Taking the stairs instead of the escalator is often treated as a small fitness choice. In a viral street video circulating online, it turned into a moment that caught many off guard. The clip shows a content
creator standing near an escalator and offering passersby $100 if they choose the stairs instead. Several people walk past without stopping. Most appear younger but none take up the offer. Some smile and decline, while others do not stop at all.
Then the creator spots a man, who appears middle-aged, carrying some things in his hand and wearing a heavy backpack.
As he approaches teh man, without much hesitation, he accepts the challenge most people had skipped.
The now-viral video then shows him climbling several flights of stairs quickly without any break or rest.
as teh man reaches on top, the creator stops him and seems genuinely impressed. “That is very impressive,” he says, before asking if the man does any kind of formal workout. Man reveals he lifts weights.
Then comes the moment that flips the video.
When asked his age, the man casually says he is 69. He adds that he will turn 70 in May. The creator looks stunned and says he cannot see a single wrinkle on the man’s face. In response, he says he has good genes.
Watch the video here:
View this post on Instagram
The comments section quickly filled up with people amused by how little time the man spent engaging once he got his reward. “The way he gave you content and minded his business at the same time,” one user wrote.
Others focused on his age. “I am 34 and short of breath from just watching this. Respect to this man,” another comment read. Several viewers admitted they thought he was in his mid-40s. One joked, “No s**t man, that’s a real New Yorker right there.”
Some comments leaned into the honesty of his answer. “Finally an honest man. Genetics is real,” one user posted. Another added, “I like this guy’s vibe. No nonsense.”
Do you think you could take this challenge?
