In China, women aged 89 and 91 regularly lift weights at a gym

In China, two elderly sisters, aged 89 and 91, regularly go to the gym and do weightlifting exercises. They say the workouts have become part of their lifestyle and help them stay physically active.

One of the athletes, 91-year-old Chen Yumei, said she was inspired to take up the sport by her younger sister's successes, as well as by her husband's request. The elderly man worries that after his death, his wife will have a hard time coping alone:

At home, I cook and feed my husband, so I shoulder a lot of the responsibilities. But my younger sister, who comes here for training, is achieving good results, so she and my daughter convinced me to train here. My husband is already in his final years, but he still asked me to come to the gym because he's worried I won't be able to cope on my own. I also decided that I wanted to be healthy, so I came here.

Yumei said her working weight is 45 kilograms. Chen Pao-er, another Taipei gym-goer, has a slightly lower result—30:

People asked me, "Grandma, can you lift 30 kg?" I replied, "Of course I can! No problem!" People doubted me, saying, "Really? Can you do it?" And I said, "Don't worry. I really can." So I lift up to 30 kg.

It's important to note that all training sessions are adapted to the athletes' advanced age and are conducted under the close supervision of instructors.

Sports for the elderly is part of a program to support Taiwan's "super-aging" society. Public fitness centers operate throughout the country, and many gyms have special areas for seniors.

In this way, the government ensures the prevention of age-related diseases in the population and enables people to remain active members of society for as long as possible.