Yasmin Shirali/Pioneer
81 year old Otto Kling works out at OCCC’s Wellness Center. Kling has been working out at OCCC for 29 years and doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

Otto Kling is a familiar face at OCCC.

The 81-year-old has worked out in the Wellness Center for the past 29 years.

Kling said he spends five days days each week on campus exercising.

He said he takes aerobics on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with Instructor Lisa Vaughan.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Kling said, he maintains his skeletal muscles — muscles that move and support the skeleton — by doing Body Sculpting with instructor Mark Whitaker.

“I have went through a lot of instructors,” Kling said.

His goal is to stay healthy the natural way. That, he said, is what keeps him motivated. “I don’t want to end up in some hospital, so that is why I exercise regularly.” Kling said he also makes sure to stay hydrated.

“While working out, I enjoy my own remedy of chlorophyll water, I buy the chlorophyll separately and pour just a little in a bottle of water,” Kling said.

In the past, Kling said, he exercised at one of the local parks.

He said when the program there ended, he discovered OCCC’s program.

“I’ve been here ever since,” he said.

Kling, who admits to not being involved in many sports growing up, said he only needs to drive three miles from his house to get to the OCCC campus to exercise.

He was born in St. Louis in 1929, and moved to Lawton in 1939.

“It was a small town then,” he said. “There was not a whole lot going on.

“I joined the Air Force, working in avionics in 1950, spent one year in the Korean War, and got out of the Air Force in 1954.” Kling said he then joined the Air National Guard, and retired from there in 1990, though he continued to work in the aeronautics field until he turned 78.

Kling said he prefers the “good ol’ days,” instead of present times because he believes Mary people today have attitudes and treat each other poorly.

When asked how the times have changed over time Kling replied, “oh lord, downhill.” He said the main difference between today and the past is convenience.

Kling said his family didn’t have an air conditioner as he was growing up and he could care less about technology.

“What is this iPod, ipee, ipiss thing?” he said.

He said some of the younger people in class have a hard time keeping up with him.

“We had a couple of young gals from the guard or something and they showed up two times and that’s all.” Kling has been married to his wife Velma for 52 years and has three children: Kevin, Steven, and Christy. He said he keeps his life simple.

He said he enjoys Lawrence Welk. “It’s just good music.”

“I consider myself a run-of-the-mill kind of guy,” Kling said. “I mind my own business and don’t get into trouble.”