This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ng Bee Kia, an 80-year-old retiree living in Singapore. It has been translated from Mandarin and edited for length and clarity.
I was in my 20s when I started weightlifting.
At that time, I was working at the warehouse for a local supermarket chain. One of my colleagues was a weightlifter who had won gold medals for Singapore at international competitions.
He noticed my physique and encouraged me to take up the sport.
Together with another colleague, we would head over to his place to train whenever we were free after work. We trained seriously and consistently, and over time, my skills improved enough for me to start competing in various weightlifting tournaments.
I represented Singapore at the 1971 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games in Kuala Lumpur, where I won bronze. When Singapore hosted the Games two years later, I returned to compete and won silver.
I eventually outgrew the sport. I fell in love and got married, and life got in the way. For a long stretch after that, I wasn’t exercising as much as I used to.
Retirement made me start exercising again
After I retired, life at home felt empty. I had too much time and nothing to do, so I started exercising again.
My exercises are very simple. I do arm curls, dips, and some dumbbell exercises. Exercising helped me relax, and it gave my days some structure again.
Sometime in the early 2010s, I was approached to take part in a photo exhibition for a healthy-aging festival organized by my town council. The organizers were looking for older adults who stayed active, and at the time I was exercising regularly at a fitness corner near my home.
After that, I began volunteering at the senior citizens’ gym at the community center. The gym had been upgraded to include traditional weights and weight machines, and because of my weightlifting background, I helped out by guiding others on how to use the weights safely.
A few of us who volunteered at the gym gradually became known for staying active, and eventually we took on the name Team Strong Silvers.
These days, I usually work out in the mornings, and again in the afternoons if I have the time. Outside of exercise, my life is quite simple. I spend time at home, do some housework, and watch YouTube.
My breakfast is the same every day: I eat oatmeal with hot milk. For lunch, things are more flexible. My wife and I have been married for 40 years and live on our own, so we usually cook simple meals for ourselves. Until recently, we lived with our son, who has since moved into his own flat.
I rarely eat fast food. I also don’t smoke or drink at all. It’s a bit ironic; I spent years working for a cigarette wholesaler, but I never picked up the habit myself.
Two years ago, I underwent a spinal stabilization surgery due to lumbar spine stenosis and suffered from post-operative complications. After I was discharged from the hospital, I lost a lot of muscle and became very skinny.
Last year, I also went for a total knee replacement surgery, which went well.
These days, I avoid movements that place a heavy strain on the lower body. Instead, I focus on improving my stability and mobility. I do the same upper-body exercises, just with less intensity, and now incorporate dumbbells into my workouts.
I walk with a cane now, and I’m also scheduled to have surgery on my other knee in a few months.
I don’t believe that just because we’re old, we can’t move anymore. We can’t do every kind of exercise, but basic movements are fine. We have to rely on ourselves. If we can do something, then we should do it.
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