For most people, getting into exercise only at the age of 55 probably means gentle jogging or an occasional splash in the pool.

James Lee’s fitness resolutions, however, were a little more ambitious. Think a yearly trip up Sabah’s Mount Kinabalu (4,095m). Or, for his 65th birthday, a black belt in taekwondo.

It sounds out of reach to most of us, but the now 69-year-old has another way of describing it. “I like setting goals. They give me targets to strive for and a tangible way to measure them,” he explains.

As it stands, the current track record for the former pastor is 11 times on the summit of Malaysia’s tallest mountain (unlike these more accessible gunungs) – his first go at Mount Kinabalu was after just three months of training – and a second-dan black belt in the Korean martial art, having practised it for only 25 months.

James’ feats are made all the more impressive by the fact that he was once considered a sickly child and barred from exercising by his parents.

The silver also has a bum knee, though he says that his pain finally went away after years of physiotherapy – hence his golden-age fitness goals.

“I was so excited to finally use my leg pain-free,” he says. “So when I heard that a group of young people from my church were planning to hike Mount Kinabalu, I decided to join them!”

From climbing stairs to ascending mountains, James recalls his first pre-hike physical training session.

“I started by just climbing up the stairs to the ninth storey,” he says. “I was so tired after just one lap. I had half a mind to quit right then and there.”

But he stuck to it, even as the training got harder and longer.

“I was training my heart and lungs, but it was all about willpower throughout the training, and even during the hike itself,” he says.

The silver summited the mountain on 30 May, 2010. It’s a date that he still remembers offhand today, even after repeating the hike another 10 times.

“It was my first time achieving the goal I had set. Of course I’ll be able to remember it,” he says with a laugh.

In the years since, he’s went on to conquer other treks including Indonesia’s Mount Rinjani (3,726m) and the hike to Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal (4,130m).

Started taekwondo as a birthday wish

When James was celebrating his 65th birthday, his wife asked, “What is something you can do that you will be proud of when you reach 66?”

That got the silver thinking, “The first thing that came to mind was Bruce Lee. I had always wanted to learn some kind of martial art in order to be like Bruce Lee.”

But as the discussion was happening, Singapore was still in the throes of Covid-19 lockdowns. He put his plan on hold until fate reminded him of his plans once again.

“One night, I plugged in my phone to charge, and when the screen lit up, I saw a notification from Johan Taekwondo Institute. They had reopened and were calling for people to sign up for a trial class. I remember texting the number. The admin on the other end of the line asked, ‘How old are you?’, and I replied 67. His reply was just, ‘I see…” he recalls.

As it turned out, that admin was Yoon Daeung, the founder and principal of the martial arts institute, which has 10 outlets in Singapore and another two in South Korea.

“It was a surprise, but we accept students of all ages. As long as they are willing to learn and try hard, they are welcome,” says Daeung.

Like his initial mountain climbing experience before, James’ maiden taekwondo class almost sent him packing. The kicks, the spins, the jumps – these moves were all new to him, and taxing even for his wiry frame.

“I was very tired after a trial class. But I had signed up for a three-month package, and since I had already paid, I wanted to at least go through those three months,” he says. “But unbeknownst to me, there were actually some classmates who were making small side bets about how long I’d last.”

“When I stayed on even after the first three months, some of them told me about it, and they said, ‘Wah, uncle, you’re really something’.”

Ascending taekwondo’s ranks

Similar to many other martial art forms, taekwondo demarcates a practitioner’s rank by the colour and stripes of their belt.

Promoting to a higher rank entails a test adjudicated by the local federation. The components include a sparring process, where test-takers demonstrate certain skills and patterns, as well as the breaking of boards with kicks and punches.

James went from a white belt – a complete beginner – to a black belt, the highest rank achievable for students, in under two years.

He then went on to secure his second-dan stripes, signifying a deeper understanding of taekwondo principles and an advanced level of proficiency in the martial art.

He also participated in competitions like the International Taekwondo Masters Open Championship 2024, where he walked away with a shiny gold medal.

His progression is fast, but the silver says it’s more an extension of his dedication than any prodigious ability. The dojo holds classes twice a week, and James says he’s there ‘more than 95% of the time’.

“Injuries and tweaks usually aren’t a problem for the senior as he takes his warmups seriously. In any case, the instructors often switch up their training plans to accommodate older fighters. It’s up to the instructors’ discretion, but normally, they might give him less kicks, or get him to do pad work instead of sparring,” Daeung explains.

James’ ardour for the martial art has reached the point that he’s even thinking about how to work with the institute to start a morning class for seniors.

“There’s a lot of benefits. We strengthen our ankles and our balance, which reduces our chance of falling down,” says James.

He adds, “And though you might not think about it, there’s a lot of memory work. We have to remember the patterns and teach our body how to move in certain ways. Sometimes, we get lazy to think as we get older. But if you have a goal, that could help to push you to use your brain. You use it or lose it!”

Keen to start a healthier lifestyle in your silver years? Join the free trial class at Johan Taekwondo today and explore with us!

This article was first published on Silverstreak