Hi, I recently started posting on the G&O but really I think I belong here, so here we go...
So I got into BB in the late 80's. Ran a boutique gym from 90-94 - ~5000sq ft - ground floor was sprung & clear for aerobics/TaeKwonDo/yoga/etc. - 1st floor was aerobics/steppers/treadmill/etc. plus a sunbed room. Top floor was fully equipped with Competition Line machines / Smith / Dumbells / etc. (RIP Karl)) It was a beautiful set-up, seriously - best years of my life...! Then the UK Business Rate Tax kicked in and ruined me (Whatever rent I negotiated with the Landlord was ignored and I was taxed at 25% of 'true market rate' - unsustainable!!)
So I closed down and ignored the scene in an almighty huff for 20 years. Got a career, bought a house, raised a family, you know the deal....
Flash forward to early 2014 - a funeral - I meet up with 'the old faces' (i.e. everyone that used to be a bouncer/drug dealer) and we started to talk about the number of BB's that we used to admire/meet that have since apparently f*cking DIED!!!! I had no idea this was happening! OK, I was on the scene for Momo and Muntzer, but I had no idea about Matarazzo, Nasser, Flex(kidney), etc etc etc...
So someone recommends I search GetBig for the latest.... and here I am.... hoping to reminisce about the 80's in a few threads if I may be indulged - so watch this space