core strength

Many of them are now retired and the joy they get from skateboarding, the sense of community and the health benefits, such as core strength and balance, keep them young, they say.

"They were staying in their house so they were losing some of their core strength by not exercising as much," he explained.

Pilates, which was invented for rehabilitative purposes and which focuses on core strength, flexibility and balance, is generally low-intensity; the Lagree Method is high-intensity.

She attributes this to improved posture and core strength.

"I thought I had the core strength but, really, I did not," says Douglas.