People aged 60 and above are considered as ‘senior citizens’. In many countries, they are entitled to various benefits, such as discounts on food, transportation, services, and many other things.
For many, being old also equates to being slow and having an old, wrinkled weak body but one grandpa in China proves that this is not always the case.
Meet Xinmin Yang, 69 years old – and rocking a superb physique that would make you think he is just in his 40s, perhaps even late 30s!
The old but young-looking grandpa was recently featured by Chinese fitness media company Change Production. The company supposedly aims to “authentic, preeminent and intriguing Western fitness culture to more Chinese young people” but it seems that even the old ones have joined the movement and rocking ripped bodies that would make many young men feel a tad bit jealous.
But Xinmin is actually not a newbie in the bodybuilding world. He didn’t just become a bodybuilder in his old age.
It was back in 1984 that Xinmin began taking up the sport. This came just a year after the country hosted its first ever national bodybuilding championships.
What many people did not know is that bodybuilding had been previously banned in China since 1953 because the Communist Party believes it was a “bourgeois practice that was unproductive and narcissistic.” Ouch.
But after the ban was lifted in 1983, a lot of people have since enjoyed bodybuilding.
“Over the years, I have a lived a healthy life because of bodybuilding training. So I should be grateful for what I have achieved in bodybuilding and promote [it] so that more people are willing to participate in bodybuilding training,” Xinmin announced in the video.
He also revealed that he stuck to a stringent diet plan even in his youth.
“For breakfast, I usually have tomatoes, cucumber, oatmeal, eggs and some chicken breast. I’ve been eating like this for almost 10 years,” the bodybuilder shared.
A lot of people don’t really believe Xinmin when he tells them he’s 69!
Today, he’s not just a bodybuilder, he has also become a coach, training others to enjoy this healthy sport. Even his wife has become one of his students!
His next goal? To train and still be a bodybuilder at age 80!
Image credits: Change Production / YouTube