At 101 years old, this World War II vet pumps iron at a Friendswood gym twice a week

[Elderberry]

Houston Chronicle by Jordan R. Miller June 23, 2020

At 101 years old, this World War II vet pumps iron at a Friendswood gym twice a week

Leonard “Pater” Johnson’s motto is “Keep movin’.”

At 101 years old, he puts that phrase to use in everything he does — from cutting a rug on the dance floor and learning Spanish at a local community college to pumping iron twice a week at Ageless Muscle fitness center.

Johnson started working out at the Friendswood gym a month prior to the COVID-19 shutdown. There were a few things around the house and outdoors that he wasn’t able to do anymore, so the exercise was meant to make up for that.

“One of the main things (that keeps me motivated) is I bought that 5 acres out there where I live; I’ve been out there over 40 years and I do it all myself,” Johnson said. “Do everything, build the barns, whatever needed to be done. So every weekend, it was nothing but work.”

More: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/lifestyle/renew-houston/fitness/article/At-101-years-old-this-World-War-II-vet-pumps-15360616.php

[PeteS in CA]

As long as surfaces are disinfected, weight-lifting is probably among the least risky activities at a gym. People tend to give active weight stations a reasonable berth, for obvious reasons. It's the treadmills, ellipticals, and stationary bicycles that tend to have users 4 feet or less apart (and even that can be easily remedied by moving equipment or with Plexiglas barriers).