If you wander into a gym in Castlemaine, 120km NW of Melbourne when the powerlifting class is on, you’d be surprised to see the average age of the powerlifters is 75, with the oldest participant almost 80.
The Castlemaine program is specifically designed for older adults and includes those with double hip replacements, arthritis, and cognitive impairment.
With life expectancy in Australia around 85, head coach Dean Mawby (pictured above with 80 year-old Tony) says it’s never too late to exercise.
Tony, nearly 80, says he’s been powerlifting twice a week for the last nine months and can now lift 20kg kettlebells and bench press 30kg.
He says, “I feel more vital, it’s an important part of my life now.”
Tony’s wife Ann has seen her husband’s confidence grow, buoyed by the company of the class.
She says, “I’m convinced Tony’s neural pathways have improved since he started working out, but his jokes are still bad.”
Time to flex those muscles!
