AS YOU GET ON IN YEARS YOU REALISE HOW PRECIOUS TIME IS. BUT THIS IS NO EXCUSE TO GO LOOKING FOR A QUICK GYM FIX TO TRY AND REMEDY A LIFETIME OF BAD HABITS

When World War II ended, the post-war prosperity years, from the late 1940s to late 1960s, led to a massive increase in populations.

This surge in births created a demographic bulge called the baby boomers and these men and women are today rapidly heading for a new phase in their lives — retirement.

Yet the baby boomers are not quite ready to pass on the human torch to the next generation. After long hiatuses, 60-something action heroes Bruce Willis, Harrison Ford (below) and Sylvester Stallone reprised the roles, in Die Hard, Indiana Jones and Rocky, that made them international stars. Sixty is now the new 50 and 50 is the new 40.

Boomers are taking control of their lives by getting fit, making healthier choices and even living longer. This has had a knock-on effect on the fitness industry too.

As half of the nation is unhealthy or overweight, Paul Zane Pilzner, in his book The Next Trillion Dollar Industry, says that consumers will turn away from material goods and instead seek to achieve internal self-improvement — healthier foods, vitamins, nutritional supplements and fitness programmes — creating a virtually limitless and sustained demand for wellness-based products.

Where there is the scent of money, investors, starved of success since the economic downturn in property and other investments, are turning their attention to fitness. In the past few years, the fitness industry in Ireland has seen an explosion in the number of new franchises and gyms.

As they are getting on in years, the boomers may feel that time is precious and they seek immediate solutions to problems they have developed through poor nutrition and lifestyle habits. But be warned. The quick fixes advertised will only result in temporary lifestyle changes.

It is my experience that clients who try to implement multiple changes at the same time end up with a very low success rate. When a person then fails to implement all these changes, it leads to a feeling of disappointment, followed by frustration and an increasing unwillingness to exercise.

On the other hand, when a client accomplishes results from hard work and perseverance, it is treasured and it creates independence. Independence is important as it means you’re not dependent on a coach for motivation.

One of the recent fitness developments is the proliferation of machine-based exercises, but if you are going to go down this road, there are a number of factors that you must consider.

Machine-based circuits may be a starting point for beginners but they are not as beneficial as body-weight or free-weights exercises, as the muscles that stabilise joints do not work on a machine-based exercise.

The secret to success with training is to make it specific and tailored to the person receiving it, focusing on strengthening the limiting factors that may be holding them back. One arm or leg can be stronger than the other and this must be addressed to prevent compensation by the body on its muscles and joints.

For the body to receive stimulus to keep changing, long term, it is important for the exercise to change. This is where ‘cookie-cutter’ gyms fall down, as the circuits and exercises remain the same.

Machine-based exercises direct the body through a set line of motion. Over time, the repetitions through this line of motion build up and it leads to a repetitive strain of the joint and adhesions in the muscle.

The journey to wellness for the baby boomers will be a long lesson in how to take control of your own nutritional and lifestyle habits.

There are no shotgun solutions that will provide a remedy for the bad habits you developed over previous years.

In fitness, methods are many, principles are few, while methods may change, principles never do.

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