Super seniors: “We attend boxing classes 5 times a week”
Over60 community member Jude Briggs, 60, tells us how age hasn’t stopped her effort to keep fit and healthy. She’s somewhat of a “gym bunny”.
“My husband, Pete, 65, and I have been active all of our lives – were both sports orientated kids. Perhaps this was because of the era in which we were raised, thus there were few distractions. No television, no computers or iPhones.
When we had our own children they also played sport, which again kept our love of and involvement in being active alive, both in coaching but also as spectators. As an adult I played tennis, squash, netball – and coached – attended gyms sporadically, and always swam because I loved it.
After our children had left home and we relocated from country living to coastal living, I swam every day, either in the ocean and or in our pool. We have always owned dogs, so of course they needed their daily or sometimes twice daily walks! At one stage Pete used a GPS device and was surprised that the average monthly distance we walked was approximately 50 kilometers.
On our return to live in Newcastle over 10 years ago, we bought a kayak and almost at the same time I took up dragon boat paddling, which I participated in for approximately seven years. Pete joined me 18 months later and we would train at least three times per week and then from August until April, if you were interested you could attend regattas. The great thing about dragon boat paddling is that everything is provided for you – all the equipment and they train you as well. You can be any age and fitness level and still participate. It truly is a great team sport for over-60s as you paddle in age group categories. It also provides all round fitness, and the big bonus is you are doing this activity outdoors on some beautiful waterways. We competed overseas and throughout Australia, and Pete was part of a very successful Australian team at a world championship. We never would have anticipated our involvement in a sport such as this in our 50s.
When we pulled our paddles in from this adventure we found more time to again kayak, but wanted to do more. Our son suggested we might like boxing fitness and knew the gym we should try. Two-and-a-half years later, here we are and we love it. Again we started with no skills for such an activity but we have three of the best trainers. We feel welcome by all, I am the eldest female and Pete the second eldest male, we are encouraged and know we are respected and loved in this environment. Members cannot believe our ages when we tell them – but that certainly hasn’t meant they feel they need to go lightly with us.
The boxing gym offers a variety of boxing-related fitness classes, and one has to bear in mind that you engage in these at the levels that best suit you, bearing in mind it is good to challenge yourself.
We tend to attend four to five times a week, sometimes morning classes at other times late afternoon or evening. It is easy to keep motivated with both of us being involved, although if one of us is away the other will maintain their attendance. I believe once you make a commitment it is easier, so we pay for a monthly attendance thereby we ensure we do go, but also we really enjoy the camaraderie with other gym-goers, and our trainers are so motivated and encouraging of us to achieve our goals.
We both have lost weight as well as now having defined body shapes… yay! We tend to eat more healthily and we sleep well too. All in all it is a win-win for our health and wellbeing and we imagine we will be doing this until we can no longer get to the gym! Most friends, acquaintances and extended family are surprised when they discover what we do, but at the same time do seem impressed with our level of fitness.”