I have older bros and have always been a bit competitive in nature. Plus I've always been into being fit etc.

My uncle had a stroke in his forties which rendered him paralysed over half his body vertically - he was told he'd have to stop drinking and smoking by a doctor before it happened but he continued anyway. Seeing all his drinking buddies stop visiting him, his wife have to give up her business to become his carer and resent him for it, his complete in ability to communicate and care for his kids - put my entire family off smoking forever. I've never smoked anything.

There was a kickboxing gym close to my university so I went there for a bit of fitness, distraction from uni and a challenge. I soon got hooked enough to compete and thought I was pretty good. Then I took a boxing fight to get my bouts up and was totally wooped. I've been trying to learn to punch properly by sticking to straight boxing ever since.