Mark Bryant was the Senior Fitness columnist for Northwest Prime Time for many years, back when we were in print.
I recently received a copy of the SouthEast Seattle Senior Center newsletter, which featured Mark and some of his students at the senior center, where he teaches senior fitness classes, fall prevention, and self-defense.One of his fitness students, Minnie Collins, is also a volunteer at the Senior Center. She wrote a tribute to Mark, which made it on the cover of the Center’s Fall Newsletter, along with the beautiful photo. It reads: “Mark Bryant brings acts of kindness daily to twelve seniors at this Senior Center. He brings humor, fun, line dancing, and fitness to seniors who are on walkers, recovering from falls, and facing cognitive decline. He does not allow his visual impairment and hip operation recovery to stop him from riding the bus to the center. He knows the seniors are relying on him for fitness, but more so to find and see friends.”Here is additional information about Mark:

Mark Bryant, 64, Wins 20^th AAU World Championship Title and Becomes an AAU International Strength Sports Hall of Famer

On September 30, 2023, local corrective exercise therapist, powerlifting coach, and senior fitness specialist Mark Bryant, 64, won his 20^th Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) World Powerlifting Championship title and was inducted into the AAU International Strengths Sports Hall of Fame. Throughout his nearly two-decade powerlifting career, Bryant has earned twelve state titles, twelve national titles, and now a staggering twenty world championship titles. In 2022, Bryant competed in the AAU World Championship in Las Vegas, NV and completed a full meet – including some of his deepest squats – for the first time since having a total hip replacement, a surgery gifted to him in 2008 by University of Washington Medicine for his contribution to senior fitness. He returned to Las Vegas this past September to break each of his previous world records in the squat, bench, and deadlift events, earning titles fifteen through twenty in his age category and weight class.

Mark was also featured in a recent article in The Seattle Times discussing Age-Friendly Seattle, a program aiming to make the city more hospitable for people of all ages. The article includes a variety of programs in the city and features a photo of Mark leading a class at the SouthEast Seattle Senior Center. Follow this link to see the photo and read the article: How do Seattle’s evolving neighborhoods include older residents? | The Seattle Times