Fitness, General Fitness, Personal Training, Workout
It seems that the fifties really could be the new thirties! Figures show that more over-fifties than ever before are entering major sporting events across the UK from bike rides, marathons, charity walks and even triathlons. Forget about settling into a lazy early retirement! Many in their fifties report that they are far more active and in some cases even fitter than they ever were in their 30s and 40s. If age is just a number then you’re really only as old as you feel.
One area that has seen a huge growth with those in their fifties is personal fitness, with more people than ever before turning to a personal trainer to get themselves fit and active again. MotivatePT one of the UK’s largest personal training companies say they have seen a 50% rise in the number of over fifties signing up over the last 4 years. A spokesperson said, “Many people in their fifties have worked hard for much of their life, earning, bringing up children and paying their mortgage. Many now have more leisure time and indeed more disposable income to devote to themselves. Fitness is an area where many want to get personalised support to see rapid health improvements, whilst developing the necessary skills needed to maintain better health for the long term.”
We all know only too well that not exercising regularly can lead to serious health problems at any age, but this can be exacerbated as we move into our fifties. Research suggests that our metabolism slows significantly at this time in our lives, which can result in stubborn weight gain – which means it’s imperative to increase our activity levels. For those that don’t stay active, this can lead to declining mobility making us more prone to a range of health problems from heart disease to early onset arthritis and osteoporosis. But the beauty of fitness is that it’s never too late to begin, and finding a personal trainer seems a popular way to ensure you are working out both safely and correctly for your age, health and abilities.
If you’ve frequented your local gym in the last few years you will no doubt have seen fitness trainers who look young enough to still be in school! But look a little harder and you’ll probably also find trainers that look like they may have been at school with you! That’s because the number of over 50s now qualifying to become a personal fitness trainer has also risen dramatically over the last decade. The main factor driving this trend is the rise in baby-boomers who have taken early retirement or reduced their working hours and are now looking for something they can do to keep themselves active as a second-career. Personal Training it seems offers an excellent opportunity to do this with flexible hours, good income and an active way of life.
No longer just considered a suitable career for the young, the fitness profession is crying out for more trainers in their fifties to fill this growing market sector. With an ageing population, it seems like this is one Industry where life-experience really counts and age isn’t a barrier to entry. Joanna Parsons, a 55 year old from London, qualified as a personal trainer 3 years ago. She says, “I had spent my entire career working in finance in the City and made the decision to drop down to 3 days a week at the age of 50. I wanted to find time to do something that would keep me active and healthy, whilst helping others at the same time, and I had always been interested in fitness. I got myself qualified as a personal trainer, and was amazed at the response from local people of similar age in my area. It was clear that many people of my age group were keen to exercise but felt intimidated by the gym or very young trainers. Yet with someone of their own age to go to for help, they had renewed confidence to exercise again. This has prompted me to specialise in this age group. I now offer personal training and fitness classes to just the over fifties and have never looked back.”
For more information visit MotivatePT
