Play: The True Elixir of Life

‘Play’ really is the elixir of life.

Think about all the things we do for entertainment:

• We watch people play sport.
• We watch musicians play music.
• Comedy is a form of play.
• Somebody in flow creating art? That’s pure play, too.

When we were younger, play was second nature. We climbed trees, played football until it got dark, or spent hours on the trampoline without even thinking about it.

But as we got older, we started to drop it. Work took over. Responsibilities piled up. Life got “serious.”

Play Keeps Us Young

Beyond entertainment, play keeps us young — physically and mentally.

The mental agility needed to learn new skills is crucial for staying sharp as we age. Just as importantly, it allows us to keep up with our loved ones and say “yes” to more of life’s spontaneous moments.

Being fit and healthy, in my opinion, is one of the biggest enablers of play.

Fitness as a Gateway to Play

• It lets us take up golf or padel without worrying about putting our back out.
• It lets us win that race at the kids’ school sports day without tearing a hamstring (think of the clout that will give the kids).
• It means we jump in the pool on holiday without a second thought about how we look.
• When you reach peak middle age and proudly add “Munro bagger” to your Instagram bio, you only have to worry about the social shaming — not whether your knees can handle it!

Beyond Looking Fit: Actually Being Fit

A big mindset shift in your 30s,40s and beyond is realising that looking “fit” doesn’t always mean being fit.

To truly support a life full of play, we need:

• Strength to lift, carry, and move with confidence.
• Mobility to keep our joints happy and allow us to move freely, without pain or hesitation.
• Resilience, that magical blend of endurance and mental toughness, to keep us going without breaking down.

By balancing these three pillars, you build a body that’s not just ready for the gym — but ready for life.

Fitness That Fits Around Your Life (Not Takes Over It)

Gone are the days when you needed to spend two hours a day in the gym to be “fit enough.”

Instead, effective training today looks like:

• Three focused sessions a week that combine strength and mobility.
• Keeping active outside the gym — chasing your kids, walking the dog, hiking with friends.
• Building in activities or challenges outside the gym that keep you motivated and remind you why you train in the first place.
• Programming that adapts to your schedule, travel plans, and all the curveballs life throws at you.

This approach builds a body that isn’t just gym-strong, but life-strong. A body that enables you to keep playing — for as long as possible.

*I should add that for many of our members the gym itself actually becomes a place for ‘play’.

The physical and mental challenge of learning new skills, pushing ourself and having social relationships in a small group format replaces the gap sport or art may have once played.