It happened in Brazil, and I’m a Brazilian, so I’d like to believe that one of my countrymen offered a seat to an elderly man (although that’s not consistent with my personal experience). But there are lots of vacant seats, so a tend to doubt the veracity of the whole thing…

When I was a youth and into my mid twenties I could perform that maneuver with ease and hold it for a few minutes. The photo probably does not show someone who is actually performing it correctly unless he is left handed. I could not do it using my left arm as the supporting arm. The right arm (in my case as I am right handed) should act as a strut with the upper arm along side of the trunk from the shoulder down to the elbow which is flexed about 45° with the hand gripping the pole. The left arm and left hand holds the pole above the right. One’s weight is mainly supported by the right arm. At the time I was skinny but strong. If I remember correctly I learned to do it at summer camp and few were able to do it.

Dan Kurt