That is, until a jousting accident in 1536 seriously injured him and he was forced to retire from sport. However, for the majority of his life, the controversial king boasted a slim and athletic figure. He was a great athlete: participating in many popular sports, such as rugby, wrestling, javelin, double-axe fighting, tennis, hunting and archery. After his accident, he became more gluttonous and, without exercise to train his body, rapidly gained weight. This is not a commonly known fact, in large part due to many famous depictions and paintings of Henry portraying him as obese and unsightly in his later years.
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