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Willie Banks

Name:
Willie Banks

Age:
67

Occupation:
Athlete

Disciplinet (EMG):
Athletics volunteer

What has made you exercise even today? Describe your values, your own view on why every adult should exercise?

One cornerstone in setting goals today is to take care of ones mind and body, but finding the sense on community is just as important. The community unites you to be a part of a close-knit family of adult athletes and that also includes the younger generations.

The fact that younger people see adults playing sports in a goal-oriented manner and, above all, surpassing themselves after various performances, gives an example to the younger generations that you can surpass yourself regardless of age. For example, grandchildren can be proud of their own grandmother, who takes good care of herself by moving according to her own level even at an older age.

Motto:
Motion is lotion.

If you want to take good care of your bones, muscles and body, all movement is like oil for it. This is when the body starts to react and produce pleasure hormones and you feel good.

How would you like to encourage other people your age to bravely come to exercise?

Banks stresses that sport should never be about just maintaining physical fitness, but about forming a legacy of one’s own life and having the courage to try something even as an adult.

“You know, when you meet someone who hasn’t achieved the things they dreamed about when they were younger. They’ve invested in a career or done something else. Then, when they are closer to the age of 55 or even 60, they want to experiment and implement something they have always dreamed of. E.g. running. They start running, realize after a while that they are quite good at it and want to try their own abilities at in a goal-oriented way, for example. at adult sports events. It is the best that an individual can offer for themselves. Who looks for solutions for their well-being just in order to stay in shape? After all, the purpose is more to create legacies in one’s own life, and to gain the energy and joy from it. It is transmitted to every aspect of life.”

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