‘Just get up and move’: Senior powerlifters showcase skills at Saskatoon competition

The Bridge City Powerlifting competition showcased many talented powerlifters on Saturday. Hallee Mandryk reports.

The Bridge City Powerlifting competition showcased many talented powerlifters on Saturday. Two competitors in particular proved that you’re never too old to do what you love, as 89-year-old Joyce Hansen and 80-year-old Barry Gay pumped some iron.

“I’ve always been challenged to do physical things. And actually, I came to the clinic here as a patient, and I ended up staying in the gym. So I just did light weights and cardio and so my daughter and my granddaughters started lifting and that inspired me to take it up as well,” Hansen said.

The powerlifting group is based out of Mackie Physiotherapy Arlington Clinic, where many staff members also work as powerlifting coaches. The group hosted a non-sanctioned powerlifting meet, where members cheered one another on as they showcased the results of their hard work.

“It is such a nice feeling. Because you think, can I do this? And you start lifting and it doesn’t move and you go, oh my gosh, this is not going to move. It’s not going to lift. And then it moves a fraction of an inch and you go, maybe it’s going to move. And you keep pushing and push harder and push harder and harder, and it gets to the top and you get the okay...It usually brings tears to my eyes,” Gay said.

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One of the event organizers and powerlifting coaches, Kelsey Gudmunson, shared that the event was an opportunity encourage people of all ages to challenge themselves by taking up the sport in a supportive environment.

“It’s not just a sport for young people. I think it’s so important to show that not only you can, but that maybe you should, even if it’s not on the platform at an event like this, but that you can still go into the gym, lift weights and get stronger. And I think what we have today is just a perfect example of that,” Gudmunson said.

Hansen has been powerlifting for 12 years, and she shared that the sport has made a tremendous impact on her overall well-being.

“As you age, you lose everything. So I work out to maintain my mobility, my flexibility, and probably the most important thing is my balance. And so I’ve achieved all those as well as having severe osteoporosis. I have increased my bone mass to the point where I don’t need medications,” Hansen said.

Hansen’s sentiments were echoed by Gay, who expressed that he also noticed changes to his physical health prompted him to start rediscovering a love for athletics.

“I started to notice as I got older, that I was getting slower and weaker and less flexible. And one day when I looked down to see what kind of shoes I was wearing, I couldn’t see them. So I thought it was time to do something about that,” Gay said.

Gay shared that he was quite active in his younger years but gradually slowed down with age. In the last two years, he was invited to the gym by his son, where he rediscovered that love for physical activity.

“Every time when you think of, ‘oh, I have to go to the gym...it’s going to be hard’. And it ends up not to be hard. It ends up to be exhilarating. I feel so good after so I think I’m hooked now...We get older and things start to hurt, so we move less. That’s exactly the wrong thing to do. We have to move more,” Gay said.

Hansen hit a personal best on Saturday. She shared that while she doesn’t see herself as being much different than the other powerlifters at the meet, but she’s very thankful for the support of her fellow athletes.

“I didn’t know what my weights were. I let my granddaughter submit my weight, so I had no idea what I was lifting. But it really felt good....They almost embarrassed me when they say I was so inspiring, but really, I’m just doing what I enjoy and it feels good,” Hansen said.

Gay added that powerlifting has created a new sense of motivation when it comes to his health as he aims to get stronger as he gets older.

“If I’m going to live longer...I want to live healthy and not spend my last 10 or 20 years in pain or with a walker or wheelchair....You get started and do this kind of work, you will get stronger, and when you get stronger, the pain is less,” Gay said.

Hansen shared similar advice, noting that while powerlifting may not be for everyone, there are always other ways to remain active.

“Just get up and move, whatever it is. If you just want to walk, walk. If you want to lift some weights, lift weights, just move,” Hansen said.