Mike was good at working with his hands and he loved athletics; he loved the feeling of freedom it gave him. When he left school, he joined the Merchant Navy and started weight training; something he became passionate about, he really wanted to be fit. This fitness routine was something he continued throughout his life. One of the reasons he joined the Merchant Navy was so that he could visit America, but although he had a longing to sail west, he was posted in the Middle East.