• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
X
  • Start Here
    • Transform Your Body
    • Weightlift for weight loss
    • How to lose 20 pounds in 3 months
    • Clean Eating for Beginners
    • The Obesity Code summary
  • Workouts
    • Strength Training for Men Over 50
    • 5×5 Workout for Over 50
    • Calisthenics Workout Plan for Beginners
    • Bodybuilding over 50 workout routine + PDF
    • The Best at Home Dumbbell Workout
    • 3×5 workout program
  • Exercises
    • Deadlifts
      • Deadlift muscles worked
      • Benefits of deadlifts
    • Squats
      • Squat muscles worked
      • Benefits of squats
    • Bench Press
      • Bench Press Muscles & Benefits
    • Chin-Ups / Pull-Ups
      • Pull Ups benefits, muscles worked
      • Neutral grip pull-ups muscles worked
    • Push-ups
      • Pushup muscles worked
      • Benefits of pushups
      • Exercises to Improve Pushups
  • Body Transformation
    • Getting Fit at 50 before and after photos
    • How deadlifts change your body
    • 12-week body transformation plan
    • Swimming body transformation
    • How Rucking Changes Your Body
  • Equipment
    • Weightlifting
      • Elbow Sleeves
      • Knee Sleeves
      • Gifts for Weightlifters
      • Bumper Plates
      • Dumbbells
      • Weight Benches
      • Cable Machines
      • Best shoes for squats & deadlifts
      • Deadlift bars
      • Best lifting straps
    • Calisthenics
      • Weighted Vests
      • Resistance Bands
      • Power Towers
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein Powders
      • Supplements for Men Over 50
      • Multivitamins for Men Over 50
      • Best Budget Probiotics
    • Cardio
      • Best Air Bikes
      • Rowing Machines Under 500
      • Walking Shoes for Men
      • Compact Treadmills
      • Treadmills for a Heavy Person
      • Recumbent Bikes
      • Budget Ellipticals

Hashi Mashi

Fitness Tips for Your Mind and Body

  • Start Here
    • Transform Your Body
    • Weightlift for weight loss
    • How to lose 20 pounds in 3 months
    • Clean Eating for Beginners
    • The Obesity Code summary
  • Workouts
    • Strength Training for Men Over 50
    • 5×5 Workout for Over 50
    • Calisthenics Workout Plan for Beginners
    • Bodybuilding over 50 workout routine + PDF
    • The Best at Home Dumbbell Workout
    • 3×5 workout program
  • Exercises
    • Deadlifts
      • Deadlift muscles worked
      • Benefits of deadlifts
    • Squats
      • Squat muscles worked
      • Benefits of squats
    • Bench Press
      • Bench Press Muscles & Benefits
    • Chin-Ups / Pull-Ups
      • Pull Ups benefits, muscles worked
      • Neutral grip pull-ups muscles worked
    • Push-ups
      • Pushup muscles worked
      • Benefits of pushups
      • Exercises to Improve Pushups
  • Body Transformation
    • Getting Fit at 50 before and after photos
    • How deadlifts change your body
    • 12-week body transformation plan
    • Swimming body transformation
    • How Rucking Changes Your Body
  • Equipment
    • Weightlifting
      • Elbow Sleeves
      • Knee Sleeves
      • Gifts for Weightlifters
      • Bumper Plates
      • Dumbbells
      • Weight Benches
      • Cable Machines
      • Best shoes for squats & deadlifts
      • Deadlift bars
      • Best lifting straps
    • Calisthenics
      • Weighted Vests
      • Resistance Bands
      • Power Towers
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein Powders
      • Supplements for Men Over 50
      • Multivitamins for Men Over 50
      • Best Budget Probiotics
    • Cardio
      • Best Air Bikes
      • Rowing Machines Under 500
      • Walking Shoes for Men
      • Compact Treadmills
      • Treadmills for a Heavy Person
      • Recumbent Bikes
      • Budget Ellipticals
Home » Meet Shirley Webb: 78-Year-Old Grandma Who Deadlifts

Meet Shirley Webb: 78-Year-Old Grandma Who Deadlifts

Last updated March 18, 2025 by Rich "Hashi Mashi" NASM-CPT

137 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email

Shirley Webb and the Deadlift

Shirley Webb’s deadlift story proves that strength has no age limit.

At 78, she struggled to stand up without assistance.

By 81, she was deadlifting 259 pounds and setting powerlifting records.

If you think you’re too old to get strong, think again.

Learn how deadlifts transformed Shirley’s life—and how they can do the same for you.

Meet Shirley Webb

At 75, Shirley Webb of East Alton, Illinois, struggled to stand up from the floor without the help of a chair.

Even climbing stairs required gripping the handrails.

That changed when she joined a local fitness club, Club Fitness Gym in St. Louis, to keep her granddaughter company.

With the guidance of trainer John Wright, she picked up a barbell for the first time at 76.

Two years later, Shirley wasn’t just lifting—she was competing in powerlifting meets.

By 78, she was deadlifting 225 pounds in the 200-pound range, setting an Illinois state record in a powerlifting championship for her age group.

Her incredible journey made headlines on social media. Watch her inspiring transformation:

Credit Story and Video – Người Việt TV (c) 2016 – https://NGUOIVIETTV.com

What This Means for You

If you’ve never done deadlifts before, they may seem intimidating.

But as 78-year-old Shirley Webb proved, it’s never too late to start.

Lifting 200 pounds is impressive, but deadlifting 225 pounds at 78?

That’s next level.

By 80, she was pulling 255 pounds, shattering age group records and inspiring millions.

Strength Training is for Everyone

Think you’re too old to get strong?

Think again.

Whether you’re 40, 50, or even 80, deadlifting can build strength, mobility, and confidence.

Watch Shirley Webb at 80 years old, deadlifting 255 pounds—a true testament to the power of weight training.

The human body is capable of remarkable transformation—at any age.

Deadlifts aren’t just for powerlifters.

Whether you want to build strength, improve mobility, or regain independence, they can change your life.

Start today.

Eat healthier, stay active, and add strength training to your routine.

Deadlift for fitness or compete—it’s up to you!

Shirley Webb Deadlifts 259 Pounds at 81

At 81 years old, Shirley Webb stunned the crowd at the 2018 USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals by deadlifting 259 pounds with ease.

Her lift shattered expectations and went viral, proving that strength knows no age limit.

Watch her record-breaking lift:

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wow !!! Goals !!!! 81 Year Old, Shirley Webb pulls an EASY 117.5kg/259lbs deadlift at 2018 USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals World Championships! #amazing #inspiring #whyicompete #ageisjustanumber . . ?: @mbohart92 #usapl #usapowerlifting #champion #deadlift #raw #powerlfiting #iliftclean #raw #over80 #over80 #rpstrength #sbdapparel #titansupportsystems #a7intl #gnclivewell #bodybuildingdotcom #girlswholift #girlswhopowerlift @spokanesports

A post shared by Sportlander West (@sportlanderwest) on Oct 14, 2018 at 1:41pm PDT

shirley webb deadlift 78 year old lady from St. Louis deadlifting-image-credit-ed-webb

Shirley Webb deadlifting over 250 pounds at 81 – Photo Credit: Ed Webb

Can You Deadlift If You’re Over 50?

Absolutely.

Deadlifts aren’t just for athletes.

Even if you’ve never lifted weights before, they can rebuild lost strength and improve mobility.

Just ask Shirley Webb—a 78-year-old grandma who once needed a chair to stand up but now lifts over 250 pounds.

Her story proves that age is just a number when it comes to getting stronger.

Read more of Shirley’s rise to deadlifting fame.

From Better Posture to Climbing Stairs

I’ve experienced firsthand how deadlifts improve posture and stability.

After every deadlift workout, I felt taller, more balanced, and stronger.

But Shirley Webb’s transformation goes far beyond posture.

She recalls:

“When I first started, if I was on the floor, I couldn’t even get up without the help of a chair or someone to help me up,” Webb said.

“And the stairs? I could barely get up holding onto the railing.”

Deadlifting didn’t just make her stronger—it gave her independence.

Getting Weaker is a Dangerous Myth

Most people assume that getting older means getting weaker.

We expect seniors to struggle with stairs, rely on support, and lose muscle.

But Shirley Webb shattered that myth.

At 81 years old, she wasn’t just walking—she was deadlifting 259 pounds and aiming for 300 pounds.

If you think strength fades with age, think again. Movement is the key to staying strong.

I’ll never forget watching my grandmother in a wheelchair at just 60 years old.

She had incredible grip strength—cracking walnuts in her bare hands—but she couldn’t walk.

Could deadlifts have helped her?

I don’t know.

But I do know this:

Strength training is life-changing.

Don’t accept weakness.

Keep moving, keep lifting, and stay strong—at any age.

The 5 Powerful Benefits of Deadlifting

If you are already over 40 or 50, then you should be even more motivated to get to work on getting fitter and stronger.

There is no question that if you start now, your golden years can be much healthier, and what greater wealth than health is there?

If you are over 70 or 75 and can barely walk up the stairs or get up off of the floor, Shirley Webb can inspire you to never ever give up.

The miracle of a Shirley Webb deadlift demonstrates five amazing ways deadlifts make you stronger, no matter what your age:

#1. Build Strength for Everyday Movement

We take standing up for granted.

But we should not, because as we get older, we lose more muscle if we are not exercising.

Our body is designed to move, not sit all day, with minor adjustments between the kitchen table, the car, the train, the office, the dinner table, and finally, the couch.

Shirley could not stand up without help at the tender age of 76.

Today, she is doing just fine at 81.

“At the time, I couldn’t walk up the stairs unless I held on to the handrail, and if I got on the floor, I couldn’t get up without a chair,” she said.

“Now I can come right up off the floor. The harder I work out, the better I feel.”

Five years ago, she started deadlifting and powerlifting.

The amazing benefits of deadlifting will keep your muscles strong, so when you enter your seventh decade and beyond, you will still be able to stand up.

#2. Climbing Stairs

As Shirley attested to above, she could not climb stairs without holding on to a railing to pull herself along.

Today, she has strengthened her body to the point that she is feeling great and can climb stairs without assistance.

Isn’t it hard to enjoy life if you cannot get up easily, move around, and climb stairs?

You or your parents do not have to keep losing muscle strength and function.

No one says that deadlifting is easy, just as any exercise requires effort, but look at the results.

Instead of walking around with a cane, this 81-year-old grandma is competing in powerlifting championships.

How great is the design of the body that even in the eighth decade of life, you can reboot your health and fitness.

Don’t wait; start today!

#3. Feeling Good and Fit at Any Age

In Webb’s own words:

“I hope my story encourages others to want to do the same.”

“You don’t have to go and lift 200 pounds, but anyone — no matter what age — can go out there and work out.”

“I promise you, you will feel great.”

“I feel fantastic, I work out twice a week with my trainer, sometimes three times, and I’m just feeling great.”

Do you need more proof of the powerful benefits of deadlifts than this quote from an 81-year-old grandmother who started deadlifting only five years ago?

#4. Stay Independent as You Age

Every person wants to be independent.

We all want to be self-sufficient and not be a drag or drain on our family or friends.

I imagine you wish you had a buck for every time you heard:

“I never want to be a burden on my family.”

Those are great intentions, but the question is how to achieve physical and mental independence.

Here is a clear example of a person gaining so much strength that she has regained function.

She has gained independence.

Without strength, every activity becomes difficult: walking, standing, getting out of a car, even going to the bathroom.

At least now you know how you can remain strong throughout your life.

Functional independence is one of the most precious deadlifting benefits.

#5. Hormonal Tsunami

The fantastic deadlifting benefits of staying young and strong are tremendous.

An older person might shy away from deadlifting for fear of injury.

However, with proper form, deadlifts are not only safe but will elicit a flood of testosterone and growth hormones.

These hormones help to keep you looking and feeling young and strong.

The deadlift is so powerful because you are targeting nearly all the major muscle groups with one exercise, the deadlift.

Your legs, your arms, your back, your core, even your grip, just about every muscle in your body is going to get a workout.

The deadlift is a fountain of youth because you are doing right by your body.

Shirley Webb Deadlift – Wrapping up

This is how the wonder of a Shirley Webb deadlift can change your life.

Because you see the miracle of the human body in front of your eyes.

Your muscles get weaker because you do not use them, not because you got older!

What’s Next

Start moving your body, start lifting weights, exercising, whatever type you prefer.

Weight training works with barbells as well as with your body.

Look how Shirley Webb regained her mobility and increased her strength by adding resistance training to her life.

You can do the same, no matter where you are on your fitness journey.

If you need to lose weight before you start weight training, find out how to lose 20 pounds in 3 months here.

If you are ready to deadlift, then start with this 12-week Deadlift Program for Beginners in Fitness or Powerlifting.

Related Posts:

  • What Muscles Does a Stair Climber Work + Stepper Benefits
  • 8 Amazing Ways How Rock Climbing Changes Your Body
  • Stairmaster Benefits: How Climbing Stairs Changes Your Body
  • 7 Deadlift Fat Loss Results You Need to Know
  • Did You Ever Consider Deadlifts for Weight Loss?
  •  
137 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email

Filed Under: Exercises

About The Author

Rich Hashimashi AuthorRich "Hashi Mashi" is a NASM-CPT, CNC and Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. At 55, he lost 75 pounds in 6 months, and discovered if you change your body, you can change your life. Ready to reignite your fitness? Start Your Body Transformation Journey Here.

Get Your FREE Body Transformation Guide

Primary Sidebar

Body Transformation Guides

  • Body Transformation: the Ultimate Guide
  • Strength Training for Men Over 50 + Workout
  • Minimalist Training Home Workout Guide
  • 8-Week Bodybuilding Over 50 Routine + PDF
  • 12-Week Body Transformation Workout Plan

Recent Posts

  • 8 Best Hip Thrust Alternatives – No Barbell Needed
  • Best Shoes for Squats and Deadlifts: Top 10 for 2025
  • 10 Best Minimalist Training Shoes for Strength (2025)
  • Best Weighted Vests for Fitness Workouts in 2025
  • 5 Best Deadlift Shoes On The Market In 2025

Footer

Change Your Body

Recent Posts

  • 8 Best Hip Thrust Alternatives – No Barbell Needed
  • Best Shoes for Squats and Deadlifts: Top 10 for 2025
  • 10 Best Minimalist Training Shoes for Strength (2025)
  • Best Weighted Vests for Fitness Workouts in 2025
  • 5 Best Deadlift Shoes On The Market In 2025
  • 5 Best Deadlift Shin Guards on the Market in 2025
  • The 5 Best Budget Power Racks for Home Workouts
  • 5 Best Budget Recumbent Exercise Bikes for Home in 2025
  • 26 Best Gifts for Weightlifters in 2025
  • 8 Best Walking Shoes for Overweight Men in 2025

Change Your Life

Change Your Life

  • Body Transformation
  • Clean Eating
  • Diet and Weight Loss
  • Equipment
  • Exercises
  • Motivation
  • NASM Certification
  • Pushups
  • Squats
  • Workouts

Follow Hashi Mashi

Pinterest   Facebook

The Fit Apprentice® is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Never Give Up

Remember when you were
in shape back in the day?

Do you think that transforming your
physique is a pipe dream?

You are in the right place if you want
to learn how to get fit, change your
body, and change your life.

But do not know where to start.

Here is how...
Start Here
  • About
  • Privacy policy
  • Affiliate link disclosure
  • Terms of use
  • Contact

Hashimashi.com's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.



Copyright © 2012–2025 The Fit Apprentice® Blog powered by hashimashi.com - Hosted on BigScoots
DMCA.com Protection Status