Why You’re Not Making Progress (And Why You Should Listen to Me)

You’re not short on effort. You train hard, you eat “pretty well,” and you’ve watched more YouTube videos on hypertrophy than you’d admit in public.

So why don’t you look like someone who actually knows what they’re doing?

Let’s cut the fluff. The real reason most people stagnate in the gym, whether they admit it or not, is because they don’t know what they’re doing. Not really. And when you do, everything changes.

I’m Jack Stokle, owner of Fitness Fraternity Gym, Newcastle’s leading strength-based facility. I’ve spent over 24,000 hours coaching real people on the gym floor. That’s not a typo. That’s more than 10 years full-time, hands-on, rep-by-rep coaching – not standing around holding a clipboard or flexing for Instagram. Actual coaching. Actual results.

Before that? I represented the county in football, athletics, and cross-country. From 18 to 23 I was a competitive bodybuilder, Junior Mr Britain, sponsored by Ronnie Coleman Signature Series (yes, that Ronnie Coleman). Then I dropped 20kg, got back into endurance sport, smashed duathlons, half marathons, and returned to competitive football until I was 30.

Sport, muscle, mindset, performance. I’ve lived it. And coached it.

So when I see someone training like a headless chicken, jumping from influencer workouts to Reddit routines, it’s not judgment – it’s frustration. Because with the right guidance, they could be getting insane results.

Fitness Fraternity Isn’t Like Other Gyms

You can train anywhere. There are 24-hour chains on every corner. PT studios charging £600/month to babysit your lunges. TikTok coaches who “discovered” RDLs six months ago and now sell eBooks.

But none of them offer what we do:

• Elite-level programming grounded in actual coaching experience, not trends.

• Access to a system that’s transformed hundreds of physiques – from skinny kids to ex-rugby lads, from post-breakup rebuilds to complete identity shifts.

• An environment where you’re pushed, educated, and held accountable.

Not coddled. Not overcharged. Not ignored.

We don’t coach perfect people. We coach people who want to be better. Stronger. Smarter. More disciplined. And yes - bigger, leaner, and harder to kill.

The Harsh Truth?

If you’re serious about transforming your body, mindset, and performance, you need to stop guessing and start learning from someone who’s already done it, coached it, and built a gym around it.

I’m not here to be your mate. I’m here to give you the structure, knowledge, and environment to actually level up.

You can keep doing what you’re doing, chasing your tail, copying influencers, plateauing every 6 weeks and wondering why your arms look the same. Or you can train at Fitness Fraternity and experience what real progress feels like.

Because here's the thing...

No one in Newcastle offers what we offer.

You just didn’t know it until now.