(REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko)Former bodybuilder Claude Maphosa founded the boxing program for senior women about four years ago and now works as their coach. "I've never trained somebody that old," he told the BBC. "I've always thought they're fragile, only to realize that there's more to them, and there's more to what they wanted to do. So I gave them the opportunity, and they ended up training me instead of me training them because their energy level was just too high."Research shows exercise improves muscle strength and slows bone density loss in older people. It can also lead to a cornucopia of positive health benefits for the elderly, from reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes, and some forms of cancer, to mitigating the effects of anxiety and depression."I like boxing. Whenever I train, I feel younger. I don't get pains. I feel good," said 75-year-old Zodwa Twala. "I'll never quit."Below, check out these tough grannies as they duke it out and defy expectations of what elderly people can do.
(REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko)
(REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko)
(REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko)
(REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko)
(REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko)
-
Diddy: An abuser who escaped justice?Feature The jury cleared Sean Combs of major charges but found him guilty of lesser offenses
-
Death from above: Drones upend rules of war in UkraineFeature The world's militaries are paying close attention to drone use in the Russia-Ukraine war
-
Supreme Court: Ceding more power to Trump?Feature SCOTUS has given Trump a victory by ending nationwide injunctions, limiting judges' power to block presidential orders
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across SyriaTHE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weaponsThe Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarrayIn the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliamentTHE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
