Copycats abound in all professions and I guess the irritation of finding hordes of unoriginal thinkers lifting your ideas should be tempered by the fact that this means you are a leader, not a follower. However, no one with a semblance of healthy self respect should be flattered at being mindlessly followed by a bunch of unimaginative sheep. Today’s “bad cartoon” was a 5 minute response to finding that some Australian dolt had lifted entire chunks of our Ultimate Performance website text as his own. I created the cartoon as a cathartic exercise to quell my irritation, and wasn’t planning on posting it publicly. However, this sort of thing happens far too often in the world of personal training and we come across blatant plagiarism of my work every few weeks. The fact that it almost always comes from Poliquin certified trainers displays just how dumb some people can be as we all inhabit the same very small universe and you will always be found out. When I saw the latest idiot bad mouthing Charles Poliquin on a public forum I decided I couldn’t help myself and had to post this cartoon. Charles is, and should be, as open to criticism as the next public figure, and a little controvery often goes a long way, but there are measured ways and means to go about it and this wasn’t one of them, especially not from a twerp who one day before I had discovered had been stealing from me. So if it offends any innocent party, I do sincerely apologise – offence was intended, but it is aimed soley and squarely in the direction of one person and his ilk.

To end this post on a more positive note, I feel that we should all look up to and emulate people who inspire us. But credit should always be given, and emulation is infinitely better for the soul than slavish copycat stealing. In my life there have been countless people I have looked up, learned from, and tried to emulate. They include but are by no means restricted to:

Savvas Kyriacou – my business partner in Ultimate Performance and an inspiration for nigh on 20 years. His work ethic and streetwise business sense (NO ONE can pull the wool over this man’s eyes) are incredible.

Louis Durkin – my friend for 15 years and a man who I learned so much of the Art of training intensely from just by observing him in the gym.

Dorian Yates – when I was a real bodybuilder and Dorian was the man, I used to think “what would Dorian do?” in any given situation.

Arnold Schwarzenneger – this is a pretty obvious one I think. I was 12 years old when I read his autobiography, “The Education of a Bodybuilder”.

Charles Poliquin – his hunger to keep learning and developing despite already being at the very top of his game pushes me on from ever being complacent.

Marcela Kubinova – the beautiful mother of my son. I always strive, and almost always fail, to be as calm, sensible and logical as her.

All of my personal trainers at Ultimate Performance – these guys are amazing. They help me stay hungry every single day. Whenever I have the odd lazy moment I watch one of them working like a dog with a client, then training like an animal in the gym, and then pouring over books and the internet in the neverending quest to learn more and grow personally and professionally.