𝕸𝖆𝖙𝖙 𝕵𝖔𝖍𝖓𝖘𝖔𝖓 🐲

Locked in 🔐 at the @ibjjf London International Open recently. Looking forward to many more of these moments this year 🙌🏼 🤼 @remiwhitephotography @grapple.culture 📸 👏🏼 @markmacqueencoaching 🦾 @carlsongracie_farnborough 🫡 #heavyweight #purplebelt #grappling #brazilianjiujitsu #martialartist

The 2016 trend isn’t one that I’d typically get involved in, but it’s a year that will always be very close to my heart and contained some of my hardest but also proudest moments ❤️‍🩹 I got to fly to Abu Dhabi and visit my sister @purpleexplorer as she was living there at the time. ✈️ I went to euros 2016 with my mates ⚽️ I received my first martial arts belt 🥋 I completed a 64KM adventure race as part of a corporate charity event - which included scaling pen y fan as quickly as possible and involved hiking, mountain biking, fell running and rowing 🚣‍♀️ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 ⛰️ The ultimate close to the year however was being able participate in a UWCB event in Reading, to raise money for cancer research and to represent my nan who was unfortunately enduring the fight of her life. Me and my family felt completely hopeless during this time and as I was already training in kickboxing, I decided to raise everyone’s spirits by taking on a pursuit of positivity in the realm of boxing. 🥊 They struggled to find an opponent for me who had a similar skill level, attributes and fitness. But luckily for me I had an absolute legend step in last minute, who had 2-3 semi pro fights under his belt. It was a great scrap and I took away the W. But nothing topped my Nan’s reaction upon learning that I was participating in this event. ❤️‍🔥 This will forever remain my proudest moment in my 33 years and I doubt that I’ll ever top it. 🙌🏼 RIP Nan. Gone but never forgotten! 🤍🕊️ #2016 #tenyears #boxing #life #memories

End of a chapter. 🔵 > 🟣 Yesterday I was delighted to be promoted to purple belt by @seanwhyte_bjj at the @carlsongracie_farnborough grading. It all still feels very surreal! But also extremely gratifying. 🙌🏼 That’s because the past 3 years at blue was an intentionally challenging journey for me, here are the highlights: ADCC Trials twice ✔️ European No Gi ✔️ Four Super fights ✔️ I must be closing in on 40 competitions since white belt. ✔️ I’ve competed abroad in Poland, Croatia, Belgium and Italy ✔️ I knew that if I wanted to become the best version of myself as a grappler, I needed to throw myself into the fire as early as possible. I’d like to thank @hpucoaching especially on that front, for his mentorship and encouragement to step into the unknown, to take leaps I wouldn’t have taken otherwise. 📈 I’d also like to give a big shout out to the following coaches who’ve had a massive impact on my game - I really appreciate the technical guidance and wisdom that has been shared with me over the past 3 years. 🤝🏼 @seanwhyte_bjj @windsor_maidenhead_sub_grapple @owenlivesey @eoghanoflanagan @silviunastasa @markmacqueen2 @hpucoaching @lucusnorth @benfletcherjudo92 And also to the following gyms 💪🏼: @carlsongracie_farnborough @carlsongraciehull @submission_grappling_club @losbanditosclub @subzone_fight_academy It was also a blast to attend my first of many @carlsongracie_farnborough gradings yesterday. 💥 lots of technique drills followed by a comp round in the gi and the notorious belt beat down by my over eager training partners and coaches at the end. 😂😂 One thing is for certain, the deeper I get into this martial art that has changed my life in innumerable ways. The more I know I have to learn! Stoked to keep pushing on and enjoying the process as a 🟣 belt, and for much of the same on the competition scene! 🥋 Let’s go! 🫡 🔥 @markmacqueencoaching S&C 🦾 @jodiegatenby_x ❤️ #bjj #brazilianjiujitsu #purplebelt #promotion #2025

When I hit my all time one rep max on bench of 170KG with @oe_pt - I never expected to be taking that for a triple 5 years later (whilst grappling at the same time). 👀 🔥 Huge session earlier to finish this block. I’ve hit four new PB’s this week: 💥 170KG x3 on bench - a lifetime PB which felt easy and like I had more. 🤯 💥 100KG x3 strict on OHP, which is also a technique/form PB for me. 💥 70KG on each side for Bulgarian split squats. 💥 270KG x3 on conventional deadlifts strapless. The whole team is flourishing at the moment. If you want to elevate your training and fitness goals in 2026. @markmacqueencoaching is your man to help you achieve them. 🫡 @arc_gym @arctreatmentbox #powerlifting #grappling #heavyweight #bench #personalbest

Second to final weights session of the block got smoked earlier. 💥 Mad to be in a position where you’re achieving PB’s in the weights room but you also know there’s still lots being left on the table. 👀 this is supposed to be me pulling it back for my super fight next weekend. 😂 165KG x3 PB on bench. 🔥 This felt ridiculously easy. Honestly like a warm up set to a weight much heavier. I messed up the bar path on the third rep and it still flew. My all time one rep max is 170KG and it’s safe to say I’m tracking well above that now. 105KG for 3 on OHP 🔥 first rep was completely strict and the following reps had a slight use of leg drive. Very happy with this too. Two back downs of 90KG for 3 followed this - completely strict. Unequivocally at my all time strongest - and lifting numbers I never imagined would be possible as a grappler first and strength athlete second. Let’s go. 🦾 Also a massive shoutout to @meg_alice__ and @arctreatmentbox for keeping me in one piece on a weekly basis … and helping to make these lifts possible. 🫶🏼 @markmacqueencoaching 🤝 @arc_gym 👊🏼 #powerlifting #grappling #personalbest #heavyweight #progress

The stage is set. The stakes couldn’t be higher‼️ Open weight. No limits. No backing down🔥 @bobbyleescott_95 vs uchimatthew — power and precision, and only one walks away on top⚔️💥 Expect fireworks. Expect war. Expect a main event you won’t forget🏹 TICKETS STILL ON SALE PROUDLY SPONSORED BY @inner_chimp @combat_sports_hygiene @exilejiujitsu

A year and a half review of being coached by @markmacqueencoaching 🫡 🔥 - honestly one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. 🦾 Wanted to share my progress and what’s achievable in a year and a half (only doing two weights sessions a week) - COMPLETELY NATURAL - if you truly commit yourself and make your S&C a none negotiable. 📈 I had a DEXA scan over the Easter weekend and I believe when tracking progress - data is king. I currently have a fat free mass of what used to be my walking around weight in my early twenties. 🤣 very excited to go on a cut and look to try and hit some of the weights and BF% projections that co pilot calculated. (Based on my current FFM and typical FFM loss during a deep cut) But not just yet, I have some goals this year that I want to hit in the weights room first. 👀 Ironically - I underestimated myself and set the bar too low at the start of the year. After performing 160KG x5 on bench, 100KG x3 on OHP and 260KG x6 on deadlifts. I’m tracking way above my original targets. My new goals are more specific and ambitious - but in my mind definitely achievable. 🚀 (although still very surreal to be aiming for these) In my next post I’ll share the habits that got me here - as it’s more than just showing up to the gym every week. 🫡 Contact @markmacqueencoaching if you want elite coaching and to reach your all time best in 2026. 🤝 Let’s go! 🔥🦾 #transformation #fitnessjourney #fitness #review #gym

“How are you walking around listening to Cheryl Cole getting these PB’s!?” - @jodiegatenby_x catch phrase from earlier needs to go on a t shirt. 🤣 160KG x5 top set on bench for a huge +2 rep PB. 💥 This felt incredible. Thanks @connor.sharp97 for the spot. 🫡 Then two back down sets of 140KG for 5. 💪🏼 100KG x3 for a huge PB on OHP. Never touched this kind of weight before on OHP. Over the moon with this. 📈 Then 60KG on each side for a rep PB of 8 on Bulgarian split squats. Honestly in disbelief with how far my pressing has come. I’m 6ft 6 so this shouldn’t really be my strong suit. But it’s quickly becoming just that. Let’s go! 🔥 @markmacqueencoaching 🤝 @arc_gym 💪🏼 #benchpress #powerlifting #pb #gym #fitness

PB Saturdays at @arc_gym 💥 PB 1: 265KG for 4 top set on conventional deadlifts✔️ PB 2: 200KG for 7 on RDL’s. ✔️ Session also included 240KG and 210KG back downs on deadlifts - and the pull ups were still flying. Which is interesting considering the weight I weighed in at before the session. 👀 (Sorry in advance to all my training partners in grappling 🤣) Mad how I used to be happy with 250KG for 5 and now I’m throwing 260+ about with ease for reps. Got to appreciate how far you’ve come. 📈 @hpuathletic new drop of oversized T’s making me look as wide as a house 🤣 Let’s go 🦾 @markmacqueencoaching 👊🏼 #deadlift #pb #fitness #powerlifting #grappling

First comp outing of 2026 earlier at the IBJJF London International Open. 🤼 Came away with 🥈 in the M1 ultra heavyweight bracket @ 🟪 Competing is one challenge, competing against a game competitor like @aaron_hare - who had beaten me twice before (once in the gi and once at GrappleMax) - speaks to how much I’m chasing all the smoke this year. 🦾 First match was a bit of a shambles - we got double DQ’d even though we were both pushing the action. Then the comp system randomly selected me as the victor and progressing to the final. Second match in the final looked to be going in a very similar direction… to avoid the same result, I decided to pull guard with 50 seconds to go and I attempted a deep half sweep which he defended well and we ran out of time. Which led to me losing on an advantage. This was the best I’ve physically and mentally felt in a comp - the better man won on the day 🫡 Big respect to all the athletes doing both gi and no gi this weekend - you’re the real ones. 👏🏼 This is going to be an active year for me so there’s much more to come. 📈 A big thanks to @jodiegatenby_x - who tolerates me on comp week, makes sure im fully prepared behind the scenes and turns up and supports me mat side. I’m beyond lucky to have a girlfriend like her. 🙌🏼❤️ And also to @markmacqueencoaching for not just helping me get in my best physical shape to date - but also helping me to up my mindset game too. 🔥 when you’re surrounded by people who demand excellence of themselves and those around them - it’s not long until you start following suit. 👏🏼 @markmacqueencoaching 🤝 @carlsongracie_farnborough 🐶 🏠 #competition #brazilianjiujitsu #grappling #heavyweight #sunday

Looking back and appreciating how far you’ve come is what makes getting strong so satisfying. 🦾 260KG for 6 earlier tonight for a huge PB (strapless) vs 260KG for 1 for the first time 5 years ago (with straps) 👀💥 I then did 220KG for 6 twice, 160KG on RDLS for 8 twice, and then 60KG on single arm DB rows (3 sets of 8) 🔥 Strength is a long term game and I’m living testament that you don’t have to jump on gear to become an animal in the weights room. 👊🏼 💉 🚫 Very grateful to have @markmacqueencoaching in my corner. Much more to come! Next week we go for RPE 10. 🙌🏼 @arc_gym 👊🏼 #deadlift #personalbest #weightlifting #powerlifting #gym

Huge session today 💥 250KG for 6 top set on deadlifts 🦾 - all time PB and nailed on for RPE 8. I definitely had an extra couple of reps in the tank 🙌🏼 also never lifted this weight for this many reps strapless. Two back off sets of 225KG for 6. 🦾 150KG on RDL’s. 🦾 Next week we go for 260kg for 6. 🚀 P.S. you know you’re lifting heavy when you need an emergency snack mid session 😂 (squares bars are the real performance enhancers IYKYK 😂) @markmacqueencoaching 🤝🏼 @arc_gym 👊🏼 #deadlift #powerlifting #personalbest #grappling #progress