77-year-old grandma gets black belt in taekwondo in less than 3 years

When age is just a number.

March 7, 2022

77-year-old grandma gets black belt in taekwondo in less than 3 years

If you ever think it's too late to turn your life around, think again! This 77-year-old woman is a prime example of seizing control of your situation and making the best of it.

The woman, Lynn Soh, has a black belt in taekwondo — a feat she achieved in less than three years—, and she's working towards securing the second-degree black belt as we speak.

What's inspiring about Soh is her determination and drive. At the age of 77, she's still actively bettering herself in the martial arts, an activity she started after a health scare in her late 60s. You see, one morning, she woke up unable to stand or walk, and that was when she decided she needed to take her fate into her own hands.

"My world fell apart that day. I thought to myself: 'Do I need a wheelchair and a caretaker?'. I was determined not to burden my daughter's family," she said, as reported by The Strait Times.

Having been diagnosed with sciatica which hindered her movement, she had to undergo physiotherapy for two years and although her condition improved, she felt her muscles were still weak.

The start of something new.

She was shopping at Bukit Timah Shopping Centre one day when she came across the ILDO Taekwondo Academy. While observing the students warm up for their class, she found that their movements were similar to what she learned in physiotherapy.

Interest piqued and curiosity stirred, she did some research online and was signed up for their classes soon after. The masters at the martial arts studio were gracious enough to start out slow for her due to her age; even then, she was only able to join them after her orthopaedic surgeon certified that she was fit for a trial class.

Well, her age didn't hold her back. Soh was able to squat just four months into her training, and previous aches and pains she felt were no longer a problem. She can even do a 180 degree split!

Rising through the ranks, she has earned a gold medal in a national taekwondo competition, and of course, is aiming to get that second black belt.

She's a role model too.

Her achievements have gained the attention of many, even her own cohort. The studio saw an increase of senior citizens wanting to sign up for classes; up to the point that the studio had to create a new class specifically for seniors, dubbed 'Silver class'.

Knowing that she has come a long way from her previous health condition, she has only this to say to senior citizens: "Though we age, we are still nowhere close to the end of our lives! Being old does not have to mean aches and pains — with a proper diet, exercise and good sleep, we can turn things around."