After more than six decades of service and sweat, 79-year-old Physical Training Instructor Barry Atkins has led his final circuit session, and left the Armed Forces with one lasting piece of advice: “Whatever you do, just keep doing it.”
Barry, who began his military journey in 1964 with the Royal Signals and spent 25 years at Army HQ in Andover, brought his trademark energy and grit to one last training class – setting out cones and benches more than an hour before his lunchtime crew arrived.
“This one’s designed for large numbers,” he said, “but even if one person turns up, I run the circuit.”
For decades, Barry’s classes pushed tri-service personnel through punishing spinning sessions and extreme circuits. His training style remained rock solid through changing times, and so did his fitness. A keen cyclist, he boasts a half-marathon personal best of just 1 hour 16 minutes.
“What I find with physical training is that the names change, but the exercises stay the same,” he remarked.
Born just after VE Day, Barry was a fighter from day one, surviving life-threatening gastro-intestinal complications thanks to his mother’s determination and a diet of watered-down cow’s milk.
He initially joined the Army aiming for a different trade but quickly found his calling in the gym. From there, he trained patients at a ladies’ mental health hospital before joining the RAF, where he spent another 17 years leading adventurous training.
Even in his final session, Barry was a force of nature, filling the gym with battle cries and infectious enthusiasm.
“I’m glad to be retiring, because I’ve got a life to lead, and I’m getting near the end of that life, maybe,” he said. “But I’m very, very sad because I won’t see all those lovely people I deal with.”
His parting words were a stark reminder of the cost of slowing down:
“As soon as you stop, you lose. And you lose it very quickly as you get old.”
