Luo Fuxing, from Hongshanzui Town in Laohekou, is 88 years old this year. Despite his age, he remains vigorous and passionate about cycling. He often rides alone between Laohekou and Xiangyang, making the round trip in a single day — covering a total distance of over 160 kilometers.
Inspired by Luo Fuxing, more and more people have joined in fitness activities, and he has become a widely known “cycling grandpa.”
Yesterday, a reporter visited Laohekou to learn about Luo Fuxing’s fitness story.
88-Year-Old Man Has Kept Exercising for 30 Years
Luo Fuxing lives in Jiangshan Machinery Factory in Hongshanzui Town, Laohekou. Standing 1.64 meters tall and weighing 120 jin (about 60 kg), he has solid muscles and bright eyes. On the morning of the 22nd, when the reporter first met him, he spoke with a strong voice, clear articulation, and sharp thinking — all of which were surprising.
He said it was thanks to years of exercise. One early morning more than 30 years ago, after his usual morning workout and on his way to work, Luo Fuxing suddenly felt unwell. He experienced dizziness, overall weakness, and double vision. The doctor advised him to rest well.
The stubborn Luo Fuxing was unwilling to stay in bed resting. He started running every morning, covering one kilometer a day. At first, he struggled a bit, needing to rest two or three times midway, and it took him over 30 minutes to finish the run. Whenever he found it hard to keep going, he would motivate himself with the deeds of his colleagues: Old colleague Master Ma had suffered from coronary heart disease but persisted in running every day, and never had another attack afterward.
More than 30 years have passed, and Luo Fuxing’s illness has never recurred. His health has grown better and better. He also developed a passion for cycling, riding a bicycle every day, making two round trips between Hongshanzui and downtown Laohekou.
Turning His Home Into a “Gym”
In his modest two-bedroom, one-living-room home, there is Luo Fuxing’s beloved bicycle, a pair of dumbbells weighing over 9 jin (about 4.5 kg), and another that weighs as much as 42 jin (about 21 kg).
In life, none of these can be missing — they are all treasures to Luo Fuxing. One day, Luo Fuxing noticed an elderly man practicing tai chi. He humbly asked for guidance, learned the movements, and has kept practicing ever since. Not only does he practice diligently himself, but he also teaches his neighbors and friends. “If I don’t exercise for a day, I feel something is missing,” he said in front of the reporter. With a 9-jin dumbbell in each hand, he spontaneously performed a set of dumbbell exercises. As he jumped and twisted, the dumbbells moved up, down, left, and right with nimbleness and rhythm.
Moreover, Luo Fuxing is quite strong — he can lift the 42-jin dumbbell with just a flick of his wrist. Saying so, he voluntarily challenged the male driver accompanying the reporter to an arm-wrestling match. During the contest, he held his own without being at a disadvantage. “One must have health awareness and be diligent in learning,” is the phrase Luo Fuxing repeated most during the interview. He not only said it but also lived it. “Train and maintain well, and you’ll live to a ripe old age without question; neither train nor maintain, and living to 70 with illness is barely enough…” Luo Fuxing usually carries a notebook with him — a self-made health diary filled with many philosophical quotes about wellness and fitness, and even more so, self-penned health-themed humorous poems.
Regularly Cycling from Laohekou to Xiangyang
Among all forms of exercise, Luo Fuxing loves cycling the most. In addition to making two round trips daily between Hongshanzui and downtown Laohekou, whenever he wants to visit friends in Xiangyang, he hops on his bicycle and goes. Departing at dawn, having lunch and chatting with friends at noon, then returning to Hongshanzui in the afternoon — he has kept this up for over 10 years.
Why cycle to Xiangyang? Luo Fuxing said it originally started out of spite. Once, after riding his bicycle from downtown Laohekou back home, he didn’t feel tired at all, so he proudly mentioned it to a neighbor. Unexpectedly, the neighbor retorted, “How about riding all the way to Xiangyang City, and making a same-day round trip?” “No problem!” Luo Fuxing said and did just that. The next day, he rode his bicycle and made three round trips between Hongshanzui and Laohekou. After getting ready, on the third day, he cycled to Xiangyang City, making a same-day round trip — covering a total of over 160 kilometers.
Since then, Luo Fuxing has frequently cycled to Xiangyang City to visit friends and children. “Generally, I ride to Xiangyang City more often between spring and autumn.” Riding his bicycle, Luo Fuxing looks very content and moves with agility.
He said that in early winter last year, he cycled to Xiangyang again. The trip there went smoothly, taking five hours. But on the way back, he encountered strong winds, forcing him to ride against the wind and take multiple breaks along the way. It took him six and a half hours to get home. “Winter cycling comes with many limiting factors.” Recently, he hasn’t been cycling to Xiangyang but still keeps up his rides to downtown Laohekou.
Luo Fuxing said that when spring blossoms arrive, he will cycle to Xiangyang again. “One must keep learning, exercising, and living vibrantly as long as they live. I will keep cycling forever.”