Overview of Sports for the Elderly

In recent years, some countries in the world, due to advanced science and technology, automation, nutritional conditions, people's physical labor is reduced, suffering from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and other diseases more and more people. The United States, Japan, Britain, the German Federal **** and Sweden and other countries, some enthusiastic people, the establishment of sports organizations for the elderly, to carry out sports activities for the elderly. Like Japan has "turtle old strong years long-distance running association", "lifetime health marathon association" and other organizations, every year to hold some large-scale sports activities for the elderly. 1975 in Canada's Toronto city also held the first world elderly athletes In 1975, the first World Senior Athletic Games was held in Toronto, Canada, and the World Senior Athletic Association was established to hold the Games every two years. The 2nd and 3rd Games were held in Sweden, the German Federal Republic*** and the United States in 1977 and 1979 respectively, and the 4th Games were held in New Zealand in 1981, in which 2,500 senior athletes from 44 countries and regions took part. There are also organizations such as the International Association of Senior Citizens' Long Distance Running (IASCAR), which have held international long distance running competitions for senior citizens. In order to exchange information on sports for the elderly, in February 1979, China received a friendly delegation from the Japanese "Sea Turtle" Association. The 18 members of the delegation visited Beijing, Kunming, Chengdu, Shanghai and other places, and held a friendly practice and discussion with the local elderly long-distance running enthusiasts.

Sports for the elderly in China, as an extensive mass activity, has only become widespread in recent years. Social stability, improved living conditions and higher cultural standards have created conditions for the development of sports for the elderly. Many old cadres, old scientists, old educators and old workers are actively exercising and striving to make more contributions to the construction of the motherland, and more and more of them are playing boxing, dancing with swords, practicing kung fu, jogging, walking, hiking, swimming and playing ball games. In 1978, the Sports Newspaper, the Beijing Municipal Sports Commission and the Sports Research Institute of the State Sports Commission jointly organized the New Long March Games for the Elderly, in which more than 200 elderly people over the age of 100 took part in the 5,000-metre run and the three competitions of taijiquan and swordsmanship, which was the first large-scale sports competition for the elderly in China. Since then, many cities and towns have organized special sports competitions for the elderly, in addition to adding senior citizen groups to general sports competitions. In Beijing, the Beijing Municipality organized the elderly sports games including long-distance running, taijiquan, table tennis, etc.; the average age of the athletes who participated in the winter tennis games for the elderly was 62.5 years old, and the oldest one was 74 years old. In Shanghai, the light industry system has held the "Three Old Men's Exercise" aimed at old cadres, old technicians and old workers, with the top three having mobile trophies, and those who have won the top three for three consecutive years being awarded permanent trophies. At present, the Chinese elderly participate in taijiquan and long-distance running the most. Most cities and many counties and towns have organized taijiquan training classes or set up taijiquan counseling stations (see Wushu Counseling Station). Mass long-distance running (also called fitness running) has spread throughout the country; for example, Anhui Province has established the Huangshan Long-Distance Running Association, and long-distance running teams for the elderly have been set up in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Kunming, Xi'an, Handan and other places. In view of the continuous development of sports for the elderly, in April 1979, the Standing Committee of the All-China Sports Federation adopted a resolution to set up the National Sports Association for the Elderly at an appropriate time.