KUALA LUMPUR: 'Uncle' Lawrence Cho is a popular figure among the bodybuilding fraternity, but those outside those circles will likely be fooled into believing he is in his 50s.
"I am 38-years old," joked the Batu Pahat-born father of four with 11 grandchildren, who now resides in Balakong.
Packing the prerequisite of six-pack abs, trim waistline, well-developed biceps and chest, Cho's physique is the equivalent of a minor miracle.
That's because he is actually 83-years old!
But it is actually far from a miracle, Cho explains. His physique is mainly the result of his desire to stay fit and remain healthy throughout his life.
Cho currently spends at least two hours in the gym each day, lifting weights and maintains a healthy diet and intends to keep doing so for years to come.
"I have to keep doing it because, you know, when we're old we can just lose the muscle and everything starts sagging. I don't want to look like that," said Cho.
Since his childhood, Cho had always been active in sports. However, when he hit his 50s, doctors advised him to reduce the intensity of his exercise for fear of putting too much stress on his heart.
"I played everything - football, badminton, basketball, table tennis and I loved running. Then as I grew older, I had to find something that was safer," said Cho.
"When you play football or badminton, they are good workouts but once you start a game you can't stop. You need to keep going until you finish the game. This can be dangerous as you might over exert yourself.
"This is where you find people suddenly suffering heart attacks. Because they over exert themselves."
He said he found the bodybuilding routine to suit his desire to stay fit despite an aging body.
"I found it to be the safest way to keep fit. When lifting weights, it is up to you. You keep going and when you can't continue, or if you don't feel good, you can stop your workout," said Cho.
"The chances of over exerting yourself while lifting weights is less because you are in control. You don't have an opponent to finish a game with. You are fully in control.
"For me, these days I spend about two hours working out each day. But at my own pace. I don't do more than that because I don't want to over exert myself."
Thus, Cho began bodybuilding at the ripe old age of 55 and several years later had developed a physique that gave him the confidence to compete in local bodybuilding competitions.
"That was in the early 1990s. I got into this sport very late, so I was not aiming to win anything. From the first competition I entered, I was always the oldest competitor. I just did it for fun, to make friends and to just give the younger boys a challenge," said Cho.
Cho was met at an annual gathering of former national bodybuilders in Kuala Lumpur recently, a community within which he is a highly popular and respected figure.
"It is great for all of us to get together like this and keep in touch. Over the years, we've all competed with each other and become good friends.
"We all look out for each other and at this age, it's also good to know I have friends who are concerned about my wellbeing," he said.