Extreme or not: Sports are great for the over-55s
10th December 2007
There are many possibilities in the exercise world. It seems as if from nowhere
that the variety of sports has proliferated over the past few years. A list
of opportunities often reads like alien planets and bizarre conundrums. Bungee
jumping and ballooning. Mountain biking and aqua sphereing. What exactly are
they? Well, for once thing, they are all thrilling chances to stay in touch
with youth. That's right, not just energetic teens are participating in the
variety of limb-moving frenzies.
In fact, all over the country, it seems that the over-55s have decided to
adopt the energy and vitality of their younger counterparts. One of these is
the cyclist Bert Brett from Wales, who decided to take up the pastime well
into his sixties. Mr Brett has taken part in a number of competitions over
the years, reported the BBC recently.
He claimed that age has never been a barrier in his pursuit for fun. And he
is often successful against competitors who should be able to destroy him in
the field, he remarked. "I don't see age as much of a barrier. I sometime
beat men in time trials who are half my age, but when we're out cycling we
don't tend to dwell much on how old people are," he told the news provider.
Moreover, just to prove that life can often get better with age, his wife -
who is 92 - still takes part as much as she can via an exercise bike.
While Mr Brett should be congratulated for his foray into the sporting arena,
cycling may still be considered somewhat of a tranquil sport. Another pensioner's
exploits by comparison could be deemed a little more intense. Take the feats
of Connie Adam from Norwich as an example. She competes in various fencing
activities and has become something of a master in the sport, reports the Norwich
Evening News. The brave pensioner is fresh from success at the Commonwealth
Veteran Fencing Championships, where she came away with a couple of bronze
awards, silver and the most cherished prize of all - a gold medal. "I
wanted to do something to keep me fit and went along to one of these have a
go days ... I was thinking about doing archery but I thought I'd try fencing
and after having a go, I thought I could do this if I work at it," she
told the publication. And now she aims to conquer the world in the future.
But with all these added hobbies, it's important to remember that a worthwhile home
insurance plan is vital. Now, there are specific over-55s
insurance and home
insurance products on the market, which is good news and will hopefully
ensure that any specialised items are kept safe.
There is also no better reason to indulge in those exertive activities now
than before, if findings from Birmingham Midshires are correct. The building
society recently claimed that the over-55s have an average of £33,091
stashed away. In total, 51 per cent of the people questioned by the company
stated that now they can enjoy the lifestyle they have always dreamed of -
so why not purchase that mountain bike or - for the more racy -fencing equipment?
Exercise can be enjoyed by all and the examples above suggest that sports
are all the rage for the young-minded. Yet over-55s home insurance can ensure
that the excitement levels are never far away.