I’ve canvassed around 20 Jewish personal trainers to get their top tips for new year fitness. One clear trend is the huge proliferation of older coaches like David, many of whom are on second or even third careers, and this reflects the number of older people you see in the gym nowadays.
While our parents counted themselves lucky to make it to old age and accepted its encroachments as the price for that, in the 21st century we no longer see infirmity as inevitable, placing our faith in the gym as our ticket to eternal youth. Belief is one thing, but the resolution we make in January can easily falter by March.
Martin Unerman[Missing Credit]
Martin Unerman, 62, a hairdresser since his teens, is now also a personal trainer in Bushey, Watford and London, specialising in cardiac rehabilitation “delivered with empathy and understanding”, and fitness for over 60s. His advice is succinct: “Consistency. Positivity. Commitment.”
The “empathy” mentioned by Martin is another very clear trend in all the feedback I receive. “When I first went to a gym,” says David Baum, “instructors and PTs [personal trainers] tended to shout at you as a form of encouragement.” Those days are over, and the best fitness instructors now agree that understanding and motivation go hand in hand.
Elaine Phillips[Missing Credit]
Formerly in the fashion business, Elaine Phillips, 61, recommends trying to do some exercise every single day “even if it’s just a brisk walk”. She says you should combine aerobic exercise with building strength, and look for a trainer you like, but who will still push you hard.
Elaine specialises in working with more mature people, especially women going through the menopause. She tells me that recently a lot of her clients have asked for advice on maintaining their muscle mass because they are on weight loss jabs.
My respondents were overwhelmingly female. Natalie Gubbay Jackson who practises in her own Override Studios in North Finchley, Borehamwood and Edgware, is on her third career after being a recruitment consultant and events organiser and is still only 46. Natalie puts enjoyment at the heart of everything. She says, “Find a workout you are so excited to go to that you would cancel everything else to do it, make your goals realistic and your exercise non-negotiable – make time for it.”
Natalie GubbayShutterstock
Remote coaching has made support far more accessible to busy people. Bianca Goldsmith of B Fit With B, a relative youngster at 32, is qualified to teach pre- and post-natal fitness. Her online-only clients are spread all over the world including Israel and New York. Bianca says, “My approach reflects Jewish values through its focus on sustainable, slow and steady change, rather than extreme quick fixes. This mirrors Jewish values around balance, patience and long-term wellbeing.”
Bianca Goldsmith[Missing Credit]
Bianca says belonging to a community of like-minded people is the key to motivation, and that it’s not just about physical fitness. “My clients are increasingly seeking tools to manage stress, energy, and mental wellbeing.”
With personal coaches charging anything from £45 to over £100 for a one-to-one session, not everybody can afford the individual approach. A fitness enthusiast since her mid-twenties who is “evangelical about weights” and can lift an extraordinary 110kg, Eve Sacks, 51, says a personal trainer is far from essential, “It’s a bit like saying you need a personal shopper to buy a dress. You don’t.”
Eve believes there are more affordable ways to stick with the programme and set realistic goals. She suggests joining a gym and finding a buddy to make sure you turn up, using one of the free fitness apps like HEVY (others are available) to track your progress, log achievements and interact with other gym users. Books and free websites are good sources of information, but most of all Eve swears by her fitness watch, and a set of “bio” scales which measure body composition as well as weight.
Eve’s enthusiasm for weights reflects a trend away from pure cardiovascular exercise, especially for older people. Building muscles improves bone density, which is key to maintaining mobility as you age.
If you decide that the personal approach would suit you, look for a trainer who is qualified and insured. Though it’s not compulsory for UK coaches to be accredited, it’s a good idea to look for one who holds a qualification to level 2 gym instructing and level 3 personal training, preferably from a reputable body like YMCA or one that is accredited by CIMSPA.
It’s a good sign if a coach offers free try-outs and some like David Baum reserve a limited number of concessionary sessions for low-income clients, so it’s always worth asking.
For those who decide to go for a personal trainer, the choice is highly subjective. I can see why Golan Horesh’s 15,000 Instagram followers would find the Vin Diesel lookalike both inspiring and motivating, with his chiselled six pack, bulging biceps, and a website that uses words like “STRONGER… LEANER… FITTER”. Based in Hertfordshire, his practice is online.
But I suspect that the older or gym-hesitant clientele might feel slightly more comfortable with somebody like former salesman David Baum, who tells me: “For my Jewish male clients I make sure they are simchah-dancing-ready as well as hagbah-ready.” Knowledgeable and encouraging with a twinkle in his eye, I think David twigs that I’m a lot fitter than I’ve admitted, but the injuries we discuss are real and his advice on those is solid. He reminds me of the uncles you chat to at barmitzvahs; he really does want me to get better.
David Baum[Missing Credit]