At 68, Winifred Pristell, grandmother of two and great-grandmother of 3, is a testament to living healthy at any age. Winifred is currently a World Association of Benchers and Dead Lifers (WABDL) champion.
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In fact, Winifred currently holds the World, National and State records for single lift bench press for her age group and weight class.
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Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and athletic in her youth, Pristell’s lifestyle eventually slowed down. Before she knew it, she was obese. But with the encouragement of her daughter, she became re-interested in fitness at 48.
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But Winifred did not become serious about weight lifting as a competitive sport until she was 60, after meeting her mentor, Jim Schall, a former coach and teacher, who himself has held dead lift records for his age and weight class for over 10 years. With his help, Winifred won her first competition, becoming state champion at the 10th Annual Alki Beach Bench Press and Deadlifting Championship. One month later, she broke the world record for her age and weight category.
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Surprisingly, Winifred has arthritis in the soles of her feet, her back and legs, and before she made that drastic change to her current lifestyle, she was barely mobile. She advises any senior in a walker or a wheelchair that with the “proper exercise, nutrition and fitness regimen, anyone can get up out of that wheelchair or throw away that walker. If you want to accomplish that, you can!” She adds: “Find something that you love and keep on doing it, be consistent and never give up. I’m never going to stop!”
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Her motto: “Look at me! I did it, and so can you!”
Winifred’s formula for staying fit is exercising on a regular basis and eating healthy – no junk food! In fact, in her spare time, Winifred loves to cook, and only eats out when coerced by family and friends.
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When asked why she loves weightlifting so much, the triple-crown title holder just smiles and says, “I don’t like dead weight. If it’s dead weight, then get it off me.”
