Eddy began his training career around 22 years ago (Picture: PureGym)
The next time you use your age as an excuse in life, turn your mind to the incredible story of the UK’s oldest personal trainer.
At 78, Edward Diget works as a personal trainer and rehab specialist at PureGym Milton Keynes, and has no desire to wind down his active career.
Despite his age and the fact he’s been living with cancer following a diagnosis three years ago, Eddie doesn’t plan on retiring any time soon.
In fact, he sees his advanced years as a bonus, and hopes to inspire others to keep fit as they get older.
‘It puts me in a unique position as a trainer, my age allows me to be approachable in a way that other younger trainers might not be,’ said Eddy.
‘For example, older women with female-specific problems can feel more comfortable talking to me knowing I have a medical background, than if they were chatting to a 22-year-old newly qualified PT.’
He currently has around 30 clients on his books (Picture: PureGym)
Eddy previously spent 22 years in the Royal Navy, where he worked as a ship’s doctor and eventually became a Lieutenant Surgeon. Having seen it all, he left aged 58 – in his own words, ‘you never had any idea what was going to walk through the door’.
Without a plan of where he was headed next, he moved to Oxford with his wife and ended up acting as an unpaid personal trainer before it became his profession.
What started as offering basic help and training advice to other members of a small gym he frequented, quickly turned into training 10 people every day from 6am to 6pm.
‘One day one of the owners came up to me and said I was really upsetting their personal trainers, so they offered me a job and said I had to start charging for sessions and that was it,’ Eddy commented. ‘Everything really started from there.’
Back in his younger years competing at a bodybuilding competition (Picture: PureGym)
His extensive CV includes 55 years’ experience in martial arts, training SWAT and counter terrorism teams and working as a stuntman, in addition to representing the UK at the 1962 Commonwealth Games. Eddy even trained Roger Moore in Moonraker while honing his own craft under a Shaolin Master.
He says he’s often asked when he wants to retire, but that he loves training people too much to give it all up.
‘I’m passionate about what I do and I’m not ready to stop that anytime soon,’ said Eddy. ‘I believe my age is actually my greatest strength. My grey hair, guide dog (and my zimmer frame) allows me to be approachable.’
He added: ‘Forgetting the financial side entirely, it’s the emotional side of it that keeps me going. I love training people, it keeps me humble!’
Eddy also trained in martial arts under a Shaolin Master (Picture: PureGym)
When it comes to how he stays in shape, Eddy doesn’t follow any strict rules.
‘To be honest, I don’t really swear by anything other than what works for you,’ he said.
‘I do whatever feels right in the moment. Sometimes that’s going out to the garage to take some frustration out on my Muk Yan Chong (a kind of wooden dummy used in martial arts), other times it’s going for a big walk around my local park with my wife.
‘When I used to compete, I would train up to four times a week and really focus each of those workouts on a different body part, but I don’t need to do that now – I simply strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle in the best way that works for me.’
This applies to his diet too.
Eddy explained: ‘I was diagnosed with bowel cancer three years ago, but I don’t eat or drink anything in particular either.
‘We have no hard and fast rules in our house! I eat when I’m hungry, and we eat sensibly – bar the occasional pig out, of course. We love treating ourselves to fish and chips, or a takeaway.’
Eddy’s tips for keeping fit later in life
‘Don’t listen to other people who say you’re too old – follow your desires. Fitness gives you so much more diversity in your own life, and gives you the ability to enjoy your age! Instead of sitting in a chair looking at your grandchildren, you can get your boots on and get out there with them.’
‘There’s nothing you can’t do. If you want to keep fit later in life, my best advice is to just get out there and do it. I have a client with cerebral palsy, he’s in a wheelchair but his progress this year has been phenomenal. I’m humbled every single session as he progresses so much, and it’s because his heart is so invested in his training that even a lack of coordination dictated by medical issues can’t stop him. There’s absolutely nothing you can’t do – I promise!’
Most people would have slowed down after receiving a diagnosis like that, but not Eddy. He credits his healthy lifestyle with helping him get back fighting fit in no time, and hopes others will follow his lead.
‘The surgeon who performed my operation told me he’d never seen a 75-year-old that looked the way I did,’ said Eddy, who currently has 30 clients on his books.
‘I went in on Monday and was discharged on Friday. I really credit that to being in good shape before I went in.
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‘The healthier you are ahead of a big 11-hour surgery like mine, the better your recuperative powers will be afterwards – I truly can’t advocate more for fitness in older people being so important.’
Stephen Rowe, Chief Marketing Officer at PureGym commented: ‘We’re incredibly proud to have Eddy here with us training our members. His extensive life experience coupled with his medical background and the passion he invests in his work makes him a wonderful personal trainer for anyone he trains to achieve their goals.
‘Eddy is living proof that age is simply just a number.’
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Eddy has also spent the last three years living with cancer.