(PRWEB UK) 1 June 2012
While the Queen is likely to celebrate her special day with cake and tea and the nation takes to the streets for parties, 90-year-old David Lloyd Leisure member Daphne Bernard is planning to plunge 12,000ft out of an aeroplane.
The grandmother, who has been a member at David Lloyd’s Eastbourne gym for 30 years, will take to the skies on June 4 to raise money for charity in memory of her late beloved husband, Vic.
“Everyone thinks I’m crazy, but I’m very adventurous and it’s just one of those things that I’d love to do,” she says. “I’ve wanted to jump out of a plane for a long time now, and I feel fit and healthy to do that – there’s never been a better time and I’m not scared at all.”
Daphne, who joined the club with her husband in 1982 and trains at the club three times a week, is undertaking the challenge at Headcorn airfield in Kent in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society.
She has been preparing for her amazing feat with lead coach Josh Warrell. Daphne had planned to do the jump on her 90th birthday in May, but it had to be postponed due to bad weather. She’s now keeping her fingers crossed that Jubilee day will be a sunny one.
“When I told the club I am planning the sky dive, they got behind me with fundraising and arranged a PT session to prepare for the jump. Trainer Josh made up a special routine of leg and chest presses, bicep curls and leg extensions that I have practised several times before the big day.”
Daphne puts her health and being in great shape down to her love of fitness, and has plenty of advice for fellow seniors looking to keep active. While the Queen, who is four years younger than Daphne, attributes her fitness to countryside walks, Daphne prefers the gym and playing badminton with the ‘Golden Oldies’, a group of long time friends who socialise and meet regularly to exercise at David Lloyd Eastbourne.
Here’s Daphne’s essentials of keeping fit in the golden age:
“Make your exercise a habit – that way you are more likely to stick to it. I make sure I walk at least a mile a day. Get good advice from expert trainers: staff at David Lloyd are very good at making sure I keep my fitness routine varied and that I know how to avoid injury. I have regular reviews with the gym instructor, who refreshes my routine and we discuss my health.
“Recently I was having lower back pain and the trainer showed a couple of Swiss ball exercises to relieve it. I am also working on improving my balance, as it’s going to help with the skydive.
“A good warm-up is essential in my age, so I make sure I am feeling supple before I start. And remember to have fun: gym is not only for working out, I meet my friends there and we have regular catch ups.
Daphne adds: “At my age exercising is not competitive and you have to listen to your body. Recently, I had to give up tennis as I wasn’t covering the court the way I used to, but I switched to badminton now and I love it. There are definitely ways to keep fit at any age.”
Daphne’s Just Giving page: http://www.justgiving.com/user/31619487.
Note to editors: Daphne’s tandem skydive is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Monday, 4 June at Headcorn Aerodrome, Headcorn, Ashford, Kent, TN27 9HX.
For further information about this press release, contact the David Lloyd Leisure press office on 01707 289833 or email press(at)davidlloyd(dot)co(dot)uk.
About David Lloyd Leisure Group
The David Lloyd Leisure Group operates 80 clubs in the UK and a further 10 clubs across Europe.
David Lloyd Leisure has over 450,000 members and employs 6,000 people. This includes an expert health and fitness team of over 1,800, while it contracts the services of more than 400 tennis professionals.
Across all clubs, David Lloyd Leisure has over 150 swimming pools (of which half are indoor) and offers over 10,000 exercise classes per week. Every week 20,000 children learn to swim at David Lloyd Leisure and 14,000 learn to play tennis. Its racquets facilities are unparalleled with 700 tennis courts as well as 180 badminton courts and 140 squash courts. Additional facilities include health and beauty spas, club lounges with free internet access, crèches, nurseries and specialist sports shops.
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/6/prweb9566627.htm
