Marlene Flowers, a 68-year-old social media influencer with millions of followers, is breaking stereotypes about strength training and ageing. A testament to the power of strength training for seniors, she has become known for flexing her signature biceps in her posts. She has now shared her fitness secrets in a March 20 interview with Washingtonpost.com. Also read | 70-year-old woman lifts weights, does 120 kg leg press and cardio in gym after back injury; internet is in awe of her
Marlene is known as ‘Granny Guns’ on Instagram and other social media platforms, but she’s not a stereotypical grandma – she goes to the gym nearly every day even as she deals with arthritis in her knees, injuries to her bicep and shoulder, and some bone deterioration in her left foot.
What’s more? She dedicates an entire workout session to her triceps and biceps. She trains specific muscle groups on different days of the week to allow her body time to recover. She completes around four sets of eight to 12 repetitions for each exercise with 60 to 90 seconds of rest in between sets.
Here’s how Granny Guns works on those toned arms:
⦿ Triceps:
Bar cable triceps extension
Face the machine, lean forward slightly — back straight — and hold the cable at chest height. Press toward the floor. Slowly return.
Dumbbell skull crusher
Lie on a flat bench. Hold two dumbbells above your head with your arms extended. Bend at the elbow to slowly lower the weights. Lift to return.
Triceps pushdown
Press your back against the pad. Push down and forward on handles. Slowly return by bending your elbows. Don’t shrug your shoulders.
Overhead rope triceps extension
Position the cable above your head. Face away from the machine. Step forward and pull the rope in front of you. Only move your arms. Extend both. Slowly return.
⦿ Biceps:
Dumbbell curls
Stand straight. Hold dumbbells in both hands with palms up. Slowly lower, then lift weights. Focus on squeezing your biceps. Don’t swing your body.
Standing bar cable curls
Stand straight. Face the machine. Anchor the cable near the floor. Lift the bar. Slowly return.
Rope curls
Stand straight. Face the machine. Anchor the cable near the floor. Hold the rope at either end. Pull up. Slowly return.
Preacher curls
Sit and lean forward. Make sure your arms are flat on the pad. Grip the handles with palms up. Slowly lift up, then return.
More about her fitness journey
Marlene’s fitness journey began when she was 58 – she felt weak and suffered from pain in her knees. She then started strength training. She credits her transformation to her son (who became her trainer), and her newfound passion for fitness, which she documents on social media. Her Instagram bio simply reads: ‘Your bodybuilding granny.’
Marlene shared in the aforementioned interview, “It took a while for me to get out of the house. Now, it’s just the opposite. You can’t keep me out of the gym. If you stay at home and sit around, everything gets stiff. Then it hurts more, and it just compounds the whole problem…getting me into bodybuilding — that really turned me around and made me feel good about myself.”
It’s never too late to start bodybuilding
Marlene’s advice for beginners is to find an exercise they enjoy – start with the lightest weights and add ‘a little bit at a time’ as that’s how she ‘built up’; she added that bodybuilding is ‘not something that happens overnight’.
Did you know that lifting weights can help people retain muscle mass and physical function as they age, which can potentially broaden their health span — the period of time when a person is generally in good health? A 2023 study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found even people in their 80s and 90s who had never weight trained before gained strength and muscle mass after lifting three times a week for three months.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
