Whether you’re a lifelong fitness enthusiast or ready to pick up dumbbells for the first time, you might need a little motivation to hit the gym. These stories from seven women, all over 60, remind us that it’s never too late to start strength training.
These women are accomplishing their own goals today, including bodybuilding, learning the squat, and prioritizing nutrition after years of dieting and overeating. Everyone is on their own fitness journey, but are there a few things each woman said make a big difference? Having a community that supports you, such as a personal trainer or family; Overcoming the fear of gaining weight and focusing on getting stronger, and thinking about macros for balanced nutrition.
Read what women over 60 do to stay healthy.
Marilyn: A spectacular bodybuilding competition at 75 years old
Marilyn Larkin, 75, turned to bodybuilding after being diagnosed with breast cancer as a way to focus on her strength during a terrifying moment. She had competed in another bodybuilding competition 20 years ago, but this time she placed first in the women’s over 50 category. “It’s been a journey of self-acceptance, empowerment, and constant dedication to myself,” she said. For Larkin, whose cancer has been “stable” for the past year, progressing toward her fitness goals is more important than winning a competition, which she has done herself.
Steal her strength tips: Get guidance from the experts. Although Larkin is a trainer, she also works with professionals to tailor the plan to her specific needs and ensure she performs a variety of exercises to keep her workouts challenging and avoid plateaus. He gave it to me.
Genie: 63-year-old American Ninja Warrior record breaker
Ginny McCall used to work as a professional dancer but avoided strength training for fear of “gaining weight.” She saw her daughter Jesse Graff compete on American Ninja Warrior and realized she wanted to be strong too.
“I saw Jesse’s strength, grace, and healthy habits and realized that his muscles were beautiful,” she says. “It was a big mindset change for me. I adopted the motto ‘Strength never transcends age.'”
It started with just one pull-up and took the 63-year-old a year to accomplish. Then, using a combination of strength training, yoga and cardio, McCall appeared on television with her daughter and became the oldest person to complete an obstacle course on American Ninja Warrior at age 71.
Steal her strength tip: Prioritize sleep. McCall sleeps seven to eight hours each night to rest and recharge her body so she can perform at her best.
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Michelle: 65-year-old woman improves osteoporosis with strength training
Just before she turned 65, Michelle Alber discovered she had severe spinal osteoporosis and decided to start lifting weights to help build bone. Just one year later, she’s made great progress. “Once I understood that strength was the secret to longevity, everything clicked,” she says.
One of the big changes in Alvar’s fitness approach is her nutrition. Rather than focusing on dieting to stay thin, Alvar learned to count macros to continuously nourish her body. “Instead of thinking about how much I can eat, I changed my mindset to treat food as fuel,” she says. Alvar eats five meals a day and prioritizes protein to rebuild muscle after training. With the goal of hypertrophy, or muscle growth, Alvar goes to the gym four days a week, using mostly free weights and focusing on progressive overload. Her PR for hip thrusts (her favorite move) is 150 pounds.
Tips for stealing her power: Focus on your macros. To reach his daily goals, Alvar makes sure to include protein, carbohydrates, and fat at every meal. Egg whites, chicken breast, ground beef, and salmon are all go-tos for protein, and she also prioritizes complex carbohydrates for extra energy on strength days.
Elaine: An 80-year-old woman who does handstands every day.
Elaine Padour started lifting weights in her late 50s and has been doing it ever since. At 80 years old, her regular workout routine includes hanging leg raises, handstands, triceps dips, leg extensions, lat pulldowns, and triceps pushdowns, which involve lifting her own body weight. It is being carried out under a load that exceeds. “I’ve never joined a formal training program or asked any trainers or fellow gym-goers for advice. I just listen to my body,” she says. For Padre, the keys to staying active into his 80s are consistency, form and mindset.
Tips to steal her power: Listen to your body. If one day the movement feels easy, paddle for more reps. However, if something doesn’t feel right, change your mind and try a different exercise.
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Julia: A 62-year-old double organ transplant survivor celebrates it with strength training
Julia Lin started strength training for the simple reason that after decades of battling health conditions and surgeries, she was “so grateful to be alive.” At age 34, she experienced kidney failure due to diabetes and underwent a double organ transplant to receive a new kidney and pancreas. Later, in his 40s, he underwent triple heart bypass surgery and had his thyroid removed due to heart disease. “I decided to get as healthy as possible to celebrate my body and my resilience,” she says. At age 64, the same month she celebrated the 30th anniversary of her organ transplant, she competed in her first bodybuilding competition, where she also won.
It all started when Lynn was 62 years old and came across a three-month online strength challenge for people over 40. She entered the challenge without knowing there was a winner. She entered without knowing there was a winner until the winner was announced after she had made the most progress. Currently, she trains five days a week with a personal trainer for 45 minutes, separating her upper and lower body. One of her biggest accomplishments in the gym was winning the leg press 8 times at 450 pounds (PR).
Tips to steal her strengths: Confidence is key. Lin says letting go of negative self-talk and treating your body with compassion is key to success in the gym.
Eileen: 61 years old who can hip thrust 300 pounds
Eileen Bullock, 61, was inspired to set fitness goals for herself when she discovered fitness influencer and WH cover star Joan McDonald’s Instagram. She joined an online coaching platform and began focusing on weighted squat exercises, something she had previously avoided. It took her two years to successfully perform a squat with proper form. Over the next year, she went from squatting 75 pounds to almost 130 pounds. She also did a PR using 300 pounds for hip thrusts. It’s a move she learned from Wonder Woman, an online women-only fitness community.
Block training is done five days a week, with two days for upper body, two days for lower body, and one day for both. She does cardio five days a week, whether it’s on Peloton or with a running group. “Do I always feel like exercising? No,” she says. “But I promised myself I would always start training.”
Steal hints of her strength. Focus on your buttocks. As a result, Brock has improved his lower body strength and is now able to excel in the gym.
Marine: 66-year-old finds strength and community in the gym
After going through two divorces, Marlene Flowers says her confidence, body image and self-esteem were shattered. She suffered from an eating disorder that damaged part of her colon and required surgery. That’s when she decided she wanted to make a change. Flowers found happiness with her son Ryan, who became a trainer, and took refuge in the gym. Flowers says her “fit family”, both online and in person, has made a huge difference in her journey. “The comments I receive online are very positive,” she says. “I went from having no support to having all the support in the world. I honestly couldn’t have been happier.”
She starts each morning with 15 to 20 minutes of sit-ups to set herself up for success. Then, around noon, she goes to the gym with her son for some low-impact warm-ups and strength training. Depending on the day, Flowers focuses on lower body, chest, back, arms, shoulders, or cardio. She also learned to focus on nutrition and prioritize protein whenever possible.
Steal hints of her strength. Never miss a warm-up. Flowers begins every workout with a 15-minute warm-up on the elliptical to prepare her body for the rest of her exercise plan.
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Olivia Luppino is an editorial assistant at Women’s Health covering health and fitness. She’s contributed to The Cut, POPSUGAR, and Salon, and has written about everything from New York Fashion Week to dating app trends to the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (aka her heroes). When Olivia isn’t writing, she can be found attending a Bravo show or running late to a barre class.
