For the last eight years, taekwon-do has helped him keep fit and healthy, as well as preparing him to defend himself if needed.

He has been trained by the very best in the business, eighth degree blackbelt Master Peter Harkess, and is now a blackbelt in his own right, and takes the class in Galashiels' Queen's Centre, aided by Louise, who is also a blackbelt.

Deputy chief pharmacist with NHS Borders, Vince talks about his favourite sport with enthusiasm.

He told TheSouthern: "I think it's a good mix – stretching for flexibility, self defence, patterns – we never do the same thing two weeks in a row.

"And if people want to make a sport out of it, there are national and international competitions for patterns and semi-contact sparring."

It's also an Olympic sport. But that's not neccessarily a good thing, according to Vince.

He said: "It's one version, the WTF (World Taekwon-do Federation) version that is used in the Olympics. It's a different type where they only use their feet.

"I don't think it has done taekwon-do any favours, because it's quite boring to watch.

"At the moment, there is a move for the ITF (International Taekwon-do Federation), which is the branch that does the full range of fighting, to merge and bring that style of taekwon-do to the Olympics."

The class, which is held on Sundays from 10.45am to 12.15pm, is taken first by Vince, before the class splits and Louise looks after the more inexperienced members.

They make a good team.

Fifteen-year-old Galashiels Academy pupil Louise says her taekwon-do experience began as more of a social exercise.

She told us: "I just came because some of my friends were coming. It was a friendly atmosphere and I was learning some things I had never learned before. It's great. You can take out all your anger for the day, you can meet so many people. I just enjoy it, it's a really great sport.

"I didn't think at the time that I would get any further than a green belt.

"But I worked really hard at getting my black belt and I'm really pleased."

For most teenagers, having their dad as the teacher would be a recipe for disaster.

But not in this case.

Louise joked: "I was only doing it for two or three lessons and he saw me and decided to take part as well. He joined the band wagon."

And, of course, there is the chance to get the better of the old man.

She said: "Yes, I enjoy the sparring. Sometimes he catches me, but I'm faster."

Taekwon-do is the national sport of South Korea. Tae means feet or kicking; kwon means hands or striking; and do means art, path, way, or method. Hence, taekwon-do is loosely translated as the way of the foot and fist.

But it isn't quite that simple.