Edith Murway-Traina, a centenarian, and powerlifter from the Bronx, proves age is just a number (and makes us feel pretty lazy)! Many people can’t even remember the last time they stepped foot in a gym. Meanwhile, this 100-year-old grandma lifts weights heavier than small children. Talk about setting the bar!
Edith celebrated her 100th birthday in August, but she’s still young at heart. Not one to be told “no,” she decided to test her limits and get into weightlifting. One day, her friend Carmen invited her to the gym to attempt some new exercises. The rest is history.
“She didn’t want to go by herself,” Murway-Traina told the New York Post. “She dragged me kicking and screaming all the way, so that’s more or less how I got there.
“I saw all these other ladies lifting weights, and it looked interesting. I picked up a couple of weights and had to prove to myself that I could accomplish this.”
Today, Edith is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the oldest competitive female powerlifter. In September 2019, she broke a world record by deadlifting 150 pounds at age 98. This impressive feat made it into the 2022 edition of the “Guinness World Records” book, which came out last month. The spunky centenarian continues to show the world that age is just a number.
Her friend Carmen told Guinness World Records: “Edith kept going because she always keeps going. She will not quit, and anything hard makes her more determined. If it’s easy, she might get bored, but if it’s hard, she’s going to do it. Nobody’s going to tell her, ‘Oh, that’s too hard for me.’”
The weightlifting grandma who proves age is just a number
At first, she lifted smaller weights, then quickly moved on to the heavier duty ones. It seemed she had a knack for weightlifting and soon began competing in senior events. She won plenty of medals and enjoyed the rounds of applause from the enthralled crowd. After all, it’s not every day you see a 100-year-old lift nearly 200 pounds!
“When you pull a bar up, and you lift it, there’s a certain power that you experience that is only yours. It belongs to you,” she told the Post.
Her love of physical fitness goes back to her days as a dance instructor and performer in the Bronx. She and her friends idolized Fred Astaire and often held line dancing shows together. Nine years later, Edith found her new passion in life: powerlifting. Not many people get into that sport at 91, but age is just a number once again!
Looking back on the good ol’ days, it’s easy to see why Edith loves weightlifting competitions so much. Accustomed to being in the spotlight and hearing rounds of applause after an outstanding performance, Edith wanted to relive those memories. This time around, she replaced the dance shoes with tennis shoes but felt just as happy in front of a crowd.
“I love to hear the applause,” she said. “What better [thing] is there than feeling like you accomplished something and to hear everyone applaud and make you feel like you’ve done something powerful and important?”
While the pandemic put a hold on her weightlifting competitions and gym time, she’s since returned with a vengeance. She’s back at it three times a week with a trainer, getting ready for a competition in November. Now, she’s setting the bar even higher to see what she can accomplish. She’s got her sights set on another trophy at the competition, and we have no doubt she’ll win it!
Life is a gift to be embraced each day.
Traina loves being able to embody the idea that age is just a number. However, she hopes people will look beyond her age and also feel inspired to follow their passions.
“I think in my nineties, I became more aware of the need for people to be recognized for who they are, or what they are, or how they are, and it’s the most beautiful thing in the world,” she told GWR. “I think I survive on that, mostly, myself.”
Outside of the gym, Edith enjoys spending time with family and friends. She’s a mother of five, grandmother of 11, great-grandmother of 10, and great-great-grandmother of two. For her milestone birthday, she had a small get-together with friends, donning a gold dress for the occasion. They all line-danced to “New York, New York,” a perfect way to celebrate 100 years of life.
While she’s hopeful about winning a trophy come November, simply being alive is enough for her.
“There’s nothing more that I can ask for than to open my eyes in the morning and know God gave me another day,” she said. “You can’t ask for more than that.”
One of her grandfathers also lived to 102, making Edith the second centenarian in the family. She never expected to live to the ripe age of 100, but she feels pretty good about that accomplishment. Apparently, she’s got some pretty good genes in her family!
Edith lives alone after outliving two previous husbands, but she gets by with the love of friends and family. Her secrets to living to 100 include laughing a lot and drinking a couple of martinis a year: one on her birthday and another on Christmas. She didn’t give specifics as far as nutrition, saying she just ate whatever her mom gave her. It seems the key to living a long life is to have fun, don’t stress, and keep reaching for the stars.
Final thoughts on a 100-year-old world record holder who shows age is just a number
Not everyone gets to live to 100, but Edith is making the most of it. She feels thankful for every day she gets, spending quality time with friends and family. When she’s not bonding with loved ones, she’s breaking powerlifting records and training in the gym. What a cool grandma, right? We hope her story will inspire you to achieve your dreams and remember that age truly is just a number!
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