The three hour drive to Birmingham was surprisingly traffic free. I arrived 30 min's before the 6 - 8 pm fitness session was due to start. I had with me my son Luke and we went off to Erin Go Sports Centre in Birmingham in search of Paddy Doyle, holder of 145 endurance and fitness records to do a training session with him.

As you enter the the Sports Centre it reminds you of the first gym Rocky trained in. My Gym has two receptionists and a swipe card machine. This gym has a door that it surrounded by bleak concrete walls, peeling paint work and the corridor that leads to the gym; and the gym itself is a fair refection of the outside. You look around and think , a lick of paint maybe? A few plants maybe? But what have you come here for? To train or to live the life of Riley?

This is a serious gym for serious fitness people, run by the man who is the Governor of fitness and endurance. Record holder of 145 Endurance records - Paddy Doyle - world's fittest athlete. Guinness World record holder. Expect hard work and sweat.

Paddy is unique, fairly short and stocky and he carries himself at all times with supreme confidence. His fitness and endurance records mean he has walked the walk and is now passing on his knowledge to those who enter his gym. He greets me warmly with a firm handshake and introduces me to his members that are there for the session. They in turn all shake my hand with warmth and genuine friendship. Only six of them, ranging from early teens to early 50's. Guys that look fit. That mean business and are here to train hard.

The first thing we do is get the headgear on. I am going to spar with Paddy.

Sparring

It's been fifteen years since I last got in a ring. So now is as good a time as any I guess. I mean Paddy with the world record for 467 full  contact rounds in 23 days (1996) was my opponent. Paddy is a gentleman, he reminds me of the UK version of Randy Courture. He could rip me to pieces and show who the boss is - but does he? No, it's controlled aggression - body shots only and by the end of it - I'm panting heavily, taken a few blows and feeling ok. Paddy with his plastic bin liner under his t shirt hasn't even broken into a sweat.

It's now time to move on to the Circuit session. Into the main gym area. Brief description of what is to be done and the words " Do it properly. I would rather three done properly then ten done incorrectly"

The circuits

Squat Thrusts

I start off with squat thrusts, not the 14 inch marker type, these are championship squats, the feet come all the way up the body and finish just below the palms. You are dragging body weight quite a distance - and it hurts almost immediately.

Tyre Carry

The next was the tyre carry. I think the two them weighed about eighty pounds. The length of the gym has never seemed so long. As soon as you start, the tyres dig into the hips, the rubber cuts into your hands and there's the weight to think about. Short shuffles get you to the end. I am already praying for the words change, so I can ease off this relentless work. Worse thing is - I have only really just begun.

Tyre Drag

The next exercise was the tyre drag. Again it's weighted with bricks and weighted iron blocks. Wrap the rope around the hand and wrist lean back and support the lower back and short shuffles to work the calf's - not too bad for the first 20 feet, then it kicks in. This is tough endurance work and I am letting myself down a bit I reckon, I'm not looking at what the others are doing - just concentrating on moving this tyre.

Tyre Extensions

More tyre work! This is arm extensions with a weighted tyre - again, new to me, but I'm not making excuses. I am trying and it is hurting. But we are all in this together. I can sense why these guys train together. They all share a common bond .Their training is unique because it is hard. I begin to share this experience with them and together there is one common feature between us all - sweat. Drenched and pouring sweat.

Medicine Ball push ups

Paddy is blearing out commands all the time with encouragement thrown in. He certainly knows what buttons to push , what words to say and how to get the most from you. I am hitting the medicine ball press ups next - either full or three quarter, I opt for the tree quarter. I start pushing them out and am working on survival mode. Do what I can.

Squats

The medicine ball for the next exercise is arm extension with squat. Its a fairly light medicine ball and I'm grateful. But it's deceiving, you throw out the squats and all of a sudden the ball isn't really that light, past work is catching up with you and very quickly it turns to arm sapping leg draining work.

Weighted arm extensions

Two plated iron circular weights (20kg) taped together are waiting for me. Its arm extensions again. It's a lot of arm work. Just picking these suckers up is hard, and then pushing them out is for want of a better word - hard. Sweat is pouring off - the arms are screaming at me do twenty more - no, it's not the arm , it was Paddy and he's counting. All the way pushing me, encouraging me - this is what he does best - he gets you to work and I do.

Overhead Medicine ball raises

Overhead medicine ball raises to the knee. Probably the only exercise that I can do comfortably, but I am hurting. The  weighted thick leather ball works my body all over and by the time I finish, I am nearing the end of the circuit.

Dumb Bell punches

This time I'm punching 10 kg dumb bells. The guy before me has been punching them out like they were paper weights. Me, I struggle almost immediately - I decide punches of two. lower then  punch again. Again its survival mode, just doing what I can, not trying to let myself down. But I'd be lying if I said the last part of this circuit is approaching and I'm chuffed to have survived.

Tricep Dips

Tricep dips on a chair - burning hurting and knackered. I am pushing these out - but to be honest, the guys before me are making this look easy and I am struggling. Still Paddy's words are booming through the gym - don't rest, do it properly , you are all champions and you have to train like champions - come on keep the work going and with that - the work does. Where I expected it it to finish, at the completion of this last part of the circuit , we go all the way round again and it is turned into the hardest circuit I have ever done.

The 2nd Stage

We move on to strike drills. Pad work which just drains you. Elbows, jabs and head butts! This is martial arts come to the street. When you kick, you kick low. Kick high and your 're gonna get caught. Strike with elbow? Make it count. It's you versus a potential mugger, and you mean business. It's the muggers unfortunate business he just picked on the wrong guy. You are entitled to strike back and you have to make it count. Paddy stops you and demonstrates - his power is raw energy. Newton, Einstein, whoever, a fluent kick by Paddy Doyle hitting its target will take them down. Its the transfer of power and I can see the physicists working out the equation for it now and marveling.

The 3rd Stage.

We finish in off the ring. Each to their own a mat. And its twenty min's or so of non stop, burpees, press ups, sit ups shadow boxing. A brief sentence that wasn't it ? It was the hardest part. I had to swallow what I was about to bring up. The burpees at the end were a flimsy weak effort of a jump and the shadow boxing - well lets just say - if my shadow could hit back, I would be on my arse.

Summary

You train with Paddy and you work hard. It was my good fortune and privilege to see how he works - how he trains his guys and what he expects of you. At every stage of this session I was in no doubt that Paddy was the guy in charge. He has authority about him and a personality that demands respect. He was friendly warm and a gentleman - and that rubs off on the guys that train with him . Every single one of them were dedicated and motivated people.

I finally understood why there was only six of them for this session. It is painful. Frill free and back breaking energy sapping hard work. Six guys that can do that are almost a brotherhood and Paddy is a legend. What he has done in terms of Charity work in terms of endurance and in terms of breaking records is remarkable and I hope in all sincerity I get the opportunity to meet and train with him and his guys again.

My thanks to Paddy and those hard and dedicated trainers at his gym.

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