WEIGHTLIFTING is a sport of perseverance, and one woman says she isn’t letting anything, be it her age or cancer diagnosis, get in her way.
Marilynn Larkin, a 75-year-old bodybuilding champion and fitness coach at Get Unbent, faced a two-year stopgap in her weightlifting journey after she tore a meniscus in her shoulder.
Last year, a breast cancer diagnosis regressed her lifting weight to a mere five pounds as she attempted to build her strength back after lumpectomy surgery.
Larkin, who began entering fitness competitions at 54, was inspired by an aerobics trainer who urged her to compete.
Despite an initial interest in aerobics, she was rejected when she attempted to register for competitions.
“Everybody was tall, blonde, and young, and they said, ‘No, you can’t do that,'” she told The U.S. Sun.
But someone took an interest and set her on her path
“I have a trainer that said, ‘You’d be perfect for bodybuilding,'” she recalled.
Though she’s decorated in her career, Larkin isn’t in it for the accolades.
She explained that her health journey has always been “internal” and she follows the philosophies of choreographer and actor Mikhail Baryshnikov.
“It’s like Baryshnikov said, ‘I dance for myself, I work out for myself, I push myself,'” she said.
She explained that she’s never viewed her age as a barrier to what she could — and would — do.
“I’ve had fitness clients that would say, ‘I’m 40 years old, I can’t do it,'” she said.
“That has nothing to do with this. It has to do with your body and where you’re at; age has nothing to do with it.
“These numbers are artificial. What is real is assessing where you are now and accepting it.
“You may have run marathons 30 years ago, and if you want to run a marathon again, you’re not going to start where you left off.”
People come up and tell me I’m inspiring them when I feel like I’m just living my life.
Marilynn Larkin
Larkin was undeterred by her cancer diagnosis, and in fact, she believes that her physical condition is what pulled her through.
“I’m totally convinced that my being in shape has allowed me to get through this cancer, which was already metastatic when it was diagnosed and destabilized,” she said.
Larkin explained that her diet is her top priority in order to prepare for her competitions and stay in the best possible shape.
She avoids fried and fatty foods, follows a 16-week restrictive diet, avoids carbohydrates and fats, and eats homemade meals.
The bodybuilder admitted, however, that she believes in moderation — a typical day of meals, she explained, includes three full meals and even occasional snacks.
For breakfast, Larkin normally feasts on old-fashioned oatmeal (with nuts like pecans, walnuts, and almonds), blueberries, milk, and whey protein.
When people think of an older person, they probably picture a person hunched over — that’s an ageist stereotype.
Marilynn Larkin
For a snack, she’ll whip up an omelet of three egg whites, a yolk, cheese, and avocado.
Lunch and dinner typically consist of a lean protein source, such as a turkey or chicken burger, greens, and a sweet potato with Greek yogurt on top, with sides of quinoa, asparagus, and spinach.
She revealed that she avoids “empty calories” like white rice and sauces.
“Sauces can be deadly if you like sauces. You pour it on everything; that’s definitely going to keep weight on,” she said.
Larkin never forgets to treat herself, making room for her go-to Pret A Manger Harvest cookies and a “free” meal once a week.
The fitness coach even has her own personal trainer, whom she meets three times a week, to help her progress.
“Even though I am a certified trainer, I need somebody to push me more than I would push myself, and I know that about myself,” she said.
I think I’ve experienced reverse ageism when I tell people how old I am and then they want to fall on the floor.
Marilynn Larkin
In addition to a variety of training exercises with dumbbells and machines, she stressed the importance of posture, especially for someone in her 70s.
“When people think of an older person, they probably picture a person hunched over — that’s an ageist stereotype,” she said.
“Aside from not being able to breathe that well, you’re not able to connect to your own self-confidence when you’re hunched over and closed off.”
Her discipline and hard work have netted her a physique that regularly catches the attention and admiration of strangers.
“I think I’ve experienced reverse ageism when I tell people how old I am, and then they want to fall on the floor,” she joked.
“People come up and tell me I’m inspiring them when I feel like I’m just living my life.”
Larkin said that she’s even had strangers interrupt her training sessions and stop her in public to compliment her.
“My arms have been a topic of conversation since I was a teenager,” she said.
“I’m walking down the street and I get guys yelling out of cars, and they go, ‘Whoa! You’re strong!’
“Women say they want arms like mine. I love my arms, but you also have to love your whole body because my arms are part of my body.”
Larkin explained that her journey with self-acceptance also comes with how she speaks and treats herself.
“Self-talk can sometimes keep you in the box, keep you from being un-bented and bending out of your comfort zone,” she said.
“One of the most difficult things about getting started is just starting.
“What I usually say is, if not now, when?”
