Founder of Strength Level · ex-Redgate Technical Lead · Cambridge (Computer Science)

Building highly-performant understandable platforms across web and native.

I run the Strength Level platform serving around 1-2M users/month if you include translations and expansion sites like Running Level. Strength Level's key innovation was to supply evolving and expanding strength and fitness standards based on anonymized raw results.

I am a multi-disciplinary programming polyglot and love the challenge of learning new languages and systems, often performing best under difficult constraints that force a solution.

Every year is different but so far in 2026 I have been focussed on app offline sync and TTFB reduction using multi-origin servers powered by Terraform and Ansible. I do a lot of support, security and compliance.

Email me Based in Cambridge, UK

Strength Level

Standards, calculators, and long-term training history.
Open
What it does
  • Standards Strength benchmarks derived from logged lifts and continuously rebalanced as data grows.
  • Calculators Useful comparisons across age/bodyweight/time, not just absolute numbers.
  • Tracking Workout history, PRs and progress, with tooling that stays fast and readable.
What I'm building next
A long-term training app with offline logging, durable history, and sync designed for messy reality: conflicts, partial connectivity, schema evolution and backwards compatibility.
If you're curious
The easiest entry point is the standards pages and calculators. They are built to load quickly and give a clear answer.
Use Strength Level Strength standards
Partnerships/media: email is still best (see Contact).

Work

Selective consulting for data-heavy systems and high-stakes change.

Occasionally I help teams who have real users and real data, and are feeling the pain: migrations that feel risky, performance cliffs, unclear architecture, duplicated logic, or a system that grew faster than its model.

My default mode is pragmatic and collaborative. I try to reduce risk, increase clarity, and ship. If there is not a clear outcome, I will say so early.

Where I tend to be useful
  • Turning a risky change into an executable plan (migration steps, rollback, verification).
  • Data models and migrations where "we cannot lose data" is non-negotiable.
  • Offline-first sync, conflict strategy, and forward-compatible APIs.
  • Latency/TTFB and performance boundaries (caching, IO, database shape, network realities).
  • Untangling correct-but-fragile systems into something maintainable and testable.
The fastest way to start
Email a short note. If you include the items below, I can usually tell quickly if I am a fit.
Context:
Problem:
Constraints (data, uptime, team):
Timeline:
What does success look like?:
Email about work Quick question
If it is not a fit, I will still try to point you in a useful direction.

Projects

Smaller tools with the same "keep it calm" bias.
Plate Calculator (Android)
A fast plate-loading tool designed for mid-session use. Low cognitive load, minimal taps, no ceremony.
In the same repo as the Strength Level app, but separate app identity and release cycle.
Guitar Charts
Chord charts with quick lookups and calm layouts. Small product, treated seriously.
Open Guitar Charts

Biblical reference sites

Structured reference, short pages, strong navigation.

A side interest: structured reference sites with clean navigation and short pages. More index than opinion.

  • JesusText - teachings, parables, events (tight references, minimal commentary).
  • Biblical Eats - food, feasts, fasting (browsable, expandable structure).
  • Prayer Archive - psalms and prayers across the tradition.

Contact

Email is best. Short is fine.

For consulting, the sharp edge + constraints helps. For Strength Level, describe the proposal and what success looks like.

Email me michael@michaelclark.uk
Elsewhere: LinkedIn · GitHub
Typical subjects
  • Consulting: migrations, performance, sync, architecture.
  • Strength Level: partnerships, data usage, media, product.
  • General: a specific technical question (short is fine).