It was many years ago that I began sharing inspirational stories to this blog. Many people visit the site for that reason alone. They stop by for a quick dose of inspiration whenever a pick-me-up is needed. As a result, I am often asked what is my favorite story. And while it’s virtually impossible to single out a favorite, I won’t hesitate to nominate the following video as a contender.
What you will see within is an 81 year old man (Fedor Aleksejevich Hasjanov) who performs at a level that most healthy adults could only dream of achieving. The strength, flexibility, and athleticism that Fedor displays is mind-boggling. When I first watched the video, I almost didn’t think it was real. I was waiting for a younger man to pull off his mask.
Fortunately, it is real and Fedor Aleksejevich Hasjanov is a true inspiration. His display is also a reminder that it is possible to perform at a high level with minimal equipment. The bulk of his routine could be performed almost anywhere. He certainly does not need a state of the art facility to maintain health and fitness.
What a breath of fresh air it is to see an 81 year old perform at this level with nothing but a few bars and a kettlebell. It is this type of story that deserves to go viral. The rest of the world needs to be clued in on the fact that it is possible to get in shape with little or nothing.
Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that fitness would become such an overpriced hustle. Meanwhile, there are senior citizens in the Ukraine who must laugh at the infomercial products that bring in millions of dollars each year. Call it a hunch, but I’m guessing Fedor didn’t need any bogus tools, a weekend certification, or the latest supplement stack to achieve what he has. Instead, it appears that he works hard with the basics and is clearly a product of consistency. He prioritizes his training and has done so for years. There is no 30 day program that is going to produce this type of result.
It all boils down to hard work and consistency. Unfortunately, you won’t find those ingredients at the supplement store. You need to make your own.
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“Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depend on simplicity.” – Plato
That is a great video. This remains one of the most positive fitness sites I visit. One thing I noticed is how happy Fedor looks.. clearly he enjoys what he is doing.
Funny you say you were waiting for him to rip off a mask. Same thing was going through my mind. I hope one day I get close to that guys strength and flexiblity.
I think he is 21′ but he just looks old! wow, I’m ashamed of myself, and I train. This is how I want to be when I am older.
This is really inspirational, thanks for sharing Ross!
This is great, I tripped onto this site a few weeks ago and I love your posts…inspirational and honest!
I have seen a strong 60 year old go to waste because he stopped all activities when he retired at 60 and now at 80 he has a hard time walking…my goal is to stay motivated enough to do like Fedor and enjoy my strength training in the hopes to be 1/2 as strong as he looks.
DAMN IT JIM!!! AWESOME DISPLAY!!! Much, much, much, more impressive than the 80 year old martial artist performing half-pushups. All of the reps were clean and crisp and performed with relative ease. Also, these were ADVANCED forms of calisthenics instead of a simple pushup. This display of fitness would have been impressive for a man 50 years younger, much less a man of 81. I am EXTREMELY impressed by Fedor and can think of only someone like the late Jack LaLanne could perform feats like this at that age.
I love how all the younger guys in the background are doing the bench press and thats about it.
He is 81 and to say he is still going strong would be a major understatement! This kind of example goes against much that we are conditioned to believe. With this kind of attitude and dedication wonderful things are possible. I don’t know if this video has gone viral yet but it needs to. Thanks for sharing this.
This guy is a warrior. I bet he was top notch like Ross when he was younger. Anyway you look at it he has discipline, heart, and capability that we can all be motivated by and learn from.
So much love for you and this site Ross. Been a reader for years. Love your outlook on fitness and your spotlight on these kinds of stories. Gives me motivation to keep going and not let things like lack of money or equipment get in my way.
Hey Ross, I think you should check this out too…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYuuhGzu1og
That’s just great!
Another of those inspirational movies is about Johann Martin from Germany, “50 years fight with the iron”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u0RVFpRNKU
Enjoy /Nils