Granny wows crowd at weightlifting tilt in Taiwan
TAIPEI—Cheng Chen Chin-Mei beamed broadly as she hoisted a 77-pound weightlifting bar to her waist, dropped it and waved confidently to an enthusiastic crowd in a competition in Taipei.
The 90-year-old Cheng Chen 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 those who watched Cheng Chen and 44 others who were 70 years old and above to participate in a weightlifting competition on Saturday.
In the three-round competition, Cheng Chen lifted as much as 99 pounds, 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,” she told Reuters after the competition. “You don’t need to work extremely hard, but this is to stay healthy.”
‘Super-aged society’
She was not the only nonagenarian in the competition. The oldest participant was 92.
Taiwan is projected to become a “super-aged society” next year, with 20 percent or more of its 23 million people age 65 or older, according to National Development Council data.
The government has set up fitness centers 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 organized the event.
It can help prevent muscle loss and minimize the risk of falls, he told Reuters during a training session with Cheng Chen last week.
Feeling lighter
During the workout, Cheng Chen said weight training has helped with some of her health issues. “My shoulders have become lighter after some time of continuous workouts,” she said.
For her performance, she won only a medal and a certificate. But she also received the adulation of the crowd and the chance to wave like a superstar.
