From Commando to elite Personal Trainer
Category: Success Stories
Publish date: 30/03/2020
John has found fulfilment in life after the Forces in a new career where his military training is his greatest asset.
The former Royal Marines Commando was medically discharged from his role guarding the U.K.'s Trident nuclear submarines after being diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes.
Focusing on his health sparked a new passion for helping people change their lives through fitness as a body composition-focused personal trainer.
But working as an independent trainer didn't offer any real progression or prospects to build a genuine career.
Starting a career with Ultimate Performance (U.P.) – the world's only global personal training business – gave him the platform he needed to keep progressing, challenge himself and really excel in becoming an elite trainer.
John has risen through the ranks to become one of the senior trainers on the management team at U.P.'s flagship London City gym, and has built a rewarding and lasting career to support his young family.
John explains how in U.P. he found a business that matched his ambition to become a world-class trainer, valued and rewarded his ethos of discipline and hard work, and provided a clear career path to progress in just like the Forces.
Can you explain a bit about your background and time in the Forces?
I served with the Royal Marines Commando for just under four years.
I specialised in Signals and Communications and was assigned to a Reconnaissance and Counter-Terrorism Troop based in Faslane, Scotland, and then travelled from here around the U.K.
All of my operations were UK-based, which included close protection of the U.K.'s Trident nuclear weapons system.
How did you make the switch from a career in the forces to working as a personal trainer?
I was medically discharged after being diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes, which is where I found my passion for training and eating healthy, thus transforming my own body. I wanted to help others do the same. Initially, I found it tough working on civvy street with the lack of structure and discipline. However, this made me even more hungry to utilise what I had learnt in the Forces to help others.
How did you find out about Ultimate Performance and what attracted you to the company and made you want to start a career there?
As I progressed through my career as a P.T., I then opened up two facilities with memberships and classes. As I took a back seat from P.T., I started to see that I wasn’t passionate about putting bums on seats and building a business without helping people get results. I then started doing P.T. again and soon realised this was what I wanted to do. However, I felt that I was a big fish in a small pond and needed to grow.
Ultimate Performance offered what I was looking for – building a career by getting people in the best shape of their lives. Ultimate Performance also offers a structure which is as close to the Forces I have ever come across.
How has your career developed and your role as a trainer since starting as a junior? What do your roles and responsibilities look like now?
I have quickly progressed through the ranks as a trainer, and within one year, I was on board with the management team.
I believe that because of my mindset from being in the Forces, this has allowed me to stand out and progress quicker. I am now mentoring the juniors and helping develop the systems for future trainers.
Which skills from Forces life have really transferred to your career at Ultimate Performance?
The ability to work hard, for long hours and without complaining about it! The biggest thing I feel that has allowed me to achieve a 100% success rate with clients is being able to be an authoritative figure, which comes naturally if you are ex-Forces.
What are the biggest benefits or things you enjoy most about working at Ultimate Performance?
The team morale and structure are two main reasons why I enjoy my role at Ultimate Performance. However, the most important one is that we are rewarded for our hard work, and every detail is noticed. This was a massive thing for me, as I knew being ex-Forces, working hard, for me, was something I had mastered.
What would your advice be to anyone else transitioning out of the forces and wanting a career path as a trainer?
Be clear on what you are passionate about as a trainer – whether it be body composition, strength training or the business side of things. Having a clear path on what you want to do is of utmost importance.
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