An Exercise Program That Works Miracles 

“Butterbean” showing off his new-found mobility 

Sent in by BW:

In his 50s, long after he should have retired from boxing, Eric “Butterbean” Esch continued, even entering several mixed martial arts bouts. He was always considered a good puncher, but he was also obese, weighing over 300 pounds for most of his career. His age and his size put him into a “freak” category of fighters. He developed a large fan base because nobody that knew anything about the fight game could believe he could compete seriously against serious fighters. And yet he did. He knocked out 58 opponents, including some world champions. But as the years went by, he got heavier. Until, at age 58, he was no longer able to stand up straight, let alone fight. When he was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame, he didn’t show up because he was embarrassed by this size (more than 500) pounds and his mobility. (He could no longer walk.)

But then he heard about someone – a former athlete like himself – who had regained his health through a form of yoga. This is the story of how that practice brought him back to fighting shape at 58.