HOW TO GET A BODY LIKE BRUTON'S
As the former minister shows off his six pack, take the plunge with our expert tips
IT WAS the perfect distraction for a depressingly dreary summer morning — a surprise video of former minister Richard Bruton in his swimming trunks, revealing himself to be the Adonis of Dollymount Strand.
Naturally it went viral, more than 358,000 views so far, and there was just one question on everyone’s lips; just how did this 67-year-old get that incredible six-pack?
After all, up until recently we’ve been more used to our politicians being flabby than fabulous. Long work hours and poor diets have often taken their toll on Dáil members’ waistlines. There are always exceptions — Taoiseach Micheal Martin has longextolled the virtues of a healthy lifestyle, while Tániste Leo Varadkar made the decision a couple of years ago to lay off the pints and hit the pavement instead, losing an impressive three stone.
But while it was always clear Bruton (younger brother of former taoiseach John Bruton) was slender and fit, especially for a man approaching 70, it was something of a shock to learn he’s been hiding a seriously buff bod, the kind many men half his age would kill for.
The comparisons and quips came thick and fast on social media. From dubbing him Fine Gael’s answer to Mick Jagger or Daniel Craig in those blue trunks, to a particularly popular tweet from Aoife-Grace Moore: ‘Richard Bruton has more abs than Labour has TDs.’
For a video that was supposed to simply showcase Bruton’s constituency and raise awareness about tax breaks available to those holidaying at home this summer, it certainly got the clicks. Party colleagues following behind him, hoping to make a similar splash will have to think of something pretty spectacular of their own to reveal.
BRUTON has taken the scrutiny of his physique (which a few have claimed is objectification, pointing out that if he was a female politician people would be up in arms at some of the comments) in his stride.
He explained that while he doesn’t go to the gym, he does regularly exercise and perhaps most importantly, watches his diet.
‘I spent ten years in earnest policy making and the day I take off to talk about the great places to visit on our doorstep is when I get all the attention,’ he told a reporter. ‘I am surprised at how it’s taken off. I’ll have to lie low for a while.’
Before slinking off however, he explained that no matter how busy his job is, he always finds time for exercise.
‘I am definitely a believer in fitness,’ he said. ‘It’s good for general mental outlook, as well as fitness, so I am always building it into my diary.
‘I am very lucky to have facilities on my doorstep. I run round St Anne’s Park. I cycle to and from work and Dublin City Council have made it much safer to cycle in the city. I swim off the Bull Wall jetty in the summer season. And I love to cook.’
Indeed his Instagram is testament to his passion for freshly cooked food, filled with photos of great big colourful salads, home baked breads and wholesome dishes of fish and vegetables, with the odd pizza thrown in.
It’s clear from photographs down through the years that Bruton has always kept himself in shape. So a lot of us may be thinking we’ve left it too late pull our socks up and enjoy a similar level of health and fitness.
However, personal trainer and director of the Nikafit Studios in Co Wicklow, Niall Mullen, insists it’s never too late to turn your life around. He believes anyone can have a body like Bruton’s — you just have to get the ‘energy balance’ right.
‘The only reason someone gains weight or falls out of shape, is that they’re consuming more calories than they’re expending,’ he explains. ‘The laws of energy balance still apply regardless of what age you are. It’s still very possible to stay in shape as you get older as long as you look after your nutrition and do exercise. That’s obviously what Richard does.’ Mullen has plenty of experience working with older clients, so is a bit of an authority on what works for the ageing body.
‘There’s chronological age, how old you actually are, and then there’s biological age, how old your body is,’ he explains. ‘You can get two people who are both 67 but if one has been drinking and smoking and not looking after themselves, their biological age is going to be a lot older than the 67 year old who gets their 10,000 steps each day, swims a couple of times a week and is quite active.
‘There can be a massive difference, and those gaps get bigger as you get older.
‘I actually started out my career training older people. It was great to see the improvement in their quality of life as they start to train. As they were getting older, they generally start to lose mobility.
‘One of the first things to go is the upper body rotation and when that goes you have to stop driving because you can no longer check your blind spot in the car. It’s amazing to see how adding some upper body rotational exercises could allow someone to drive again perfectly.
‘And then there were the clients who gained back their independence, a number of the people I worked with couldn’t walk to the shops any more, they were afraid if they’d fall over they wouldn’t be able to get back up. Or they just didn’t have the stamina. After a few weeks of gradually building up some basic strength levels they’d get back their independence.
‘Training and looking after your health and fitness can really prolong your independence, it’s an amazing gift to get back to someone. You also become much more resistant to injuries. Added to that, it helps circulation, heart health and to maintain weight. People become stronger in general, and that’s really rewarding to see.’
But what about Bruton’s six-pack, the abdominal muscles on his torso that are so impressively defined? Surely they demand a punishing daily routine of stomach crunches to develop?
‘There’s a saying that goes: “abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym.” We all have abdominal muscles, they are there,’ explains Mullen. ‘But you could train all week and you still won’t be able to see them if your diet isn’t right. There’s another expression; “You can’t out-train a bad diet.”
‘For Richard to have those relatively low levels of body fat, where you can see his stomach muscles, he has to be looking after his nutrition. He must be at what we call a ‘calorie maintenance level,’ where his output equals his expenditure.’
SWIPING through Bruton’s Instagram account, where he regularly posts up photos of his meals, Mullen is impressed with his culinary skills and choices.
‘Some really nice vegetable salads, and fish is a great source of protein,’ he notes. ‘He’s definitely into his cooking, which is great. He’s looking after both pieces of the puzzle — exercise and fuelling his body in the right way, which is why he’s in good shape at the age of 67.
‘As you get older protein is a big part of looking after your nutrition, studies show that increasing your protein intake helps mitigate against muscle mass loss as you get older, it can actually reverse the process.
‘The daily recommended levels are one to two grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. And the more protein you have in your diet, the more you have for muscle growth and repair. You’ll find them in
lean meats, nut sources, lentils, dairy is good for it, protein supplements as well. Someone looking after their diet should be looking for low calorie, high protein sources of food.’
Mullen knows that it’s never too late to start.
‘We have quite a few older clients in their 60s and older, the oldest at the moment is 74 but we’ve had as old as 85 before,’ he says. ‘No matter what your age, it all comes down to energy balance and from what Richard said this week, it’s clear he’s very active.
‘He cycles and swims quite a bit and that’s really good for energy expenditure, the more you move, the more of a favourable position you’re going to be in for that energy balance.
‘Most people gain weight as they get older because they become more sedentary, they’re not as active. Trying to stay as active as possible is key, inactivity is correlated with reduced metabolic rate, reduced muscle mass levels, reduced overall calorie expenditure, all of which lends itself to you becoming weaker, you’re not as mobile. If you can maintain fitness levels, you can get back those qualities that people lose automatically as they older.
‘There’s no real science that says as you get older you get weaker and start to gain weight, but there is science and research that shows inactivity can lead to decline in muscle mass levels. It’s a lifestyle choice, it’s as simple as that.
‘The lower your muscle mass is, the lower your metabolism gets, you burn less calories at rest. For someone to lose weight, they have to be in a calorie deficit, they have to take in less calories that they expend on a daily basis.’
When training older clients, Mullen and his teams at his Greystones and Kilcoole studios, follow some simple rules.
‘We avoid high impact exercises, like jumping, and focus on mobility and movement quality,’ he says. ‘Also aerobic exercises and general strength and stability.’ And he really does believe that your age and current fitness levels are irrelevant to getting good results.
‘Some people are more predisposed than others to being in shape,’ he says. ‘However, everybody, no matter who they are, can get into good shape. We tell our all our clients; “You’re not a medical mystery, the same rules of energy balance apply to everyone.” And if you’re not making the progress you want to, then you’re still over consuming calories.
‘Everybody can get into the same kind of shape Richard’s in, no matter what age they are. It might take some people longer than others, because of their genetics, experience and current ability. But everyone can get there, especially with the help of a proper professional, because if you don’t know what you’re doing, it probably will take longer.
‘But everyone can get fit and healthy like Richard. We recommend people to move as much as possible outside the gym, maybe have a daily step count that you’re working towards.
‘And start by doing some mobility based exercises to loosen the body up first, followed by basic lower body exercises, like a box squat or chair squat where you stand up and lower yourself back down slowly again.’
HE PARTICULARLY recommends one of Richard Bruton’s favourite pastimes, sea swimming.
‘The cold water is amazing for your circulation, and it’s a total body exercise, you’re keeping yourself afloat while using every muscle in your body. Added to that there’s a great release of endorphins, it’s called the swimmers high and it’s fantastic, that’s why most people do it.
‘Even if I only have one spare minute, I’ll still get in the sea because without fail, I always feel so good afterwards.’
Turns out there’s a good scientific reason for following Richard down to Dollymount Strand.
‘Research that shows cold water swimming stimulates the production of brown fat cells,’ says Mullen. ‘Which means the temperature stays elevated for a long time after getting out of the water, so that increases your metabolic rate, you’re burning more calories even after getting out of the
water.’ Another reason Bruton might love it so much, is that plunging yourself into a freezing sea can help wash away the stresses and strains of daily life.
‘It’s great for your mind-set,’ says Mullen. ‘It’s a really good way of being present. When you jump into the sea, you’re into survival mode, it’s all you’re focusing on. You get great peace of mind, regardless of how long you’re in there for.
‘All you’re doing is focusing on that, living in the moment. We could all do with more of that.’