Dad, Let’s Get Six-Pack Abs

By Gan Jiang

At the end of 2017, a set of pictures spread like a rash on the Internet:on the left was a family of four,bloated and out-of-shape, and on the right was the same family,fit and well-proportioned with six tight, well-formed abdominal muscles that had only taken six months of fitness training to produce. The difference between the before and after pictures was staggering! Many gyms used it as an inspirational story. While the photo was the center of white hot attention, its central figure lamented it was a shame that people just seemed interested in the story behind the outward transformation rather than the internal one.

Is 53 old?

At the end of 2016, with his wife’s pregnancy, Ding Guoliang asked his mother, who had been living in the countryside, to go to Xiamen to help take care of his wife.

When his mother was away on travel, his father was the only family member left in the village.Ding Guoliang himself had been away from his hometown since 2002 when he attended high school in their county town.Shortly after graduating from university, he opened a photo studio in Xiamen. In the past decade, he felt a little sorry for seldom corresponding with his father and had always wanted to find opportunities to come to terms with his estranged patriarch.

老爸，我们一起拥有六块腹肌吧

文/赣江

2017年年底，网络上疯传一组图片：一边是一家四口臃肿的身材，另一边是健身六个月后有着六块腹肌的匀称身材，两者之间反差惊人。一时间，很多健身馆将这张图片作为励志的典型。照片火了，照片中的主人公却深感惋惜：大家只看到身材的变化，却忽略了健身背后那温暖的故事。

53岁老了吗

2016年年底，丁国良的妻子怀孕了，他让乡下的母亲来厦门照顾妻子的起居饮食。

母亲一走，老家只剩下父亲一人。丁国良2002年到县城上高中，大学毕业后回到厦门开了一家摄影工作室，离家以来，父子十多年间交流很少，丁国良一直想找机会和父亲好好地交流一下。

况且，父亲脾气有些暴躁，和母亲一直磕磕绊绊，把他们都接到城里来，或许关系有所改善。

在丁国良的强烈要求下，父亲有些不情不愿地来了。

父亲情绪低落，源于他在老家开了十多年的一家竹器作坊倒闭。这对曾经作为家庭主心骨的父亲来说，打击不小。

来到厦门，人生地不熟，父亲显得无所事事，每天窝在沙发里拿着手机一动不动，一副萎靡不振的样子。一天，丁国良和父亲谈心：“来厦门你不想找点什么事做吗？”父亲说：“我还能做什么？一个53岁的糟老头子，要体力没体力，要能力没能力。至多，我去工厂看大门吧。”

这让丁国良心酸。父亲认为自己已经老了，这观念可要不得。

53岁，就真的老了吗？离退休年龄还差一大截呢。丁国良想着，一定要让父亲找回自信。

一起来运动

怎么才能让父亲融入都市，找回生活的激情呢？丁国良想了许多办法，感觉都不太合适。

有一天，丁国良看着大腹便便的父亲，再看看自己健硕的身材，忽然有了一个念头。年轻人都喜欢健身，自己就经常去健身房，所以有一副好身材，如果让父亲也锻炼起来，是不是能点燃他的生活激情呢？

丁国良开始了胡吃海喝的生活，母亲变着花样给怀孕的媳妇做的营养餐，他也要了一份。丁国良原本平坦的肚子渐渐鼓了起来。妻子感到很奇怪，丈夫以前都是精挑细选、严格控制饮食，为何这段时间突然一点节制都没有了？丁国良只是笑笑，不解释。

一段时间后，丁国良足足胖了10公斤，肚子圆鼓鼓的。

2017年2月初，丁国良对窝在沙发里看手机的父亲说：“老爸，我们一起去运动吧。”父亲疑惑地问：“运什么动？你和我？”丁国良开始劝说父亲：“小时候，你经常带着我去跑步，如今，看看我胖起来的肚子，再看看你的啤酒肚。这一次我带你去跑步，咱爷俩还可以边跑边聊。”

Besides his estrangement from his son, his father was quite shorttempered and hadn’t been exactly getting along with his mother.Thus, by taking advantage of inviting them both to Xiamen,Ding Guoliang was hoping that the relationship between the parents would improve.

At Ding Guoliang’s strong request, his father came to Xiamen reluctantly.

Yet his father was in low spirits at that time as the bamboo workshop he had been operating in his hometown for decades closed down, which was a tough blow to the father who had always been the bread-winner of the family.

When first arriving in Xiamen,Ding’s father could not seem to find anything to do in this new unfamiliar environment. All he did was sitting on the couch all day playing on his mobile phone steeped in lethargy and self-pity.One day, Ding Guoliang asked his father, “Do you want to find something to do in Xiamen?”His father replied, “What can I do? I’m 53, with no strong body or any skills. The best I can do is probably be a doorman for some factory.”

Ding Guoliang felt sad upon hearing the reply. The fact that his father already considered himself too old was disheartening.

Is age 53 really that old? It’s still far away from retirement age,isn’t it? Ding Guoliang gave it a lot of thought as to how to help his father regain his confidence.

Let’s Work Out Together

How could he help his father fit into the city environment and bring back his passion for life?Ding Guoliang thought a lot about it, yet came up dry at first.

One day, looking at his father’s pudgy potbelly and his own muscular frame, an idea suddenly struck Ding Guoliang.Young people like to work out.He himself often went to the gym,and as a result had stayed in good shape. If he could talk his father into exercising, was it possible to rekindle father’s passion for life?

Ding Guoliang started binge eating. He asked his mother to prepare his share of the nutritional meals made for his pregnant wife. As time went by, his flat belly began to bulge.His wife found it odd, since her husband had always been so health-conscious and careful with his diet. Why was he losing his typical self-restraint? To which Ding Guoliang only smiled and pled the fifth.

As time went by Ding Guoliang gained 10 kilograms and his gut began hanging out over his belt.

In early February 2017, Ding Guoliang said to his father who was sitting on sofa and playing on his cell phone, “Dad, let’s go for some exercise together.”

这一说，父亲心动了。丁国良拿出早就准备好的运动衣裤父子装，穿在身上虽然肚皮鼓了起来，但运动装就是显得精神，父亲的脸上也有了笑容。

这个时候，妻子才明白丁国良突然间增胖的原因。

第一次，考虑到父亲的身体状况，遵循循序渐进的规律，丁国良和父亲就在小区的花园道上快走了半个小时左右，微微出了身细汗。因为运动适度，父亲感觉神清气爽，一路上父子俩有说有笑，话题不断。

快走了几天后，丁国良开始带着父亲到小区对面的山上慢跑。山路蜿蜒，高低不平，父亲感觉到了困难，他气喘吁吁地说：“我跑不动了，咱们不跑了，回去吧。”丁国良给父亲打气：“还差一会儿呢，我们今天的目标是3公里。你从小就教导我，做事不能半途而废，要有始有终。”就这样，在丁国良的鼓励下，父亲坚持了下来。

从快走，到慢跑，每天丁国良都尽量准点下班。他知道，这个时候他和父亲的运动，坚持是最重要的。

有一次，丁国良因为加班延误了一点时间，父亲的电话居然打了过来：“怎么今天还没回来，我可穿好了运动装，就等你一起呢。”这让丁国良感到欣慰，运动一段时间后，父亲终于在心态上、身体上都有了一些变化，他开心地回答：“老爸，我现在在回来的路上，再过十几分钟就到家了，咱们不见不散。”

父亲在电话那头开心地笑道：“好嘞。”

陪伴暖家人

跑了一段时间，丁国良试探着问父亲：“老爸，想不想要六块腹肌？咱们到健身房去。”父亲犹豫着：“健身房都是你们年轻人去的地方，我一个老头子去多尴尬啊。”丁国良赶紧打断父亲的话：“我想再练出腹肌，老爸你就陪我去呗。”

就这样，丁国良将父亲拉到附近的健身房。看见里面的各种健身器械，父亲像个孩子，跃跃欲试。

接下来的日子充满了挑战和艰难。

如锻炼三角肌，主要进行拉力器前平举、侧平举、屈伸、展肩、下压等动作；锻炼背部肌群有引体向上、坐姿颈后下拉、站姿直臂下拉、坐姿划船、山羊挺身等；练习腹部有罗马椅抬腿、仰卧提臀抬腿、悬垂提臀抬腿、支撑提臀抬腿等。这些动作说起来简单，做起来可就困难了。每当父亲想放弃的时候，陪伴在一旁的丁国良就给父亲打气，鼓励父亲完成最后一个动作。

进入健身房后，每隔10天，父子俩就用照片记录一次身体的变化。父子俩的肚腩逐渐缩小，身板逐渐硬朗，肌肉变得结实，短短六个月，父亲瘦下40多斤，从挺着啤酒肚变成有六块腹肌的肌肉男。

更重要的是父亲变了，从不苟言笑到微微一笑再到灿烂大笑，生活中的父亲像变了一个人似的。

父亲以前基本上是窝在沙发上看手机，如今转而读书看报，精神倍儿爽，经常笑声不断；以前基本上是衣来伸手、饭来张口，家务活一点都不干，如今可是经常哼着小曲儿泡在厨房，给家人做一顿可口的晚餐；以前很少和母亲交流，过着一成不变的生活，如今他教母亲骑单车，空闲的时候一起散步，两人手牵着手。

丁国良说，父爱如山，从来不是一句空话，正因为父亲在自己心中占据至高的地位，自己才下定决心去陪伴他，改变他。亲情如水，家人相处的温情，会融化家中所有的隔阂与分歧。

（摘自《深圳青年》2018年第3期）

His father was surprised,“Exercise? You and me?”

Ding Guoliang answered,“When I was young, you often took me jogging. Now, look at us, we both got a big gut. Let me take you jogging this time, and we can have a good chatting while running.”

His father was tempted by his suggestion. Ding Guoliang took out the father-and-son matching sportswear he had prepared long before and put them on. They both looked rather sporty even despite the pooching paunches,and his father was all smiles.

Only at that point did his wife understand the reason why Ding Guoliang had suddenly gained all the weight.

Considering his father’s physical condition and the law of step-by-step progress, Ding Guoliang and his father walked for only about half an hour around the park close to their house during their first exercise session,and even after this small amount of exercise, they had both worked up a good sweat. His father felt refreshed after the exercise and they shared a good talk and lots of laughter on their way.

A few days later, Ding Guoliang began jogging with his father on the hill opposite the community they lived. Jogging on the rugged and rough hill trail, his father really felt his age and panted, “I can’t make it further. Let’s stop here and go back home.” Ding Guoliang encouraged his father:“We’re not there yet; our goal today is 3 kilometers. When I was young, you always taught me not to leave things half done. We need to see it through from start to end.” With the encouragement his father was able to complete the whole journey.

From brisk walks to jogging,Ding Guoliang made an effort to get off work and get home in a timely manner every day.He knew that persistence and consistency were the keys to the success of the exercise he and his father were getting together.

On one occasion, Ding Guoliang was delayed by overtime, for which he unexpectedly got his father’s call,asking, “How come you are not back yet? I’ve got my sportswear on and I’m waiting for you.”Ding Guoliang was delighted to see that his father finally had some changes physically and emotionally after working out for a while. He replied cheerily, “Dad,I’m on my way back, and will be home in ten minutes. See you soon.”

His father’s happy laugh came from the other side: “Okay.”

Being There for Family

After running for a while, Ding Guoliang asked his father tentatively, “Dad, do you want sixpack abs? Let’s go to the gym.” His father hesitated, “The gym is for young people. I’m an old man, and don’t fit in there.”

Ding Guoliang quickly retorted,“I want to get my abdominal muscles back in shape. Could you please go with me?”

Just like that Ding Guoliang walked his father into a gym nearby. Once having seen all the fitness equipment there, his father was like a child eager to try new toys.

The following days were full of challenges and hardships.

To train the delts, they had to do wall pulley exercises, such as front raises, lateral raises, flexion and extension exercises, and downward presses; to work out the back muscles, they needed to do exercises like chin-ups,sitting pull-downs, standing pull-downs, seated rows, back hyperextensions. To work the abdomen, they needed to do Roman chair leg raises, lying leghip raises, hanging hip-leg raises and vertical hip leg-hip raises.These exercises sounded simple yet were difficult to do. Whenever his father felt like giving up, Ding Guoliang was there encouraging him to complete his last move.

From the beginning of their weight-loss and body-sculpting adventure, they took a fatherand-son photo once every 10 days to record their physical changes.Both of their bellies were going away, their bodies were getting stronger and their muscles firmer.In just 6 months, his father lost more than 40 kilos and turned from a soggy-bodied old man with a rotund belly to a fit and muscular man with six-pack abs.

More importantly, his father had changed. A once sullen and sardonic geezer had become a smiley and cheerful young man of 53. He was practically a whole new person.

Ding Guoliang’s father used to play on his cell phone all day long like a couch potato, but now he has turned into an effervescent and energetic man, and an avid reader of books and newspapers to boot. The slothful individual who once had to have food and clothing handed out to him without doing any chores turned into a great cook who spent time in the kitchen humming and making delicious dinners for the family. The eccentric and withdrawn man who lived a life of monotony and who rarely communicated with Ding’s mother took to teaching her to ride a bicycle and went on walks with her in their spare time.

Ding Guoliang said that father’s love was as grand as the mountain. He was determined to be there for his father and try to improve his life because his father had always held a supreme position in his heart.The warmth and affection in the family could melt away all the icy frigidity of their differences and disagreements.

(From Shenzhen Youth, March 2018. Translation: Lu Qiongyao)