Powerlifting During The Golden Years

“Rest/Rust.”

That’s what 75-year-old powerlifter Cecil Woodward’s original weightlifting coach, Murray Levin, always said.

“Human bodies and brains that rest too much will rust,” Woodward added about his now 96-year-old coach’s advice. Rust is a metaphor for physical atrophy. “Said another way, use it or lose it.”

The Severna Park resident broke three records at the 2023 USA Powerlifting Maryland State Bench & Deadlift competition that took place on September 2 in Rosedale, Maryland.

Woodward set records in the bench press with 187 pounds, deadlift with 330 pounds and push-pull total of 517 pounds. The push-pull event includes bench press and deadlift weight totals. In that event, Woodward exceeded the previous record from 2019 by 44 pounds. He won all three events in the 75-79 age group in the 198-pound weight class.

“Old lifters never die, we just keep on lifting,” Woodward said.

He also noted the importance for continued weightlifting, no matter the age.

“There is a lot of emphasis on cardiovascular fitness, but weight-bearing exercises are necessary to maintain and increase bone density,” Woodward said.

When preparing for the competition, Woodward trained twice a week on the bench press and deadlift, gradually reducing the number of repetitions from 10 a set to just one over a three-month period.

“Repetitions should decrease as the weight lifted increases,” Woodward explained.

According to Woodward, one to five repetitions is recommended for strength training large muscle groups.

“I enjoy the discipline needed for training and the increase in muscle mass and strength from pushing and pulling heavy weights,” Woodward said.

After seeing an article in the August edition of the Severna Park Voice about 80-year-old Chuck Mulligan, who bench pressed 286 pounds and works out at the Y in Arnold, Woodward was inspired to get back into powerlifting. In the last few years, Mulligan overcame leg sarcoma and prostate cancer.

“The fact that we are both cancer survivors and still competing after age 75 encouraged me to compete again after 40 years away from competition,” Woodward said, who also lettered in gymnastics in high school and has enjoyed cycling and body surfing over the years.

Additionally, Woodward was encouraged to get back into competition by his former training partner, 76-year-old Richard Landry, and his current training partner, 53-year-old Martin Wolfe.

Woodward is in good company. Landry, his high school classmate, currently holds several New York state powerlifting records. Wolfe won the 50-54 age group in the 198-pound weight class in the same competition and is on track to break the bench press record for his age group.

“Martin is one of my tax clients that I recruited to enter his first powerlifting competition,” Woodward said.

Woodward worked for the U.S. government, starting in 1970 as an IRS revenue agent and retiring as an assistant inspector general at the National Security Agency in 2004. He was also a senior financial analyst for L3Harris from 2004 to 2010.

Since 2010, Woodward has been a self-employed certified public accountant. He’s in the process of transitioning his business to his daughter, Corrin, who is also a CPA.

Even though Woodward turns 76 on October 10, there are no plans for letting up on his fitness efforts. He’s currently training to break the American deadlift record of 401.5 pounds by September 2024.