The World’s Oldest Bodybuilder?

The 40+ age group worries if for them bodybuilding and working out is still worth it. What do you do when you’re 90+?

Meet Charles Eugster

The majority of my readers is in the 15 to 25 group. There are some aged 26 to 35, but go far beyond that, and it drops off.

When I do get 40+ readers, one of their prime questions is: is it still possible to build muscle at my age? Am I too old? Can I still achieve something when I start now?

Prior Aelred, another age-defying man, brought one guy to my attention. His name is Charles Eugster, who started bodybuilding at the age of 85.

Midlife Crisis – At 85

In an interview with the Guardian, Charles summarized his reasons like this:

[At] 85 I had a crisis. I looked at myself in the mirror one day, and saw an old man. I was overweight, my posture was terrible and there was skin hanging off me where muscle used to be. I looked like a wreck. I started to consider the fact that I was probably going to die soon. I knew I was supposed to slow down, but I’m vain. I missed my old body and wanted to be able to strut across the beach, turning heads.

That crisis for most of us happens 40, 50 years earlier. What does it tell us about our crises when a man at 85 thinks he still can make a difference in his life? When he hasn’t given up, even though he already outlived average male life expectancy by a decade and we still have a half a century to look forward to?

Here’s the TED Talk referred to in above news video. It’s well worth watching:

There’s 90 And There’s 90

He might not win the Mr. Olympia, true. But there’s a vast difference between living to 90 bound to a bed for the last 20 years or living to 90 and enjoying life to the fullest. On his personal blog, Charles writes:

I’m not chasing youthfulness. I’m chasing health. People have been brainwashed to think that after you’re 65, you’re finished.

If you’re 40 and start right now, you have half a century to work out. Do you think it could make a difference?

Picture courtesy of “midiman“.