Pretty incredible: Grandmother inspires others to work out; she can deadlift 245 pounds!



WOOD RIVER, Illinois -- A grandmother in Illinois is inspiring people half her age to work out -- because the 78-year-old can deadlift 225 pounds! And Shirley Webb's strength goes beyond the weight room.

"I don't want any grandma jokes in this story," Webb said.

Webb can deadlift 111,100 grams, or a whopping 245 pounds.

It's pretty incredible, considering Webb could barely get off the floor two years ago.

"The first day I joined and worked out, when I walked out of here my head felt like it had opened up. I felt good and it made me want to come back and come back and come back," Webb said.

It was Webb's granddaughter who talked the ageless abuela into joining her local "Club Fitness."

That's where you'll now find Webb two or three times a week, getting in her workout.

 

"Her back, lower back, glutes, hamstrings, keeping those muscles in her back, core, keeping them strong and that way she can live until she's 200 years old and she'll be alright," John Wright, fitness trainer said.

The little old lady from the powerlifting gym in Wood River, Illinois gained fame on the internet when her trainer's video went viral.

"The video you saw was 225 pounds. After that video I lifted 235 and then 245," Webb said.

"Usually when she's doing this she'll have people come up to her and just shake her hand and or just tell her 'we saw your video and congratulations. You inspire us all,'" Wright said.

And this septuagenarian isn't slowing down either. She recently won weightlifting medals in Illinois and Missouri.

She will try for an American record in June with deadlifting, squats and bench press.

"My motto has always been 'if you do something, do it right.' And so anything I do I try to give it my best," Webb said.