Since retiring as a professional artistic gymnast, former Team GB Olympic medalist Nile Wilson has pivoted to fitness challenges on YouTube, where he trains with some of the world’s swolest athletes, from strongman-turned-boxer Eddie Hall to bodybuilder Martyn Ford. In his latest video, Wilson invites 69-year-old gymnast Stephen Hyland, who holds a staggering 90 world records in various chinup and pullup categories, to show off his skills while participating in the “ultimate gymnastics challenge.”
First up is a plank hold variation performed with both the hands and feet placed on elevated surfaces. Wilson collapses after just a couple of seconds, while Hyland is able to hold position for a full 30 seconds.
Next up is the dragon, which falls somewhere between a leg raise and a flagpole: while holding themselves horizontally and facing upwards against a pole, Hyland and Wilson must then pivot their legs from horizontal to vertical and back again. Hyland completes nine reps, while Nile manages just three.
After a set of Superman pushups, performed with one hand behind the back, and the other extended in an overhead position, Hyland demonstrates a tough chinup variation where between each rep they must remove one hand from the bar, lower it to their sides then bring it back up again, and repeat on the other side. Wilson completes 17 repetitions before dropping from the bar, while Hyland just edges him out with 18—although he reveals that his personal record is actually 48.
Next, in a real test of stability and strength, the two gymnasts have to travel as far as possible to the side while maintaining a long plank between two balance beams. Hyland makes it all the way to the end of the bars and halfway back again before breaking his plank, but Wilson wins this round, traversing the length of the beams and back.
Finally, to determine who wins the overall competition, Hyland and Wilson see who can hold the chinup position for the longest—and Hyland ends up beating Wilson here too.
In addition to his impressive display of strength, stability and mobility, Hyland also spoke about his training routine, which he has adjusted as he has gotten older to include four 90-minute workouts a week, as well as what he calls his “maintenance” program, which involves 20-minute warmup and cool-down routines.
“Obviously, I’m a bit slower than I used to be, especially on running now,” he says. “I do more power-walking now, and if I do running it’s always sprints… It’s like a workout without all the boring bits.”
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