Can you deadlift 225lbs? This 78-year-old gran can.
Shirley Webb can deadlift 225lbs without a sweat, and the video of it has left people with open mouths after it was shared on Instagram by her trainer yesterday.
Two years ago, Shirley’s only form of exercise was mowing the lawn. She couldn’t get up off the floor without help, and had to hold onto the railing for support to climb the stairs, ESPN reports.
But then she joined Club Fitness with her granddaughter in Wood River, Illinois, and got herself a trainer.
She now goes to the gym twice a week and regularly deadlifts over 200 pounds. That’s nearly the same weight as Arnold Schwarzenegger. Or the average giant panda.
Her trainer, John Wright, told ESPN: “She’s gotten to the point where everybody greets her and is just absolutely impressed. She inspires everybody that goes to the gym and it’s fun to see that.”
She even got a shout-out from NFL player JJ Watt:
I'm just trying to live to 78, much less deadlift at 78. Touché to you Shirley! #BeastMode https://t.co/z4fSPVqL1F
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) March 29, 2016
Last November, Shirley set the Illinois record for deadlifting at 237 pounds in her age and weight group.
And she’s not stopping anytime soon. The super-gran said: “I have no intention of stopping right now. When I go to the gym and work out, when I leave, I feel so much better than I did when I went in, and I just feel so good. I feel tremendous.”
Hats off to you, Shirley. Amazing.