Tungh Dinh Does Sit-ups for 30 Hours



What would motivate a man to do sit-ups for 30 consecutive hours? Some might say it was for the glory or the fame. But if you asked the man who will actually do sit-ups for 30 straight hours, he will give you only one reason - to celebrate his Freedom. Tung Dinh, a Vietnamese refugee, came to the U.S. at the age of 12 on April 25th, 1975, just days before the Fall of Saigon. Since then, he has used his 5th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and overall fitness acumen to teach fitness and self-confidence to children of all ages; especially those afflicted with weight and obesity disorders. Today, however, Master Tung Dinh will use his physical abilities to show his appreciation for the freedom he has enjoyed for 30 years in America and pay respect to the soldiers who provided that freedom to him and his family then, and to all of us today.

At 7:00 a.m. on April 26th, Tung Dinh began his sit-up marathon at Gold's
Gym NYC on West 54th Street in Manhattan and continued for 30 consecutive hours, ending at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27. By the end of his marathon, Mr. Dinh is expected to exceed more than 30,000 sit-ups, another symbolic milestone to commemorate his 30th anniversary.

Vietnam Veterans and children from the National TRIO program "Upward Bound" will show their support and provide inspiration to Mr. Dinh by becoming members of his "Pit Crew." The Pit Crew teams will rotate over the course of the marathon and be responsible for maintaining an accurate count of sit-ups, providing water and nourishment throughout the marathon and offering the morale and inspirational boost Dinh will need to successfully reach his amazing goal.

"When I came to America with my family, my father stayed behind to help the U.S. negotiate the release of American POW's," Master Tung Dinh recalls. "Not having my father with us was stressful and frightening but we knew what he was doing was right. I will be forever grateful for the sacrifices American soldiers made so I can experience the freedom we all have today," Tung continued. "This is my way of saying 'thank you' to the brave soldiers and to remind myself, and especially children and young adults, that while life's everyday struggles can be painful, the reward often outweighs the pain and sacrifice. While most people will undoubtedly agree with the painful sacrifice associated with 30 hours of sit-ups, I may have a tough time
convincing them it's worth the reward," Mr. Dinh said with a smile.

Over the last 30 years, Tung Dinh has made America his home. He attended high school and college in Murray, Kentucky, where he and his family continue to live today. Following college he enlisted in the National Guard and ROTC, worked his way to First Lieutenant in 1987, and was appointed Company Commander (CPT) 614 MP Company in 1990.

Following his military career, Tung Dinh started his own business, Martial Arts America, teaching Tae Kwon Do to members of his community in Murray, Kentucky. Over time he earned a 5th degree Black Belt and worked very closely with actor and martial arts legend Chuck Norris to establish the "Kick Drugs Out of America" program in 1998. In 2002 he created the Martial Arts After School Program (MAP) to give local kids a place to go and learn self-confidence and discipline. And last year his Martial Arts America was voted the number one martial arts school in America by the UBC.

Today, Tung Dinh continues to teach martial arts and has developed a fitness and diet program specifically for children with overweigh and obesity issues. "There is a serious problem in this country related to weight control and much of the problem resides with our children," expressed Mr. Dinh. "I will continue to do whatever I can to help these children and their families create, and maintain, a healthy lifestyle consisting of exercise and diet."

Source: PRNewswire