At 81, Jean Stewart was frustrated by her growing frailty, so she decided to get active. Now 96, push-ups, kettlebell squats and pushing a weight-loaded sledge keep her strong
I see people 30 years younger than me and they’ve given up,” Jean Stewart, 96, says. It’s not an attitude she relates to. “I like to do things for myself.”
Stewart was very active in her youth: she played hockey and softball at school and worked for the Girl Scouts for years. As she got older, however, everyday tasks became harder.
“I got to the point where I didn’t have the strength to prune my roses,” she says.
Becoming frailer was frustrating. Worse, she was tired of being treated as incapable by those around her. Aged 81, she read about a local CrossFit gym and went along to ask for help – it was the start of what would become 15 years of on-and-off training with its owner, Cheryl Cohen. Back then, Stewart was her only client older than 60. Today, she specialises in classes for older adults, helping them stay independent.
