Ever tried the ‘too old’ excuse? Try again.
With all those who have ever found themselves muttering a feeble attempt at an excuse (myself very much included) I wanted to share this heartwarming story from CrossFit Community about Jean Stewart, the deadlifting (great, great) grandma.
The moment she began to feel old, Jean didn’t use an excuse to do less, she started using CrossFit to do more. She wanted to improve her long-term health so, at the age of 83, she walked into Desert CrossFit in Palm Desert, California and figured she had nothing to lose.
“I see people who are stooped over and old, in their 60s and 70s,” Jean told CrossFit Community. “I don’t want to be that way. I was losing function for everyday living, stooped over and lifting things improperly. I just wanted to live my life (and be) healthy.
“I’ve learned to pull myself up on the rope,” Jean added. “I can’t climb on the rope, but I’ve learned to pull myself off the floor onto the rope, which is an accomplishment.
“I’m very competitive, trying to excel in everything I do. CrossFit is a matter of seeing what you have inside and maximizing it.”
If that hasn’t inspired you, then you must be the only person Jean’s story hasn’t touched. When a photo of her deadlifting 151 lb. was posted on CrossFit’s Facebook page at the beginning of this year it received nearly 11,400 likes, almost 1,900 comments and was shared nearly 5,000 times.
“I’ve eliminated ‘I can’t’ from my vocabulary,” she continued to tell CrossFit Community. “I can now and I will. After all, age is just a state of mind.”
Today, she is deadlifting 153 lb.
This week I did my first WOD R’xd (as prescribed). Maybe by the time I’m 83 I’ll be as strong as Jean. But for now, no more excuses! And if you know anyone more hardcore than Jean, let me know. For they too might deserve a mention in our CrossFit blog…
