For most people approaching 100, slowing down is almost expected.
Not for Bill Kober.
At 98 years old, the Suffolk pensioner is still dropping to the floor every single day and knocking out at least 40 press-ups without fail — 20 in the morning and another 20 at night.
It’s a routine he sticks to religiously, and one he credits with helping him stay strong, mobile and breathing well as he edges closer to his 100th birthday.
While many people half his age struggle to stay consistent with exercise, Bill has turned it into a way of life.
And his motivation is simple.
“Only in my later years have I realised that I’ve got this ability, and so I do it because I’m able to and, as they say, use it or lose it, and I don’t want to lose it,” he said to BBC News. “I want to be as fit as I can be.”
Living in Woodbridge, Suffolk, Bill’s daily fitness doesn’t stop at press-ups either.
He’s also developed a love for Pilates and recently managed to master the notoriously tricky “crow” pose — something plenty of younger gym-goers would struggle to hold.
It’s proof that age isn’t necessarily the barrier many think it is.
And when it comes to perfecting a push-up, Bill has his own no-nonsense technique.
“A good straight back which gives you a nice tight buttock,” he said. “If I stuck £20 note in between your buttocks, you’ve got to grip over it so that no-one can take it.”
But behind the laughs is a serious point.
Press-ups are one of the simplest and most effective bodyweight exercises around. They help build upper body strength, improve core stability and can make day-to-day movement easier over time.
According to NHS guidance, adults aged 65 and over should stay active every day, while also doing exercises focused on strength, flexibility and balance at least twice a week.
They also recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week — or 75 minutes of vigorous activity for those already active.
The long-term benefits are significant, too, with regular exercise known to reduce the risk of major illnesses including coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer, while also lowering the risk of early death by as much as 30%.
For Bill though, fitness was never something he obsessed over.
In fact, he says it was never particularly important to him.
Instead, his active lifestyle came naturally through decades of physical work.
His life has been built on movement.
He spent two years serving in the Army before moving into the building trade, where he developed houses. Later, he spent 28 years working in a factory — the bulk of his career — before finishing working life with a decade driving students to and from school in Ilford.
It wasn’t structured training.
It was just life.
Still, over the years he experimented with different forms of exercise.
“I’ve never followed it religiously, but I dabbled in a little bit of weight training and I tried running, although I didn’t like that very much,” said Bill. “But doing press-ups is what is keeping me breathing well. I do it until I can’t do any more. And then I get up and relax, and that’s it.”
There’s something refreshingly uncomplicated about his approach.
No expensive gym memberships. No elaborate workout splits. Just consistency.
Outside of fitness, Bill’s life story stretches across nearly a century of huge change.
Born in Mile End, east London, he was evacuated to the Cotswolds with his siblings during World War Two — an experience he still looks back on fondly.
“In hindsight, it was the best two and a half years of my life. I really took to the place and I became a country boy,” he said. “I was away from the war as such, and I disliked London, so going away into the country and being on a farm and handling animals appealed to me.”
That period helped shape the life that followed.
Today, Bill lives a quieter life in Woodbridge, where he volunteers at the Long Shed community centre and spends time making marquetry bookmarks and Viking chess boards.
It’s a far cry from the physically demanding years of his youth, but he’s still finding ways to stay busy — mentally and physically.
And there’s another remarkable milestone in his life away from fitness.
Bill has been married to his wife for more than 75 years, a testament to both longevity and loyalty.
Recently celebrating his 98th birthday, he’s now looking ahead to the next big landmark.
And if all goes to plan, he’ll still be doing his daily press-ups when he gets there.
For Bill, though, there’s no secret formula. No miracle supplement. No revolutionary workout.
Just a simple belief.
“The key to long life is getting good genes,” he said. “I’ve had good genes passed down to me, and obviously they’re working well.”
Featured image credit: BBC News / Instagram
