older adult, Uncategorized

A Month of Two Halves

by WordPress.com Support

July has been a bittersweet month. It was the first anniversary of my visit to a Harley Street clinic where I was told  I needed open heart surgery. The two events I vowed to complete this year, the Newham Great Run and a strongman/strong woman competition where I train, are done and dusted. I didn’t shower myself with glory (1 hour 18 mins to run 10k and last in the competition) but I did them. Next year I am going to smash them. I also passed my Personal Trainer diploma. I can now call myself a Personal Trainer and

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Truck Pull

Nutritional Advisor. But the same month brought the death of my best friend who had given me so much support during this last year whilst she battled a cancer that was going to kill her. As I say a month that has brought great sadness but also hope for the future. And that future includes making the most of the qualification it has taken me two years to complete.

 

It is often said ‘use it or lose it’. This is certainly true of fitness but what about being a fitness trainer. When I started out back in 2014 it was with an open mind. Whilst I never questioned being up to the academic challenge was I just too old. I have never come across a 50 something female PT. And let’s face it I am now far nearer the big six ‘O’. And I never gave much thought to the practicalities of having clients even if they wanted me. I knew that I couldn’t pursue a change of career.  I can’t afford to. I still have a son to get through University. Plus I love what I currently do. So what about having a couple of clients that I could fit round my full-time work. But unless I could be paid in kind in some way the tax implications would not be worth it. What I am sure of is that in the long-term I will start-up a business when I retire specialising in training the older adult but what to do in the meantime.
The answer seems lie in social media. Could I support people’s training goals virtually? Well The Body Coach has made millions doing just  that. But I don’t have his six-pack or his other attributes.
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Completing the Newham Great Run in the Olympic Stadium

So I did a bit of research on what was available for the older adult in the on-line world. A brief perusal of what is on offer on YouTube makes depressing viewing. It would appear that the one piece of equipment the over 60’s use fairly extensively is a chair. Apparently once you enter this golden age most things are done sitting down. Even as a fledgling PT I know that a primary objective in the training of an older adult is to develop those muscles that improve balance. How you manage to do that whilst sitting down eludes me. If I want to sit down during training I head for the floor. Of course if it were a 80 or 90-year-old client or one recovering from surgery or a cardiac event then using a chair may be appropriate but a healthy, 60-year-old. I don’t think so.

The other thing that I found annoying was that exercises for the over 60s are being demonstrated by people half that age. Why not have a 60-year-old demonstrating an exercise for a 60 year? Couldn’t one be found or have they got stuck in that chair.
Anyway it is something to consider. And it complements my love of Facebook and Instagram. Of course it will deeply embarrass my children. But isn’t that what we’re here for.