Sunday, April 26, 2009

And Keep off His Lawn!

The strongest 72-year-old you'll ever meet - Evening Sun: "ALLENTOWN, Pa.—Fred Glass is 72 years old, stands 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs only 151 pounds. But he routinely hoists barbells twice as heavy—300 pounds, or, on a good day, 400 pounds or more—into the air.

His calves are spindly, but on his small frame are muscles of steel: the backs of his thighs look armor-plated, his triceps are spectacular and when he flexes, the muscles encircling his chest and back are peerless. Younger and taller men may have bulkier muscles, but Glass' strength is world class."

10 comments:

charlie stella said...

This guy is my hero. There was one guy (65) at the meet I was in a few weeks back in New Jersey and he set a state record on the bench lifting in the 168 class (something like 380 pounds). I weight almost 160 pounds more, am 13 years younger and I choked on 386.

I have the same power training schedule as the guy in the article, Bill ... except proportionally he's about 10X's a better lifter than I'll ever be.

Nobody understands (my wife included) why guys and gals my age and older do this stuff ... I start 4 of my days at 3:00 a.m. and train from 4-5:15 ... aside from staying out of trouble between 3:00 - 5:15 ... for me anyway, it's holding onto what once was a half-assed athletic life. I hate watching myself go south so I make beating personal goals very personal (if that makes any sense).

mybillcrider said...

Having always been about as athletic as a block of wood, I can't imagine getting up at 3:00 and lifting weights. Or doing anything else except sleepwalking. I admire anyone who has the discipline to do something like that.

Buck said...

Mr Stella, you are an inspiration. I hope you continue to lift as long as you can.

charlie stella said...

Buck, thanks for the very kind words ... but so long as I can get out of bed, I'll be lifting WAY MORE than I should be.

My wife calls the crevice I've created in two mattresses now "The Valley" ... all things (our dog included) gravitate toward "the valley" at some point toward the night.

Cap'n Bob said...

Sure, Bill, sure. Have you forgotten about running five miles every morning? That's mighty impressive to me, who forgot how to run 15 years ago.

mybillcrider said...

Well, it used to be five miles. More like four now. And "running" would be stretching it.

charlie stella said...

Four miles ... I'm not sure I can drive that far, brother.

I complain about shin splints but it's really just the thought ... all that movement with no pizza breaks ...

Runners are crazy ...

mybillcrider said...

Crazy, yes. Runner? That's questionable.

charlie stella said...

Late update ... they just released the Jersey State Championships I was in 3 weeks ago ... another 70 year old wonder who had lifted the day before my weight class (the old fat men) ... Jack Wolff, 70 ... 418 DL/302 Squat but had to take a token bench (from an injury) ... that 418 is no joke ... the guy only weighs 146.7 pounds!

I love it!

mybillcrider said...

Good grief.