As a former Olympic gymnast, Nile Wilson’s core strength and flexibility have never been in question. But since launching a second career as a YouTuber, Wilson has set about proving his strength and endurance against a rogue’s gallery of other athletes, taking on military fitness tests, wrestling with giant bodybuilder Martyn Ford, and even taking a full-power punch from strongman and boxer Eddie Hall.
These antics have earned the Olympic bronze medalist the nickname “The Human Punching Bag,” and he’s not finished. In the first of a new series of videos in which he tries out different Olympic sports, Wilson agrees to yet another physical challenge: a Taekwondo training session with future Team GB hopefuls Caden Cunningham and Jordyn Smith.
They start off with some basic stances and moves, and it’s not long before Wilson thinks he’s ready to try touch sparring with Cunningham, despite being considerably shorter, with less length in his arms. After a couple of rounds which leave him breathless, he learns some kicking techniques, and his confidence soon grows—until he and Cunningham don all of the gear for a real match.
“There were times there when you could have kicked me in the head and knocked me the f*** out,” says Wilson. Not yet feeling defeated, though, he doubles up on the padding and then dares Smith and Cunningham to hit him with their hardest back kicks possible. Smith’s first kick floors him, while Cunningham eases in a little first, before striking Wilson with a kick that sends him straight to the mat and knocks all of the air out of him.
“I’m just in awe of you guys,” Wilson says once he regains his breath.
Source: Read Full Article