A 72-year-old grandmother in Taiwan has stunned the internet by donning a bikini and showcasing her toned muscles at a recent bodybuilding competition, demonstrating that age is just a number and igniting a wave of admiration online.
Dubbed the “bodybuilding grandma,” Lin Sui-tzu, 72, from Taipei, took the stage at the 2025 President’s Cup Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships.
As a grandmother of five, she competed in the over-70 category, impressing judges and the audience with her firm physique, defined muscle lines, and confident smile.
Before gaining fame as a bodybuilding competitor, Lin spent years working as a diabetes educator at the Minsheng Community Centre in Taipei.
For decades, she advised patients on managing high blood pressure and diabetes through diet and exercise, but many struggled to adhere to her recommendations, often citing a lack of time.
In response, Lin decided to lead by example. She began weight training at the age of 69, initially to familiarise herself with the “resistance training” she recommended for seniors.
“I thought weight training was merely about building massive muscles, but I soon realised it emphasises health and muscle definition instead,” Lin told Common Health Magazine.
Her dedication quickly yielded results.
Lin secured third place at a national bodybuilding championship in 2023 and subsequently won second place at the TBFA Championship the following year.
Her transformation has amazed her family, particularly her five grandsons.
“Once, while showering with my grandson, he saw my figure and exclaimed, ‘Invincible Wonder Woman!’” Lin recalled.
Her husband, Chen Bingjian, a renowned cardiologist, fully supports her fitness journey.
“It’s crucial to cultivate a regular exercise habit, especially in Taiwan, where many grapple with high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Resistance training, like this, offers tremendous benefits to the body,” he emphasised.
Lin’s anti-ageing secrets are both simple and disciplined.
She dedicates the first hour of every morning to weight training from Monday to Friday. Her diet emphasises whole foods with low carbohydrate intake.
Additionally, she maintains an active lifestyle through yoga, ballroom dancing, and painting.
“I hope that even in old age, I can still teach people to paint, dance, and lift weights in a nursing home,” she expressed.
Lin also noted that many of her patients often lament: “What’s the point of living so long if there’s nothing to do?”
In response, she reassures them that the second half of life is still long and rich with potential. As long as one is willing, it is never too late to learn new things and enrich the body, mind, and spirit.
The grandmother has sparked lively discussions among netizens, who marvel at her discipline and youthful appearance.
One commenter noted: “She’s 72 years old? She looks at least 20 years younger. Sweat is truly the best anti-ageing serum.”
Another remarked: “Her grandson can proudly say, ‘My grandma is stronger than you.’” -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
