68 year old female power lifter!

[Merrida]

I'm not sure where to post this, but,....on TV now is a 68 year old woman who is a power lifter! Is that totally cool or what? There's just way too many things to admire about this one!


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[sweetdream]

That's awesome! I think it's great to know that even at that age she's showing off that it can still be done! just because you are getting older doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to do some things that younger people can do! when I am 68 I definitaly still want to be hitting up the gym!

[cursor]

From The Seattle Medium <source>

Lifting With A Purpose: Bull Stewart’s Powerlifting
Team Takes Third Place At World Competition
by Chris B. Bennett

When the average person thinks of powerlifting competitions, their mind probably runs rampant with stereotypical images of what they perceive a powerlifter to be. The natural assumptions is that powerlifters and body builders are one in the same, but one look at Bull Stewart’s Powerlifting Team will put all of those stereotypes to rest.

At first glance, no one on the team outside of Bull, who coaches the team, would strike you as a world class powerlifter, but one look at their list of credentials and you’ll find a team filled with some of the most competitive powerlifters in the world, a proven fact when you take into consideration that the team took third place in the World Bench Press and Deadlift Championships recently held in Anaheim, CA.

The fact that the team took third place alone is a tremendous accomplishment. But when you take into consideration that the team had only two members under that age of 40 to compete and that all of the members of the team workout at Columbia City Fitness, which is owned by Bull and his wife Flo, the accomplishment takes on a greater magnitude.

“It’s unusual for competitive teams to be built from the membership of a gym,” says Stewart. “Usually they recruit people who are already participating in competitions.”

Most members of the team are quick to point out that they never had any intentions on participating in competitive weightlifting, but Stewart saw something in each and every one of them that prompted him to encourage them to think about competitive lifting.

“He (Stewart) was so encouraging and enthusiastic and right off the bat he said ‘you’re going to break world records,” recalled Francesca Mangaoang-Brodine.

Francesca and her mother, Juanita Mangaoang, are members of Stewarts team and have been competing for three and one-half years. Both are record setting lifters and work as immigration paralegals. Francesca won first place (396 lbs) in the deadlift at the World Championships in the open women’s division and fourth in the bench press (181 lbs), she also is the world junior record holder (407 lbs) and open state record holder (425 lbs) in the deadlift. While Juanita, competing in the master women (47-53) division, took first in the deadlift (342 lbs) and third in the bench press (203 lbs). Juanita recently set the state record in the deadlift (363 lbs) in August.

“The first thing people think of (when they find out she’s a powerlifter) is you’re a body builder and I’m like no…,” says Francesca, who is ranked number ten in the deadlift in the U.S.

“A lot of times you have to explain what you do,” she says because most people don’t know the difference between a body builder and a competitive lifter.

Winifrid Pristell, a retired barber affectionately called captain by her teammates, is a sweet woman, who would remind you of your favorite grandmother. But upon further review, you’ll soon discover that the 68-year-old woman recently broke her own world record in the bench press as she benched 170 pounds, in addition to deadlifting 254 pounds at the World Championships.

For Pristell, much like the rest of her teammates, training for powerlifting competitions helps them set and maintain goals, and remain focused on staying fit.

“My biggest goal is to watch my weight,” says the two-time world champion, who travels from Everett three times per week to workout at Columbia City Fitness.

“I used to try to beat her to the gym every morning,” says Stewart of Pristell, who arrives at the gym at 5:30 a.m. and waits for the gym to open.

“I don’t try to do it anymore,” laughs Stewart.

Barbara McGuire — a project manager at Microsoft, who looks more like an aerobics instructor than a powerlifter, competing in the master womens 123 lbs division – won first place in the deadlift (187 lbs) and second in the bench press (105 lbs) at the World Championships.

McGuire also attributes competitive lifting to helping her maintain her workout regimen.

“I’ve never been consistent at a gym before,” says McGuire, who also attributes the family and neighborhood feel of Columbia City Fitness with helping her stay focused on working out.

While all of the members of the team have active lifestyles, as they each spend an average of three to six hours per week training.

“This (working out) fits very nicely into our schedules and we don’t have to sacrifice other things that we like to do,” she said.

Other members of the team interviewed by the Seattle Medium include: Richard Waite, a retired refrigeration mechanic (local #32), who placed first in both the bench press (181 lbs) and the deadlift (335 9lbs) in the men masters (75-79 age group); Marek Czaja, a carpenter, who places second in the junior mens (20-25 year-old) deadlift (363) competition; and Mick Stevens, a business consultant, who placed second in the master mens deadlift competiton (535 lbs). Stevens also is the current and four-time national powerlifting champion and two-time world champion.

According to Stevens, who has been competing off and on for about 10 years, the power training that they do is really core training. Today, there is so much emphasis on various types of core training, but one of the best ways to strengthen the core of your body, and just as in life there are no shortcuts.

“When it comes to powerlifting, if you don’t have core strength you can’t do it,” says Stewart.

“I think one of the benefits is that it (power training) teaches you that if you want to do anything there are no shortcuts,” said Juanita Mangaoang. “It teaches you that it’s not an instant gratification, you have to work for it.”

And for most of members of Stewart’s team it’s not about getting pats on the back and accolades that keep them focused, but rather the long-term health benefits of working out.

“The alternative to weightlifting and being active in the gym is letting your body go down hill, says Waite.

The team has been so inspiring that they’ve had a positive impact on Stewart as well.

“The team has inspired me to return to competiton,” says Stewart, the former world champion who has not competed in few years. “I’m planning to compete in the national competition next May in Florida.

[CF-OC_gal]

If you like this topic, about a month ago I came across this photography book online. Etta Clark Photography

Check out Helen Zechmeister, age 81 Weight lifter. Do a search on her name. Amazing stuff, all of them!