The island pensioners taking the gym to the beach

When I was asked to film a group of pensioners on a beach in Guernsey on a cold November I had no idea how much fun it would be.
The Rockfit sessions were started 8 years ago by local fitness trainer, Andy Perkins, who felt that there was nothing like it on the island – Keep Fit classes for older people that actually involved quite a lot of activity.
And they work at it! There’s a lot of puffing and panting and a LOT of laughter – when they can catch their breaths. And the challenges are all much more interesting than just lifting weights in a gym.
Keep Fit enthusiast Megs Bailey says: “I don’t like exercise at all, but I love this group. It’s outdoors, it’s giving me more balance – more focus on my body – and I’m running now. I’ve never run before in my life.
“I wouldn’t normally go to a gym ever, but being outside – watching the beach and watching the sea – it’s wonderful and it’s a lot of fun!”
Andy Perkins, who runs the group, says: “There’s plenty of exercise options for people up to 50 that is more high intensity in nature or at the other end of the scale, things that were more sedentary, but nothing really in the middle to help and encourage people that are over 60 to stay active.”
The sessions are run twice a week and usually on a beach, depending on the weather… and the tides.
Many friendships have been forged in these sessions and everyone says they’re fitter than ever.
The Keep Fit participants were interviewed as part of ITV Channel’s ‘My Community Series’ which celebrates the importance of coming together – it can be a cookery class, a sports session, friends meeting up and much more.
To share what community means to you, send an email with the subject ‘My Community’ to [email protected] with a few details about what you do and why it is so special so we can come along and hear all about it.
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