70岁老人重拾童趣，一天不间断踢毽子10小时 | Still kicking a shuttlecock at 70

Guo Hongsheng, 70, lives with his descendants in northwest China's Xi'an city for over a decade.

郭洪生今年整70岁。他跟着孩子来到西安已经有十几年了。

He has been practicing ball games, gymnastics and acrobatics throughout his career as a PE instructor. Growing old with his old injuries, he had to quit practicing the games, although inactivity was never an option. He began to kick shuttlecock and eventually mastered the skill. He can kick it while walking, sitting and even lying on the ground, which often draws attention in the park. He has also invented new tricks.

从前，他是体育教员，练了一辈子球类、体操、杂技。后来身上有伤，再加上年龄大了，练不了了。但他还是放不下体育运动，于是开始踢毽子，练成了当地的花毽达人。行走踢，坐着踢，躺着踢……种种绝活成为公园一景。这些动作，都是他自己发明的。

"I've been working out at the gym for over 20 years. Yet I'm particularly interested in kicking shuttlecock because there're many tricks, and the performance is entertaining. When people gather around to watch, you'd feel complacent," says Guo.

“我在健身房健身的习惯有二十多年了。但是我对踢毽子很感兴趣。它这个动作花样多，表演起来赏心悦目，尤其踢好了，有围观的，自个儿沾沾自喜。”郭洪生说。

For a time he was obsessed with the sport, Guo began his exercise in the park at 6 a.m. His record was 10 hours a day. "That amount of exercise was too much," he says. "So I reduced it to kicking shuttlecock in the morning and going to the gym in the afternoon. I have to train my legs," he says, showing his leg muscles.

刚开始练毽子最着迷的时候，郭洪生早上六点钟起来上公园踢，最多的时候一天踢十个小时。“那个运动量就有点儿太过了。”他说，“我后期就是上午踢毽子，下午到健身房健身。健身我还得练下肢。”他边说，边展示自己的腿部肌肉。

"I enjoy showing my skills. Why? Because I always take challenges. Everybody has a dream, and one needs to make efforts to realize it."

“我就是喜欢展示自己。为什么？因为要挑战自己。人都有一个梦想，都要完成的自己梦想。”

His unique skill "kicking while lying on the back" brought him onto the stage of CCTV in 2009. He invented and practiced it on the yoga mat in the gym. For a year he trained himself seriously, like practicing acrobatics when he was young. Before the performance on TV, he had to practice on the stage as well to get used to the lights and the surroundings.

他的绝活“仰卧朝天蹬”在2009年登上了中央电视台的舞台。这个动作是他在健身房的瑜伽垫上练出来的，练了一年多，像年轻时练杂技一样钻研。要表演的时候，还得在舞台上练，适应那里的灯光和环境。

Although Guo is fascinated with kicking shuttlecock, his attitude towards sports becomes more peaceful as the age grows. For him, the ultimate purpose of any sport should be to keep fit. Nobody deserves to get hurt during the process: "I always think ahead. I'm not young anymore. I could kick in my 60s, 70s, maybe even 80s, as long as I had my skills, I shall be proud of myself. It's about a good mindset and the right attitude for kicking shuttlecock and for working out as well."

虽然郭洪生对毽子十分着迷，但随着年纪渐长，他其实内心越来越“佛系”。对他来说，再精彩的运动，最终都应该只是为了锻炼身体，尤其是不能受伤：“看着事情就看的远一点，不像年轻人那样。你保持身体到六十岁、七十岁甚至八十岁还能踢毽子，还能个人展示，这就是很不容易的事儿。你要有一个很好的心态，正确地对待踢毽子，对待健身。”

His reputation as a shuttlecock master spreading far and wide, many people came to learn from him. Other people who kick well also began to teach. For a while, the parks in Xi'an were filled with people kicking shuttlecocks.

郭洪生踢毽子的名声传得越来越远，许多人慕名来找他，想跟他学踢毽子。其他踢得好的人也开始自己带徒弟。一时间，西安的公园里，踢毽子蔚然成风。

As a retired instructor, Guo sticks to his own teaching style: "I just take the leading role, as a torchbearer. I promote this sport by practicing it myself."

郭洪生的本行就是老师，因此他也一直坚守自己当体育教员时的风格：“踢毽子，我就起一个带头作用，火炬手的作用，通过自己的练习把这项体育运动带动起来。”

"Nowadays, young people like you are busy striving, while we the seniors shall take care of ourselves and remain healthy. That's the most important thing. It's good for ourselves, for the family and the society." Kicking shuttlecock, looking after his grandchildren, visiting other amateurs… Guo is satisfied with his life now: "You just need something that makes you happy when you grow old."

“现在这个年代，你们年轻人都有事业，我们就是把身体养好了，这是最关键的。对自己有益，对家庭对社会都有益。”踢毽子，带孙子，顺便走访同样热爱毽子的好友，郭洪生对现在的生活很满意，“老有所乐就行吧。”

Cameraman: Zuo Yue

Film editor: Chen Xiao, Zheng Zhihua

Story written by: Zhu Siqi 

English editor: Nadeem Gill 

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