This week the Motivated Martial Artists Jackson White and Gavin Cook talk to Four times TAGB World Taekwondo Champion and personal trainer Micheal Parchment.
Michael began his martial arts career in Judo before eventually getting into Kung Fu and Karate for a couple of years learning moves to protect himself against the usual bullies at school. Michael began his TaeKwonDo career after seeing a TKD fighter on TV, performing a kick jump over a sports car. Starting the next day, he was on the lookout for a Tae Kwon Do club and he found one fairly close to his house. It quickly became a regular habit. First, twice a week, then four times, and after that nearly every day of the week and he was thirsty for medals. But Tae Kwon Do also taught him to set goals, to get out of his comfort zone, and to always go beyond his limits.
Michael decided to retire from Tae Kwon Do, met his future wife and moved to Norway. He started a job as Fitness Trainer where he coached a boxing group. After his group learned about who was coaching them, many of the members actually wanted to learn Tae Kwon Do. Michael was happy to help! He set the goal to make them successfully participate in competitions and he actually managed to coach all 12 members of his group to win a medal in the upcoming competitions. This arrangement went on until the World Championship came up and his pupils convince Michael to take part as a fighter one last time. To his own surprise he won his 4th World Champion title – this time under the flag of his new home, Norway.
Michael talks about his first experience of competition and his first experience with loss something that changed him forever. Not that he wanted to give up but actually making him stronger, thirsty for more, and more dedicated: “I saw these guys standing on the podium higher than me and I just knew: One day this is going to be me!”
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