Halifax Home Insurance has termed these individuals ‘wrecksercisers.’
Halifax has revealed exercising at home costs UK residents £125 million a year in insurance and that Britain’s businesses pay out £8.8 million each year for absentee workers injured as a result of exercising in the home.
With millions of celebrity exercise videos given as presents over Christmas, Halifax has warned people to be aware of 'Wreckercise.'
A quarter of a million Britons damage their properties and possessions while exercising in the home each year, reveals new research from Halifax Home Insurance. In the last five years Britons have caused damage estimated at £125 million to their property and its contents while working out.
According to Halifax Home Insurance’s research, the cost to UK companies of wreckserciser's injuries totals £8.8 million each year in absenteeism, as workers take time off to nurse injuries sustained while exercising in the home. In the last five years over a third of a million Britons have taken time off work as a result of injuries sustained while exercising in the home, costing their employers £44 million.
Britons who incurred an injury while exercising in the home have caused an average of £135 of damage to their property or possessions in the last five years. The celebrity exercise video craze that has been running since the 1980s encourages time poor Britons to work out in the home and it is anticipated that thousands of these videos will be given as presents this Christmas
While people may be getting fit to the likes of Davina McCall, Jade Goody and Cindy Crawford, they should take care to avoid the risk of damage to their bodies and homes.
The most popular room for exercise in the home is the lounge, with one in two Britons (51%) risking damaging settees, televisions and coffee tables. Over a third of Britons (37%) risk breaking beds, dressers and wardrobes by exercising in the bedroom. A further 4% of Britons use their garage as the exercise venue of choice, while 3% of Britons use their kitchen.
Andee Dean, chief executive of the Fitness Industry Association (FIA). said: “It is worrying that so many people are damaging their possessions and injuring themselves while exercising in the home. We would recommend people seek professional guidance before embarking on any exercise regime and ensure a safe environment in which to exercise. If people are going to work out in the home, they should ensure they have a clear stable surface to exercise on and clear space around them. They should make sure there is nothing around they can knock and appreciate the damage they could cause if they drop weights or heavy gym equipment.”
Vicky Emmott at Halifax Home Insurance, commented: “It is important that people are careful when exercising to ensure they don’t endanger themselves or their possessions. Britons risk paying out significant sums to replace items damaged while exercising. By investing in comprehensive home insurance, householders can cover themselves should their property or its contents be damaged while they exercise.”
Confessions of Britons wrecksercisers:
I was watching the Jade Goody exercise video and slipped over while attempting one of the stretches, I hit my wrist on the television stand and broke it [my wrist] in two places.
While doing pilates (with a giant elasticated band) I slipped and the band shot off my foot and hit me in the head, I fell through my glass coffee table and had to go to casualty to get six stitches in my hand
I dropped the weights on my bedroom multigym and wandered down stairs to find the rose setting on the ceiling was destroyed!
Using a rowing machine the chain snapped spilling oil all over my new carpet. My shag pile was destroyed and I had to purchase a new living room carpet after just one week
While watching a Cindy Crawford workout video I knocked over a lamp
While weight training I dropped a barbell onto the bed cracking the base
Using dumbbells in my bedroom one slipped out of my hand destroying my brand new XBOX 360
