I’m a 70-year-old grandfather with six-pack abs — here’s my fitness routine
A Chinese man made sure he always had hydration on hand while he worked out — by carrying a 5.2-gallon water jug when he went for a run.
Zou Heping would complete the grueling routine at 5:30 a.m., before going to work at 8 a.m. Now 70, the grandfather with six-pack abs scales a 2,200-foot mountain with ease.
“Life lies in running, and the most important thing is to exercise, preserve your fitness, and develop a good lifestyle,” Heping told the South China Morning Post last week.
Heping’s love for running began 45 years ago, in 1979, when he read about the benefits of the sport in a magazine.
He began running uphill — now his regimen includes weighted pull-ups, rope or pole climbing, handstands, and frog-jumping the 2,500-plus steps from the base of Gele Mountain to the summit in an hour.
He crawls back down alligator-style in 50 minutes.
“Crawling doesn’t hurt the knees, it trains limb coordination,” Heping, who hails from Chongqing city in southwest China, explained to the South China Morning Post.
He also credits his success to avoiding alcohol and cigarettes for four decades and going to bed early.
Social media users praised his incredible fitness.
“Being able to move on the ground like is very good for keeping our mobility sharp. Love to see this being put out in the world more, the key to keeping the body young,” one Instagrammer cheered.
“No way he’s 70 lmao 50 at most,” another laughed.
“Dude is a spider,” a third declared.
University of Kentucky researchers determined a 155-pound person can burn 633 calories an hour by climbing hills while carrying over 42 pounds (5 gallons is about 42 pounds). The same person can burn 563 calories an hour by mountain climbing.
If shimmying up major tourist attractions isn’t your thing, there are other unconventional exercises to try to stay in shape.
A 30-year-old California mom says she gained control over her life by practicing taekwondo twice a week, while a 32-year-old NYC dad says he shed nearly 80 pounds by jumping rope.