Perth summer arrives with a bang. The evenings stretch out, the days heat up and that little voice whispers: “this year I will finally get fit.”
For many mature Western Australians, it is a familiar promise. There have been gym sign ups, new walking shoes, maybe even a boot camp or two, yet by February life and the heat often nudge those plans aside.
Perth fitness coach and former critical care nurse Chris Nayna has watched that cycle for years. With nearly two decades in health and fitness, he now coaches clients at Adapt Health Club in Claremont. His message for people in mid and later life is simple: stop chasing the perfect and aim for small, repeatable habits.
“People love the New Year buzz,” he explains. “But everyone who has stuck with fitness long term knows consistency wins every time.”
Why resolutions fizzle and how to change the script.
Many people go from almost no exercise to planning six intense sessions a week and quickly end up sore, tired and discouraged.
“Most of the time the bar is just set too high,” Chris notes. “If you have not trained for a while, doubling your sessions overnight is not realistic.”
For someone returning to movement after a break, a good month might simply mean moving from one session a week to two, or adding a couple of short walks and a light strength session to the week.
Perth’s heat adds another challenge, so it helps to get moving early in the day. If you live with heart, joint or other health issues, it is sensible to check in with your GP before making big changes.
On low energy days he encourages people to adjust the plan rather than abandon it. A 10 to 15 minute walk, some gentle stretches or a few balance drills at the kitchen bench still count.
Making movement part of the furniture.
The people who keep going are not always the fittest. More often they are the ones who weave movement into everyday life.
“It helps to be specific,” Chris explains. Instead of saying, “I will get fit this year”, he suggests something like, “I will walk for 20 minutes after breakfast on three weekdays.”
Tying exercise to something you already do, such as morning tea, walking the dog or meeting friends, makes it easier to remember.
He also suggests planning for the wobbles, those weeks when it is too hot, the grandkids are staying or work gets busy. Rather than deciding you have failed and giving up, scale back for a few days and then step back up when life settles.
Strength, balance and reaction time for everyday life.
When he talks about later life, Chris does not start with gym machines. He starts with everyday tasks such as getting out of a chair, hanging washing, lifting shopping and stepping off a kerb.
“A good base is built on simple patterns,” he says. “Squatting, lunging, pushing, pulling, rotating, bending and bracing the core.”
Sometimes that means careful support and lighter loads. In other cases, long term clients surprise themselves.
“I have people in their 70s out-lifting some of my 30 year olds,” he laughs. “The strength is there, they just need confidence and good technique.”
Two quieter heroes are reaction time and proprioception, the body’s sense of balance and position in space. Training these can lower the risk of trips and falls and help someone feel steadier.
“Reaction and balance work are vital as we age,” Chris explains. “They are just as important as strength.”
You do not need special gear to begin. Standing on one leg at the kitchen bench while you brush your teeth, lightly holding on if needed, is a simple way to wake up your balance. Gently tossing and catching a ball with a friend or grandchild does the same for reaction time. The aim is a mix of strength, balance, coordination and quick reactions so everyday life feels more secure.
Confidence, community and a gentle on-ramp.
Fear is a common barrier. A sore back from years ago, a fall or a knee replacement can leave people wary of moving at all.
“When we are hurt, it is natural to avoid the thing that scared us,” Chris acknowledges. “The problem is, if we never go back there in a safe, gradual way, we never get stronger in those positions.”
Community helps.
Training with others adds social connection as well as accountability.
“There is something powerful about knowing people are expecting you,” he says.
For anyone who finds gyms intimidating, he suggests looking for a structured on-ramp rather than jumping straight into a busy class. At his own club this takes the form of a short Foundation Builder block, several one-to-one sessions focused on the basics and building a simple program.
“By the end, people know what they are doing and they feel comfortable doing it,” he explains.
If you are not near Claremont, look for a trainer, physio or community gym that offers something similar, a handful of personalised sessions to teach the fundamentals and send you away with a plan.
Food, habits and a kinder New Year.
Chris encourages people to pair movement with straightforward food habits, more whole foods, enough protein and plenty of water in the heat, rather than strict diets or detox fads.
If readers took only one idea from his approach, it would be this:
“Set your habits up for success,” he says. “What you do every day is what shapes your future. And it is never too late to make those small changes.”
Do one thing now: choose a single, gentle habit, perhaps a morning walk before the day heats up, a balance drill at the kitchen bench, or phoning a friend to be a movement buddy, and give it a quiet, steady chance this year.
