I grew up in England in a Seaside town , so summer was important . Much of the year can be cold , wet and gloomy and I still remember those moments when you felt the first warm sun on your face and felt like your soul was about to thaw out and replenish .

It also meant a lot sports . World Cups , European Championships, Cricket, Wimbledon .. we were either playing them or watching them . Summer meant activity and action , making the most of the long days either in a field or on the beach . This was al pre-phones and tablets so play was the only real entertainment .. it was a good time chasing goals on the field and first kisses on the shore .

By the time I was 15 I was already weightlifting and building muscle . I had a “Muti-Gym” in my bedroom that I bought from an Argos catalogue . Basic but more than enough . I worked odd jobs to pay for it and prided myself on working out every day to get an edge over the other kids …. Watching old Arnold and Van Damme movies for inspiration whilst doing too much chest and biceps and not enough legs .

So taking my shirt off as a teenager was proof of my hard work and I guess it was my way of being noticed in a small town . It taught me the value of consistency and hard work as I had direct visual proof of my labour . It gave me confidence , routine and made me conscious of protein from a very young age .

So as summer comes around my natural inclination is to want to look muscular and lean… but also to want to have fun with fitness , the way I always have . The modalities have changed over the years but the desire is the same… meet friends , workout , get high on exercise and feel a sense of gratification from the physical endeavor

Building PHAROS is simply the material construction of a childhood I enjoyed . A playground for active adults where we can share in rewarding activity . Not defined by a single discipline but by a community , an attitude and a spirit of wellness . That spirit is never more apparent than in summer as we start to wear less , be outside more , hit the pool or the beach and extract as much joy as we can in the long hours between sunrise and sunset .

So grab your friends, go workout and let’s meet for ice cream after … summer is here !

See you in the gym

PV

PS it still “Friends with Benefits” month so you can get in on our summer deals before prices go up again. Never a better time to step in to the Pharosphere !