Ambrose has never felt stronger. He can barbell back squat 145 kilograms for four sets of six repetitions and bench-press more than 100kg for a single rep. His friends and colleagues notice that his clothes fit tighter and, where he waxes lyrical about the benefits of picking up heavy things alongside his personal trainer who calls him “G-dog”.
And strength-training should appeal to bankers, as the payoff in terms of wellbeing – and ultimately longevity – can be profound.The good news is Ambrose is increasingly preaching to the choir. When we Zoomed in January, he said clients and colleagues pepper him with questions about his routine and that “recently it’s been very difficult to find a free squat rack in the Goldman gym”., where an annual membership costs up to $US36,000 .
A decade ago, it was rare to see women doing strength training. Partly this was due to a misperception that doing cardio was the best way to lose weight. In fact, having more muscle increases metabolic activity, meaning you burn more calories throughout the day. “Meditation can be hard for some finance types. But if you are squatting with 100kg on your back, I guarantee you are not worrying about your next meeting. You’re thinking: I’ve got to stand up now or this bar will crush me.”