Don't mess with these boxing grannies
"If somebody tries to attack me, I will punch him, really. Really, I will hit him badly."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
(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)
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kelly Gonsalves is a sex and culture writer exploring love, lust, identity, and feminism. Her work has appeared at Bustle, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, and more, and she previously worked as an associate editor for The Week. She's obsessed with badass ladies doing badass things, wellness movements, and very bad rom-coms.
-
Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay: unwind at this picture-perfect resort
The Week Recommends The retreat that's ideal for recharging your batteries while experiencing life on an Indonesian island
By Yasemen Kaner-White Published
-
The World War Two experiments that made D-Day possible
Under The Radar Scientists performed gruelling tests on themselves paving the way for the iconic invasion
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Is the Supreme Court about to criminalize homelessness?
Talking Points The court will decide if bans on outdoor camping are 'cruel and unusual'
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Dengue hits the Americas hard and early
Speed Read Puerto Rico has declared an epidemic as dengue cases surge
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How happy is Finland really?
Today's Big Question Nordic nation tops global happiness survey for seventh year in a row with 'focus on contentment over joy'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
How Tehran became the world's nose job capital
Under the radar Iranian doctors raise alarm over low costs, weak regulation and online influence of 'Western beauty standards'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Africa's renewed battle against female genital mutilation
Under the radar Campaigners call for ban in Sierra Leone after deaths of three girls as coast-to-coast convoy prepares to depart
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Argentina: the therapy capital of the world
Under the radar Buenos Aires natives go hungry to pay for psychoanalysis, amid growing instability, anxiety – and societal acceptance
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Does declining birth rate spell doom for Britain?
Today's Big Question Ageing population puts pressure on welfare state, economy and fabric of society, while fertility is rising on populist agendas
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
How a new blood test could revolutionise sepsis diagnosis
The Explainer Early results from ongoing trial suggest faster identification of deadly condition is possible
By The Week Staff Published
-
Kush: the drug destroying young lives in West Africa
The Explainer There has been a sharp rise in young addicts in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia
By Flora Neville, The Week UK Published