It doesn’t matter if you are 8 or 78- with fitness, your body can do amazing things and you will feel better and gain confidence! We found stories of a young girl and an elderly woman who are spurning expectations and letting their bodies and strength do the talking for them. One can deadlift 225 pounds while the other completed a Navy Seals-designed obstacle course. Can you guess which one did which?
The Young: Milla Star Mizzotto
Anyone who thinks today’s kids are hopeless and lack motivation should see Milla Star Bizzotto, aka the #InspirationForTheIpadGeneration, in action. Unless you can complete an extreme race course designed by a Navy Seal, she can probably kick your butt!
This 9-year-old is defying the stereotype that girls should be playing with dolls or are inseparable from their cellphones. You are more likely to see her picking up a barbell for some deadlifts than a video game controller.
The 9 year old completed the 24-hour Xtreme race track that consists of a 5-mile run with 25 obstacles and a 30 mile long swimming portion.
Milla is doing obstacle courses and mud runs to prove that girls can kick butt and hang with the adults. She is even raising funds to put an end to bullying. In her Go Fund Me, Milla says that she was tired of being bullied at school so she turned to fitness for confidence and started training at age 7. The plan worked. She feels great about herself and is now an “anti-bully” who wants to teach young people to stand up for themselves.
Read all about Milla’s amazing story here.
The Old: Shirley Webb
78-year-old Shirley Webb turned to fitness to improve her life. The elderly woman could barely walk up the stairs or lift herself out of her chair. She was tired of feeling weak and suffering from limited mobility, so she took action and changed her life.
With the help of her granddaughter and a personal trainer, Webb started going to the gym to lift weights. Her trainer instructed her to do deadlifts, a compound lift that strengthens muscles in both your upper and lower body.
After just six months of 2 lifting sessions a week, Webb deadlifted an amazing 225 pounds. Less concerned about the record-setting numbers, Webb is relieved to find her body stronger and her quality of life much improved.
“My body has changed so much, my body has felt so good since I started exercising. I feel like a different person,” she told ESPN.
Her story shows that weightlifting is not just an activity for the young. Pumping iron is essential for adults 65 and older to maintain their independence and health.
Read the full story here.
