Kingdom Boxing Club’s Eddie is 65 years young

Research has shown that pensioners are the only age group to increase their exercise regimes during the coronavirus pandemic – like 65-year-old Eddie Nicol.

When lockdown began in March, nearly two-thirds of the population began to walk, run or cycle less researchers at University College London (UCL) found.

Exercise initially stopped for most people and then stayed below pre-pandemic levels except among the over 65s, who actually started exercising more.

UCL analysed data from over 5,000 people aged 14 to 93, tracking their activity levels via a smartphone app before, during and after restrictions were introduced.

The research found the pandemic had a big effect on exercise, especially among the youngest and the oldest, with younger people's activity falling the most and the over 65s who actually started exercising more like the boxing club’s Eddie – an inspiration to the club’s younger members.

Now in his 66th year, Eddie has always enjoyed activity from an early age, including cycling, swimming, ice skating and, at the age of 20, started karate which spanned 20 years until the age of 40.

Eddie had been boxing training for eight years before looking to improve the quality of his training by joining the club in 2018.

"At 65, l do most of the training,” he said. “Any exercises that do not suit me we adapt them as needed.

"The training is energetic and technical, which keeps me very fit and able."