Ever heard of the story of The Sword in the Stone?

Legend has it that the sword Excalibur lay lodged in a stone, and only the one truly destined for greatness could pull it free.

Many tried—knights, warriors, men of stature—all failed. It wasn't until a young, unassuming boy named Arthur stepped up, not knowing his true potential, that the sword was drawn.

And it reminds me of my 1-2-1 online fitness member, Matt.

Matt, a dedicated manager from the north of England and a passionate Everton FC fan, had trained regularly before we started working together. But, like many, he felt stuck—like the sword in the stone, his potential was there, waiting to be unleashed.

He came to me wanting to take his fitness, nutrition, and results to the next level. Together, we set clear goals, focusing on progressive overload and building strength. His sights were firmly set on improving his barbell deadlift and squat.

Matt trained consistently, three times a week, following an Upper A, Lower A, Upper B, and Lower B routine. Week after week, he pushed harder, just like Arthur pulling on the sword, gradually working towards increasing the strength within him.

His nutrition was straightforward but effective. We aimed for consistency—90% calorie tracking with a fallback to nutritional guidelines when work got hectic. Every meal had a protein source, three servings of fruits and vegetables daily, and on days when appetite was low, a meal replacement or mass gainer shake filled the gaps.

Slowly, Matt's efforts paid off. His deadlift and squat numbers began to climb—what once felt challenging, like Excalibur itself, started to shift. His strength doubled, smashing every performance target we set.

But it wasn't just about the numbers on the barbell. Matt began to see changes in his physique, too. "Even my old clothes don't fit me anymore," he said. The muscle gains were real. 

His hard work was carving a stronger version of himself, much like Arthur revealing his true destiny with each pull of the sword.

One of the best parts? Matt didn't realise how much strength he had inside him until he achieved it.

His words still stick with me: "The detail in the weekly check-in responses is excellent, and I value it. Any initial worries I had instantly vanished when I noticed the strength progression and the changes in my physique. I didn't actually realise how much I could lift!"

Matt didn't need to be a knight or a warrior to achieve greatness. He just needed to believe in his potential and trust the process.

The sword is no longer in the stone.

And suppose you're ready to progress on your health and fitness journey. In that case, I'm also here to help—starting with something super important, which I also emphasised with Matt—your protein intake.

Grab my free protein cheat sheet, which is perfect for catapulting your protein intake! While prioritising whole foods, I’ve highlighted the most efficient protein sources, including meat, seafood, dairy, beans, and other common substitutes.

You can click here or on the image below to grab it.

Speak soon,

Leo