Impressed by his daughter’s martial arts efforts, MAN v FAT Gloucester coach Ryan Barkle acquired into motion himself by showing in a nationwide Taekwondo Championships firstly of November.
Having seen his daughter take up the game in September 2021, Ryan determined that it was time to drop some pounds.
And his efforts on the scales and on the pitch noticed him shift over 5 stone as a MAN v FAT Gloucester participant, earlier than graduating to steer the membership, held at Plock Court docket on a Thursday night time.
Ryan informed us: “By the assist, pleasant rivalry and setting created on the membership, I misplaced 5 stone earlier than turning into the membership’s Coach.
“It has supplied me with a lot of alternatives from enjoying at Sixfields for George Elokobi in opposition to Ian Holloway’s workforce to getting again to working.
“Nonetheless 2024 has been a bit harder to maintain the burden off attributable to ‘weak hips’ which means soccer and working had turn into painful.
“This led me to strive one thing new. I joined my daughter Abi at Sumners Taekwondo, as I might see the quantity of flexibility and hips work that goes into it.
“Earlier than MAN v FAT, I might not have had the arrogance to attend and I might not have returned after the primary session attributable to feeling too unfit, too judged or too embarrassed (there is no such thing as a motive to really feel this, I’ve discovered!).
“Nonetheless my MAN v FAT journey has led me to strive one thing fully totally different. Who would have thought you’d begin sparring on the age of 42?”