90-year-old Taiwanese elderly weightlifter challenges fitness stereotypes
World
After being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, Cheng Chen discovered benefits of weight training
TAIPEI (Reuters) – The crowd erupted in cheers as 90-year-old Cheng Chen Chin-Mei lifted a 35 kg (77 lb) bar with ease, beaming with confidence as she waved to the audience.
Surrounded by three generations of her loving family, Cheng Chen was one of 45 spirited participants who took part in a unique weightlifting competition in Taipei, designed specifically for seniors aged 70 and above.
After being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, Cheng Chen discovered the benefits of weight training, which helped improve her posture, thanks to the encouragement of her granddaughter, who motivated her to start in August 2023.
"I want to tell all the old people to join the workout, you don't need to work extremely hard but this is to maintain health,” Cheng Chen said after the competition.
During the three-round competition on Saturday, Cheng Chen lifted 35, 40 and 45 kg.
LKK Wellness, the organising company that hosted the competition, said the event aims to help members of Taipei’s ageing population, adding that elderly participants can prevent muscle loss and reduce the risk of falling through regular weight training.
"Hex bar deadlifting is an easy workout, it is similar to squatting or sitting down and standing up. When we lift heavy weights it will help to trigger the muscles that contract at a faster pace, this is also the muscle group that usually degenerates among the elderly population,” said LKK Wellness’ head coach Cheng Yu-shao during a training session with Cheng Chen earlier this week.
The Taiwanese government has established fitness centres with sports equipment suitable for the elderly population across the island to encourage them to participate in staying active, the Health Promotion Administration (HPA), an authority that promotes healthy lifestyle under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said in a press release.
For 90-year-old Cheng Chen, the workout has helped heal some of her long-term health issues, despite her trying to give up at an early stage.
“I feel that my shoulders have become lighter after some time of continuous workout,” she said.
Taiwan is projected to become a 'super-aged society' in 2025 with at least 20 percent of its total 23 million people aged 65-years-old and above, according to data released by the National Development Council in October.
"We spent a lot of time communicating with them (the elderly). Holding this competition is a way of communicating with them, so they can come to see it for themselves, see how the elderly people in their 70s, 80s or even 90s can lift hex bars with up to 80 kg of weight,” said Huang Yuan Chieh, who owns LKK Wellness.
