Stronger at 76: How Bill Duckwall Refused to Let Aging Win

At 76 years old, Bill Duckwall had a moment that changed everything.

In the spring of 2024, what should have been a simple task, digging a small hole in his yard, became a wake-up call. A job that once took only a few minutes suddenly required multiple breaks and nearly twenty minutes to finish.

“That was the moment when I realized I had succumbed to aging,” Bill shared. “The loss of strength and stamina was a wake-up call.”

Instead of accepting it, Bill decided to fight back.

Searching for a way to regain his strength, energy, and confidence, he discovered the Strongside Legends 55+ Program after reading about Strongside Fitness in a newspaper article. He joined in June 2024 and quickly realized it was one of the smartest decisions he had made.

Since starting the program, Bill has transformed both physically and mentally. He has lost weight, improved his stamina, increased his strength, and made everyday activities easier. In fact, the results became so obvious that he had to replace most of his pants because the waist sizes had become too big.

But the biggest victory came the following year.

Bill once again found himself digging holes, this time for new shrubs in his yard. Only now, the holes were larger, the work was harder, and the outcome was completely different.

“I had no problem digging those holes,” Bill said. “I probably could have dug a few more had there been a need.”

Bill credits much of that success to the leadership and encouragement of Legends 55+ coach Karri Fox and the Strongside community.

“Karri Fox, the Legends 55+ trainer, had helped me dig those holes. She wasn’t there, but her weekly training leadership was.”

Beyond the physical changes, Bill says the support from everyone in class is what makes Strongside special. The friendships, encouragement, and welcoming atmosphere have made fitness something he genuinely looks forward to each week.

“I look forward to being there, and that makes the effort effortless.”

For anyone hesitant to start their own fitness journey, Bill keeps his advice simple:

“Don’t think. Do it!”

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