what are you hearing 01:00:55.420 --> 01:00:57.400 is as far as a national conversation the thing 01:00:57.400 --> 01:01:01.900 that blows me away i hold the nhs as the best 01:01:01.900 --> 01:01:04.179 healthcare system on the planet. But when it 01:01:04.179 --> 01:01:06.619 was done properly, which is a long time ago now, 01:01:06.699 --> 01:01:08.619 sadly, and I'm not talking about the people in 01:01:08.619 --> 01:01:12.260 the system, they're angels for being able to 01:01:12.260 --> 01:01:15.340 operate within that broken system. What blows 01:01:15.340 --> 01:01:18.340 me away is the reason why it's so torn apart, 01:01:18.420 --> 01:01:21.179 apart from the politics behind privatization 01:01:21.179 --> 01:01:23.300 and stuff, is the fact that it relies on a healthy 01:01:23.300 --> 01:01:26.119 nation. And if you have a tax -based healthcare 01:01:26.119 --> 01:01:29.340 system, In theory, that should drive the healthiest 01:01:29.340 --> 01:01:31.119 nation on the planet because you don't want to 01:01:31.119 --> 01:01:33.719 use that tax money. You want to use it as little 01:01:33.719 --> 01:01:36.280 as possible. So childbirths and the elderly and 01:01:36.280 --> 01:01:38.659 car accidents and things where you absolutely 01:01:38.659 --> 01:01:41.699 have to intervene. But you would think with a 01:01:41.699 --> 01:01:44.239 tax -based healthcare system, there would be 01:01:44.239 --> 01:01:46.900 a constant national push to make British people 01:01:46.900 --> 01:01:50.239 as healthy as possible. It's simple economics. 01:01:50.619 --> 01:01:54.730 But I see the opposite. I don't understand why 01:01:54.730 --> 01:01:56.989 there isn't a national voice, you know, really, 01:01:57.090 --> 01:01:59.869 especially after COVID saying nationally, we 01:01:59.869 --> 01:02:01.590 need to get our kids, you know, eating better 01:02:01.590 --> 01:02:03.309 and moving more and the same with our adults 01:02:03.309 --> 01:02:06.090 too. So what are you seeing as far as a disconnect 01:02:06.090 --> 01:02:09.250 between the actual health of the British people 01:02:09.250 --> 01:02:11.510 and the messages coming out of whatever national 01:02:11.510 --> 01:02:21.400 voices? Yeah. I just don't think actually. I 01:02:21.400 --> 01:02:23.900 don't know. I just don't think people really 01:02:23.900 --> 01:02:26.579 care about it that much. I honestly don't. I 01:02:26.579 --> 01:02:34.480 think like it's too easy. You know, the government, 01:02:34.639 --> 01:02:36.599 you know, the benefits, everything, you know, 01:02:36.619 --> 01:02:38.559 I think it's just, it's too easy for people these 01:02:38.559 --> 01:02:43.159 days to use and abuse the system. It's not really 01:02:43.159 --> 01:02:45.519 taken serious enough. And I think like, because 01:02:45.519 --> 01:02:50.219 of that. No one cares. Do you know what I'm saying? 01:02:50.360 --> 01:02:54.559 It's quite a sad thing, really. But I don't think 01:02:54.559 --> 01:02:57.280 there's much push on... I think if you want to 01:02:57.280 --> 01:03:02.119 eat healthy and follow this health route, I think 01:03:02.119 --> 01:03:05.039 it comes down to you, your want and desire. I 01:03:05.039 --> 01:03:07.480 don't think anyone's out there really... Of course 01:03:07.480 --> 01:03:08.980 there's things out there. Of course there is. 01:03:09.900 --> 01:03:13.000 And it is easily accessible. But I do believe 01:03:13.000 --> 01:03:14.719 it just comes down to the individual and how, 01:03:15.260 --> 01:03:19.980 if they want to get digested in it and the support 01:03:19.980 --> 01:03:24.800 out there isn't really all that, I think, to 01:03:24.800 --> 01:03:30.460 steer these people down that route. Yeah. I'd 01:03:30.460 --> 01:03:33.400 say, you know, social media has such an influence 01:03:33.400 --> 01:03:37.619 on this. But again, it's like for the right reasons. 01:03:37.699 --> 01:03:39.760 But then again, some people like... for the wrong 01:03:39.760 --> 01:03:43.000 reasons and some people go down a real like hole 01:03:43.000 --> 01:03:45.960 with it because then they feel guilty they feel 01:03:45.960 --> 01:03:48.679 the shame they feel you know why can't i do that 01:03:48.679 --> 01:03:50.760 and why can't i look like that and then they 01:03:50.760 --> 01:03:52.719 go and abuse the system and then start getting 01:03:52.719 --> 01:03:55.619 all sorts of you know there's there's all sorts 01:03:55.619 --> 01:03:57.320 of things going now isn't it like there's pills 01:03:57.320 --> 01:03:59.539 there's all sorts that people can just take to 01:03:59.539 --> 01:04:02.179 to lose weight and avoid this and i think like 01:04:02.179 --> 01:04:07.280 yeah it's it's one of those it's too easy to 01:04:07.280 --> 01:04:10.840 abuse i think Yeah, it's so sad because I talk 01:04:10.840 --> 01:04:13.239 about this even with kindness and compassion 01:04:13.239 --> 01:04:16.300 and community. When I grew up in, you know, my 01:04:16.300 --> 01:04:19.760 childhood was basically the 80s and 90s. You 01:04:19.760 --> 01:04:22.340 know, we had Blue Peter, which was, I don't know 01:04:22.340 --> 01:04:24.159 if it's still going now, but it was, you know, 01:04:24.159 --> 01:04:26.840 it was constantly talking about things that were 01:04:26.840 --> 01:04:28.699 going on in the world. They were constantly getting 01:04:28.699 --> 01:04:31.760 national fundraisers going on. We had John Craven's 01:04:31.760 --> 01:04:34.280 news round that was like a kid's version of news. 01:04:34.679 --> 01:04:37.280 And it was all... this is what's going on, no 01:04:37.280 --> 01:04:40.039 opinions, not bias, just, you know, and it was, 01:04:40.059 --> 01:04:42.079 it would pull everyone together and we'd raise 01:04:42.079 --> 01:04:45.239 money, you know, it's for Ethiopia for, you know, 01:04:45.239 --> 01:04:47.239 whatever the thing was. And there was a real 01:04:47.239 --> 01:04:50.539 sense of, you know, pulling together as a country 01:04:50.539 --> 01:04:53.179 and doing good things for other people. And I 01:04:53.179 --> 01:04:56.519 remember, you know, people like, like the, the 01:04:56.519 --> 01:04:58.980 overweight person air quotes that I remember 01:04:58.980 --> 01:05:01.760 in school was nothing compared to today. And 01:05:01.760 --> 01:05:03.619 that was, you know, the most overweight in the 01:05:03.619 --> 01:05:07.340 whole school. And so it is its environment. And 01:05:07.340 --> 01:05:09.559 it's so sad because I think there's no greater 01:05:09.559 --> 01:05:13.340 red flag than COVID to turn this thing around. 01:05:13.719 --> 01:05:16.380 And yet I'm not in the UK, so I don't get to 01:05:16.380 --> 01:05:18.280 really see it, you know, up close and personal. 01:05:18.380 --> 01:05:21.460 But here in America, it was completely swept 01:05:21.460 --> 01:05:23.639 under the carpet. No one wanted to hear about 01:05:23.639 --> 01:05:26.340 the health of the individual, pre -existing conditions, 01:05:26.780 --> 01:05:29.539 obesity crisis, none of that. It was the virus 01:05:29.539 --> 01:05:31.519 and the virus only. And you have to wear masks 01:05:31.519 --> 01:05:34.639 and get vaccines and that's it. And now on the 01:05:34.639 --> 01:05:37.039 other side of this, we realize, A, yes, it was 01:05:37.039 --> 01:05:39.019 a real virus, but it was dependent on the health 01:05:39.019 --> 01:05:42.179 of the individual. And the fact that we discarded 01:05:42.179 --> 01:05:44.980 such an important lesson from Mother Nature, 01:05:45.000 --> 01:05:47.760 which is you have a sick population, you've got 01:05:47.760 --> 01:05:50.460 to turn that around. And it's not changing in 01:05:50.460 --> 01:05:53.420 America and it's not changing in the UK. I mean, 01:05:53.480 --> 01:05:56.639 the average person needs to get angry about this 01:05:56.639 --> 01:05:59.820 and start asking why. Because I know in America, 01:06:00.079 --> 01:06:03.550 I know exactly why. There is a multi, probably, 01:06:03.670 --> 01:06:05.929 I mean, billion, if not trillion industry that 01:06:05.929 --> 01:06:07.750 is pharmacy here, you know, the pharmaceutical 01:06:07.750 --> 01:06:11.070 companies. Their customer is a sick person. They 01:06:11.070 --> 01:06:12.809 don't want you healthy and they don't want you 01:06:12.809 --> 01:06:15.670 dead. But we don't have that same system in England, 01:06:15.730 --> 01:06:19.090 in the UK. So that's why I'm questioning why 01:06:19.090 --> 01:06:23.730 is this same crisis being allowed to happen when 01:06:23.730 --> 01:06:26.869 it's destroying the arguably the best healthcare 01:06:26.869 --> 01:06:32.099 system on the planet? Yeah. I'll be honest. I 01:06:32.099 --> 01:06:35.239 think the whole, it's quite corrupt. I think 01:06:35.239 --> 01:06:36.860 the whole COVID thing was corrupt. I don't believe 01:06:36.860 --> 01:06:41.539 it was, it was like, it was, you know, just plunge 01:06:41.539 --> 01:06:43.300 out of thin air. I think it was, it was, it was 01:06:43.300 --> 01:06:44.940 in labs, right? It's been, it's been spoken about 01:06:44.940 --> 01:06:49.639 many times and, and I don't, I just don't trust 01:06:49.639 --> 01:06:51.099 the system. Unfortunately, I don't trust it. 01:06:51.639 --> 01:06:56.579 And it's, it's why I never really keep up with 01:06:56.579 --> 01:06:59.300 the news essentially is because I don't, for 01:06:59.300 --> 01:07:02.639 me, it's just, it's. propaganda it's it's all 01:07:02.639 --> 01:07:04.840 conspiracy i don't know that's just my mindset 01:07:04.840 --> 01:07:07.239 and what i believe so i i try to stay away from 01:07:07.239 --> 01:07:09.639 it because it does make me quite i think you 01:07:09.639 --> 01:07:13.019 can get too it it's negative there's nothing 01:07:13.019 --> 01:07:14.960 ever positive that comes out from from these 01:07:14.960 --> 01:07:19.019 things you know yeah but there used to be that's 01:07:19.019 --> 01:07:21.019 the thing the tv used to be so positive in the 01:07:21.019 --> 01:07:23.320 uk so i don't understand what happened like how 01:07:23.320 --> 01:07:25.599 how it turned and i saw it in covid too you know 01:07:25.599 --> 01:07:28.590 and all the you know all the incredible frontline 01:07:28.590 --> 01:07:31.030 personnel and first responders that were heroes 01:07:31.030 --> 01:07:33.190 in one breath and then murderers the next because 01:07:33.190 --> 01:07:35.110 they didn't take a vaccine. You know, I remember 01:07:35.110 --> 01:07:38.150 the BBC having opinions. They used to just report. 01:07:38.389 --> 01:07:41.030 And this is what I think that we as a nation, 01:07:41.329 --> 01:07:45.530 we as a globe need to take a step back and really 01:07:45.530 --> 01:07:48.170 question the propaganda in our own country. Because, 01:07:48.250 --> 01:07:50.409 you know, COVID was a real thing wherever it 01:07:50.409 --> 01:07:52.630 came from. It was a virus. It was killing people. 01:07:52.750 --> 01:07:54.929 Some of my friends, you know, had it and almost 01:07:54.929 --> 01:07:58.349 died. But there was a huge lesson from it. And 01:07:58.349 --> 01:08:00.610 it was being, you know, discarded. And that's 01:08:00.610 --> 01:08:02.889 this is what just blows my mind is and forget 01:08:02.889 --> 01:08:07.050 the virus. Because of this obesity crisis, millions 01:08:07.050 --> 01:08:10.289 of people are dying. There's no ticker on the 01:08:10.289 --> 01:08:12.690 frickin news station for that. There's no one, 01:08:12.690 --> 01:08:15.349 you know, in outrage from all the people are 01:08:15.349 --> 01:08:17.510 dying from strokes and heart diseases and cancers. 01:08:17.569 --> 01:08:20.500 And it's just a shoulder shrugging. And so, you 01:08:20.500 --> 01:08:21.939 know, going back to what we're talking about, 01:08:21.979 --> 01:08:24.619 even national security, the smaller amount of 01:08:24.619 --> 01:08:26.460 people that we have to be a Royal Marine or a 01:08:26.460 --> 01:08:28.739 firefighter, the more vulnerable that nation 01:08:28.739 --> 01:08:31.600 becomes for other things, too. So it is a really 01:08:31.600 --> 01:08:34.460 important conversation. And I don't, you know, 01:08:34.500 --> 01:08:37.500 I hope that we are going to turn it around because 01:08:37.500 --> 01:08:40.140 I hear a lot of the, just as you alluded to, 01:08:40.180 --> 01:08:42.840 a lot of the candidates that we are getting in 01:08:42.840 --> 01:08:45.779 these fields, I'm hearing people say they're 01:08:45.779 --> 01:08:49.319 in incredible shape. Like they're fitter and 01:08:49.319 --> 01:08:51.699 stronger than my generation that we're testing. 01:08:51.859 --> 01:08:53.699 And that's an amazing thing. So like you said, 01:08:53.739 --> 01:08:55.680 the group that gets it really get it. And they've 01:08:55.680 --> 01:08:59.439 got this amazing renaissance of, you know, strength 01:08:59.439 --> 01:09:01.600 and conditioning and nutrition information, and 01:09:01.600 --> 01:09:04.840 they're forging better tactical athletes, but 01:09:04.840 --> 01:09:06.739 it's the rest of them. You know, we're, you know, 01:09:06.739 --> 01:09:09.000 we're failing the rest of the average person 01:09:09.000 --> 01:09:11.979 who their lifespan is being shortened woefully 01:09:11.979 --> 01:09:15.409 because. of you know of what i don't understand 01:09:15.409 --> 01:09:18.050 there's no greater mark of leadership than the 01:09:18.050 --> 01:09:20.229 health of the nation and yet people just kind 01:09:20.229 --> 01:09:21.729 of shrug their shoulders and just get on with 01:09:21.729 --> 01:09:26.750 them yeah yeah but you know i go back to like 01:09:26.750 --> 01:09:28.390 the covid right when that was all kicking off 01:09:28.390 --> 01:09:32.109 and then you you'd have the the government you 01:09:32.109 --> 01:09:33.630 know all having their knees up when everyone 01:09:33.630 --> 01:09:35.989 else was locked down yeah they've lost that trust 01:09:36.390 --> 01:09:38.229 They've lost that buy -in straight away. You 01:09:38.229 --> 01:09:41.130 know, these are the leaders. These are the leaders 01:09:41.130 --> 01:09:43.689 that everyone looks up to for answers, decisions. 01:09:44.310 --> 01:09:46.989 And then when you start to, that was one of the 01:09:46.989 --> 01:09:50.029 biggest things, you know, you lost me. You lost 01:09:50.029 --> 01:09:52.270 me. But you're telling me I've got to, you know, 01:09:52.289 --> 01:09:56.529 trust this whole, this process. I actually, you 01:09:56.529 --> 01:09:58.510 know, I think you said it there, that more people 01:09:58.510 --> 01:10:01.949 get sick since COVID. what's going on with that 01:10:01.949 --> 01:10:04.850 the immune systems and you know why are people 01:10:04.850 --> 01:10:06.909 dying of cancer heart attacks stroke stroke blood 01:10:06.909 --> 01:10:09.369 clots so much I don't know whether it's just 01:10:09.369 --> 01:10:11.350 something I've noticed right now because it seems 01:10:11.350 --> 01:10:14.270 to be happening a lot around that I've seen around 01:10:14.270 --> 01:10:17.529 me but there's a lot of questions to be answered 01:10:17.529 --> 01:10:21.630 around that space I think absolutely all right 01:10:21.630 --> 01:10:22.909 well I'm going to round off with some closing 01:10:22.909 --> 01:10:25.710 questions the first I love to ask is there a 01:10:25.710 --> 01:10:28.210 book or are there books that you love to recommend 01:10:28.210 --> 01:10:31.699 they can be Oh my goodness, I can't even spit 01:10:31.699 --> 01:10:33.060 out my closing question. Let me try that again. 01:10:34.000 --> 01:10:36.159 Is there a book or are there books that you love 01:10:36.159 --> 01:10:38.359 to recommend? It can be related to our discussion 01:10:38.359 --> 01:10:42.500 today or completely unrelated. Oh, I've got so 01:10:42.500 --> 01:10:47.279 many. The Slight Edge is a must read. The Slight 01:10:47.279 --> 01:10:52.159 Edge. It talks about like 1 % marginal gains 01:10:52.159 --> 01:10:56.640 and the things that are easy to do, but easy 01:10:56.640 --> 01:11:02.020 not to do. And these are the things you need 01:11:02.020 --> 01:11:03.600 to do because they're the things that can make 01:11:03.600 --> 01:11:05.880 the real impact. And I'm a big believer of 1 01:11:05.880 --> 01:11:09.199 % marginal gains. And that can have such an influence 01:11:09.199 --> 01:11:12.020 in your life moving forward in anything. Whether 01:11:12.020 --> 01:11:14.140 it's education, fitness, whatever you love doing, 01:11:14.380 --> 01:11:21.279 these 1 % gains are critical. Atomic Habits is 01:11:21.279 --> 01:11:28.829 a great book. It talks about... this is the proofs 01:11:28.829 --> 01:11:31.729 in the pudding right um they say i missed habit 01:11:31.729 --> 01:11:38.010 um miss a habit once is a mistake miss a habit 01:11:38.010 --> 01:11:40.689 twice is a new habit and that's like sort of 01:11:40.689 --> 01:11:48.189 the the whole sort of atomic habits um oh what 01:11:48.189 --> 01:11:53.130 am i top three top you know top top two that 01:11:53.130 --> 01:11:56.279 i've Can't think of another on my mind right 01:11:56.279 --> 01:12:00.939 now. But yeah, I love the digest and all this 01:12:00.939 --> 01:12:03.359 stuff. I think it's great. Brilliant. What about 01:12:03.359 --> 01:12:07.699 films and documentaries? Films and documentaries. 01:12:10.859 --> 01:12:14.819 For me, I'm like, I like reality stuff. You know, 01:12:14.840 --> 01:12:21.939 I like The Last Dance, you know, Michael Jordan. 01:12:22.729 --> 01:12:26.430 Anything like that, really. I really like Kanye 01:12:26.430 --> 01:12:30.630 West's one. Yeezy, I think it's called. I think 01:12:30.630 --> 01:12:35.069 that he's an exceptional character. Knocked down 01:12:35.069 --> 01:12:37.689 a lot during his whole career, building up to 01:12:37.689 --> 01:12:40.210 Kanye West, who he is today. Obviously, a lot 01:12:40.210 --> 01:12:45.109 of challenges of his own along the way. But I 01:12:45.109 --> 01:12:46.670 think it's things like that that have got me 01:12:46.670 --> 01:12:49.609 through to where I am today. I thrive off this 01:12:49.609 --> 01:12:53.970 sort of... negative dark energy i thrive off 01:12:53.970 --> 01:12:59.350 this dark side um when i tell me i can't do it 01:12:59.350 --> 01:13:02.789 i'll show you a can sort of thing um so yeah 01:13:02.789 --> 01:13:04.430 that's that's like that that was a massive that 01:13:04.430 --> 01:13:07.829 yeah anything like his stuff has been great but 01:13:07.829 --> 01:13:09.989 yeah i'm i'd say more reality stuff like that 01:13:09.989 --> 01:13:13.550 anything that inspires me yeah i think the last 01:13:13.550 --> 01:13:19.789 dance was phenomenal yeah yeah class great all 01:13:19.789 --> 01:13:22.140 right Well, the next question, is there a person 01:13:22.140 --> 01:13:23.939 that you'd recommend to come on this podcast 01:13:23.939 --> 01:13:26.579 as a guest to speak to the first responders, 01:13:26.680 --> 01:13:28.920 military and associated professions of the world? 01:13:31.600 --> 01:13:39.159 Yeah, actually, Chris Hunt. He works on the Tier 01:13:39.159 --> 01:13:42.739 1 Pathway as our mental performance coach. Exceptional 01:13:42.739 --> 01:13:44.840 guy, exceptional guy. A former bootneck himself, 01:13:45.239 --> 01:13:50.619 ex -Royal, done two, maybe three tours. he's 01:13:50.619 --> 01:13:52.760 a cool dude and he's super knowledgeable and, 01:13:52.819 --> 01:13:55.760 and loves this space. He'd be great for it. Yeah. 01:13:56.460 --> 01:13:58.420 Fantastic. All right. Well, then the very last 01:13:58.420 --> 01:14:00.180 question for you, make sure everyone knows where 01:14:00.180 --> 01:14:02.739 to find you in tier one coaching. What do you 01:14:02.739 --> 01:14:09.399 do to decompress? Decompress family time. Just, 01:14:09.460 --> 01:14:11.939 just time with my kids. Family's everything to 01:14:11.939 --> 01:14:15.520 me. So, so yeah, I'd say that's number one, but 01:14:15.520 --> 01:14:19.140 fitness, of course. brilliant all right well 01:14:19.140 --> 01:14:20.380 then for people listening where are the best 01:14:20.380 --> 01:14:24.279 places to find tier one and or you on the web 01:14:24.279 --> 01:14:27.739 or social media yeah social media instagram um 01:14:27.739 --> 01:14:31.180 jim underscore tier one um i've just launched 01:14:31.180 --> 01:14:34.079 a podcast actually myself um the tier one coaching 01:14:34.079 --> 01:14:36.939 podcast on spotify music which would be cool 01:14:36.939 --> 01:14:39.039 really looking to get getting stuck into that 01:14:39.039 --> 01:14:44.570 um they're the main main platforms i'd say But 01:14:44.570 --> 01:14:48.310 yeah, I'd love to take advantage of all these 01:14:48.310 --> 01:14:50.250 platforms. I think it's great that the more wealth 01:14:50.250 --> 01:14:54.210 and knowledge we can push out to inspire, recruit 01:14:54.210 --> 01:14:56.770 people going into any service, any walk of life. 01:14:56.829 --> 01:14:58.829 I think it's a great space to be invested in. 01:14:58.850 --> 01:15:00.710 I think the work you're doing, James, is great. 01:15:00.869 --> 01:15:04.109 And yeah, again, really, we appreciate this time 01:15:04.109 --> 01:15:08.029 to have a chat and hopefully some people can 01:15:08.029 --> 01:15:09.569 digest some good stuff from it.