Sy Perlis: A 91-Year-Old Weightlifting Champ

91-Year-Old Arizona Man Sy Perlis Breaks Weightlifting Record

June 28, 2013 | 33,466 views

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By Dr. Mercola

Sy Perlis already holds titles as the 2009 state weightlifting champ and the 2010 and 2011 world champ in the 181-pound weight category in the World Association of Benchers and Dead Lifters.

But earlier this month he accomplished an even bigger feat: when he lifted a 187.2-pound weight, he broke the world record of 135 pounds, which had been in place since 2005. It’s a remarkable victory for any athlete, but what makes this story particularly noteworthy is the fact that Perlis is 91 years old.

91-Year-Old Breaks World Weightlifting Record...

Sy broke a nearly decade-old World Association of Benchers and Deadlifters record in the 90-and-over age division. What makes this especially extraordinary is that he didn’t begin weightlifting until he was 60 years old. And he entered his first competition when he was in his mid-80s.

Unfortunately, increasing physical frailty as you age is commonly accepted as "a fact of life," and this preconceived notion often spurs people (either consciously or subconsciously) to slow down and stop exercising as they get older. But age is not an impediment to staying physically active! If anything, the older you are the more important regular exercise becomes.

While Sy Perlis’ case is certainly not the norm, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be. Most of us won’t be breaking word records in our 90s, but we canall strive to stay physically fit. In fact, more and more people are achieving stunning physical accomplishments in their "golden" years. Most of you are probably familiar with Jack LaLanne, who was the picture of fitness well into his 90s, but he is but one example. Others include:

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Sy Perlis: A 91-Year-Old Weightlifting Champ