There is no age to begin your fitness journey. The sooner, the better. But it doesn’t matter even if it’s too late. Rebecca Wood a 70-year-old bodybuilder has won a national championship at this age.
Inspired by her own father, she decided to push herself through the fitness lines and here is her share of the story. But she was diagnosed with arthritis and thus she was advised by the doctor not to do any heavy weight lifting.
In the year 1982, she was diagnosed with a leg condition that caused swelling in her legs. Because of which she was advised by the doctor not to compete in bodybuilding competitions.
In her early 30s, she was attracted towards bodybuilding when she was trying to shed off her pregnancy weight. After giving birth to her third child, she decided that she wanted to build up her body as a bodybuilder. She secured the topmost position in 1990 nationals and since then she has participated in over 30 various contests.
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She is currently 4 feet and nine inches and weighs 85.5 pounds.
She recalls
I grew up with a father who was a coach at local community center. He coached both boys and girls; young men boxing, football, baseball and basketball and girls’ volleyball and basketball,’
She further added
‘I wasn’t the best at these sports – I was a tiny girl so those taller and stronger stood out – but I always gave one-hundred percent since my father was coaching, I didn’t want to embarrass him.
‘My community was a close-knit one and in the early sixties there wasn’t the opportunity for female athletes as there is now.
‘My brother was a Golden Gloves boxer, and he came to live with me in the early eighties for a short time. He had a few weights that he would lift and when he wasn’t home, I would lift them.
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‘This was shortly after I had my third baby and the weight wasn’t coming off. He moved out and took his weights with him. That’s when I decided to find a gym in 1984.
‘As I trained over the months, men at the gym suggested I compete in bodybuilding; there was only bodybuilding in those days.
‘I was diagnosed with a debilitating autoimmune disease at age thirty-three, rheumatoid arthritis. The doctors advised me to not lift weights like I do.
‘In 1986 I found myself competing in my first show. All because I just wanted to lose the weight I picked up from having my third child.
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‘Once I was told by my doctor, “I wish you just planted flowers because you will never compete in bodybuilding,” well I did, and I’m still competing, I still have rheumatoid arthritis.
‘I asked the owner of the gym to help me understand the equipment. The bodybuilders at the gym assisted me with tightening my meal plans.
‘Previous ladies in the gym who helped me showed me the proper way to pose and helped me with a routine to music, which was mandatory at contests.
‘Basically, I have never stopped lifting weights. I competed in the late eighties and early nineties in power-lifting, which in turned bulked me up.
‘I realized pound by pound that I was strong. In one of the power-lifting contests, I weighed in at 107 pounds and I could squat lift at 111kg. I was always the oldest on stage and I still am.’
But this strengthened her will power and she started taking care of her diet and physique. Her dedication and consistency proved everyone wrong and thus she excelled her way to the top.
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Now when the lady is at her glorious 70 years then she has won the 35s category.
Hats off to her for her efforts and victory.