Those of us without the benefit of an army of personal trainers and nutritionists tried a clever twist and renamed our sad, pale, burly physiques the Dad Bod. But who were we kidding when 50-year-olds like George Clooney, Gary Lineker and Paul Rudd proved that age is no longer an excuse?
So here we are, in the middle of a heat wave, getting ready for beaches and pools, swimsuits at the ready, beset with anxiety because it’s time to get a beach body, a daunting task in any season of life, but especially terrifying for those over 50. .
At least that’s how I felt when my wife informed me that she had booked a holiday in Croatia and was giving me a few weeks to get myself in order. I was luckier than some. I’m a regular gym goer and keep fit, but like many older men, I fall apart when faced with beer and chocolate. Unfortunately, no matter how many miles you run, you can’t outrun a bad diet. But with some clever tricks and hacks, can you outwit him temporarily? It was at this point that I decided to give it a try. Face, body, the works. Bring it…
The fat zapper
So here I am at Vive Fitness in the heart of central London, rubber-glued, using a space-age exercise system called the Miha Bodytec Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS), advertised as a “highly effective training method and time-efficient for increasing muscle strength and mass while reducing body fat.”
The comfortable EMS vest is dotted with electrodes that fit the major muscle groups of the chest, stomach, upper and lower back; participants also wear straps equipped with electrodes around their buttocks (buttocks), thighs and arms.
The entire system is connected by wires that feed currents from the control console via the electrical umbilical cord, and each electrode provides pulsed electrical stimulation to the muscles it is pressed against, causing them to contract.
The stronger the electrical impulse, the harder the muscle works. Everything is controlled by a personal trainer, who guides the participant through a set of individual exercises, controlling the intensity of contractions to meet capacity.
The result is a short, intense and targeted muscle workout, without any strain on the joints or tendons. For this reason, the system is a good choice for the elderly and anyone with a non-muscle injury. In Germany, where it was developed, there are more than 2,000 EMS studios.
Fraser Smith, co-founder and COO of Vive Fitness, is my personal trainer for the session. It explains the benefits for people who want to get in shape but don’t have the time or desire to go to the gym every day.