Grandma Yang performs challenging moves on the parallel bars.
Grandma Yang shows off her arm muscles.
Xi’an News Network – Xi’an Evening News reports “...18, 19, 20!” Perhaps 20 push-ups are a piece of cake for young people, but when an 80-year-old grandma completes them after doing more than ten round trips on the cargo net and over 100 swings on the parallel bars, you’ll definitely be giving this grandma a thumbs-up.
She doesn’t wear a cotton-padded coat all winter
Early yesterday morning, at the public fitness corridor in Tang City Ruins Park, reporters met 80-year-old Grandma Yang Fengwu, a native of Sichuan, who is known among local morning exercisers as a “fitness enthusiast.”
Although the morning was still cool, Grandma Yang wore very little — a dark green short-sleeved T-shirt plus a thin outer layer, a pair of fitness pants, and a pair of hiking sneakers made up her entire workout outfit. Grandma Yang has a very solid build, giving off the vibe of a seasoned athlete. “I don’t wear a cotton-padded coat all winter. The thermal underwear and cashmere coats my daughter bought me have never been worn — they’re still brand new in the closet,” the elderly woman said as she took off her coat and got ready to “get to work.” She first did some light exercises on the simple fitness equipment in the square. “Don’t rush, this is just her warm-up. The real skills are coming soon,” said Mr. Li, who was also exercising nearby, to the reporter.
Grandma Yang shows off her arm muscles
Everyone calls her a fitness enthusiast
After a brief warm-down, the elderly woman first headed to the cargo net in the fitness corridor. She grabbed the cargo net and did more than ten round trips in one go, then swung back and forth over 100 times on the parallel bars, and even held a one-minute handstand. Describing her as light as a swallow and agile would be no exaggeration. People coming to exercise in the corridor all turned their attention to this senior “fitness enthusiast,” and the crowd of onlookers grew larger and larger. “Seeing an elderly person do so many challenging moves makes me feel like I’m not doing enough,” said Xiao Zhang, one of the onlookers, casting an admiring glance at Grandma Yang. “The grandma can handle the parallel bars, the cargo net, and push-ups — we all call her a ‘fitness enthusiast,’” said a woman who was exercising nearby.
Although she is already 80 years old, Grandma Yang is still “sharp as ever.” After completing a series of exercises, she actually went on to do push-ups. The bystanders helped count along, and after finishing 20 push-ups, the crowd burst into applause. Many expressed their desire to learn from her and asked for her exercise secrets.
Grandma Yang does round trips on the cargo net with remarkable agility.
Due to long-term training on the parallel bars and cargo net, the elderly woman’s hands have developed thick calluses. “I’ve been exercising since I was 65 and have never stopped. I get up at 5 a.m. every morning to work out,” Grandma Yang said cheerfully to everyone.
When meeting people who came to seek her “advice,” the elderly woman said excitedly, “Machines rust if not used, and muscles atrophy and bones stiffen if you don’t move. I love exercising. Whenever I have time, I work out. At home, I like to play music while doing housework. Elderly people shouldn’t always think that they’re old and can’t do anything. As long as you love to move, age is not an issue.” With that, she also showed off her strong arm muscles.
It is understood that Grandma Yang traveled to Tibet when she was 70 years old, and participated in the city wall marathon last winter. She especially loves football, enjoys watching the European Championship and the World Cup, and is a fan of soccer stars like Maradona, Beckham, and Messi.
Around 9 a.m., already drenched in sweat, Grandma Yang tidied up briefly and waved to everyone saying, “I’m done exercising. Now I need to go back and do some housework.”