Weightlifting Taiwan granny, 90, garners cheers, health benefits at gym

Taipei: Cheng Chen Chin-Mei beamed broadly as she hoisted a 35-kg (77-pound) weightlifting bar to her waist, dropped it and waved confidently to the enthusiastic crowd in a competition in Taipei.

Cheng Chen, 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 Chen and 44 others aged 70 or over in a weightlifting competition on Saturday.

In the three-round competition, Cheng Chen lifted as much as 45 kg (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," Cheng Chen told Reuters after the competition. "You don't need to work extremely hard, but this is to stay healthy."

Cheng Chen 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 per cent 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 told Reuters during a training session with Cheng Chen this week.

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.

Cheng Chen won only a medal and a certificate for her performance but received the adulation of the crowd and the chance to wave like a superstar.