02/04/2026
20 years ago this week I headed out to Paphos, Cyprus to start a new chapter… one that would completely shape the rest of my life.
I’d always wanted to be a personal trainer—even back at school—but in the mid-80s it just wasn’t really a thing. By 2004 I was stuck in a job I hated as a painter and decorator, still full of mischief and not much direction.
Then everything changed.
The Boxing Day tsunami hit… and I was incredibly lucky to escape with my life. That was the wake-up call. Time to make a change.
I enrolled on a PT course, qualified a few months later—but had no real clue where to start. Then came a chance call from this girl… and what started as training one person quickly grew into a full bootcamp. Before long we were dragging tractor tyres across the local wreck, building something real from nothing.
Opportunities followed. I was asked to take classes at a boxing club and run outdoor military fitness sessions. Over time I left my old trade behind for good, became manager at Tsunami Gym with Oli, and eventually built my own studio.
There are so many people to thank along the way—I’m genuinely grateful to everyone who opened doors, believed in me, and helped shape this journey.
20 years on… and still going strong 💪
