Cheng Chen Chin-Mei beamed broadly as she hoisted a 35kg weightlifting bar to her waist, dropped it and waved confidently to the enthusiastic crowd in a competition in Taipei.
Cheng, 90, has been pumping iron since last year, encouraged by her granddaughter to take up the sport after she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
She credits the regimen with helping to fix her posture.
Three generations of her family were among a couple of hundred people watching Cheng and 44 others aged 70 or over in a weightlifting competition on Saturday.
In the three-round competition, Cheng lifted as much as 45kg using a hexagonal-shaped bar that is said to allow the lifter more stability and options for gripping.
“I want to tell all the old people to join the workout,” Cheng said after the competition.
“You don’t need to work extremely hard, but this is to stay healthy.”
Cheng was not the only nonagenarian in the competition. The oldest participant is 92.
Taiwan is projected to become a “super-aged society” next year, with 20% or more of its 23 million people aged 65 or older, according to National Development Council data.
The government has set up fitness centres across the island with equipment suitable for older people to encourage them to train, according to the Health Promotion Administration, which encourages healthy lifestyles.
“The hex bar dead-lift is an easy workout. It is similar to squats or sitting down and standing up,” said Cheng Yu-shao, head coach at LKK Wellness, which organised the event.
It can help prevent muscle loss and minimise the risk of falls, he said during a training session with Cheng this week.
During the workout, Cheng said weight training has helped with some of her health issues.
“My shoulders have become lighter after some time of continuous workouts,” she said.
While Cheng won only a medal and a certificate for her performance, she also received the adulation of the crowd and the chance to wave like a superstar. — Reuters
