MEMPHIS, Tenn. — They say age is just a number. For one Cordova man, it doesn’t mean a thing when it comes to bodybuilding.
Jimmy Moore says he never thought he would look like he does now during his twilight years.
In fact, just months away from his 70th birthday, he’s in the best shape of his life.
“You have to pump a lot of iron to get these muscles,” he said. “I didn’t look like this is in my 20s or 30s.”
After living a pretty sedentary lifestyle, Moore decided to start working out at the age of 58, right before the birth of his first grandchild.
He shed pounds, and started building muscle. Now, he admits, he turns heads in the gym.
“I can tell if a younger guy is about to talk to me and usually his question is, ‘Man, how old are you?’ and the second question is, ‘How much can you bench?'”
He’s also flexing his muscles in competitions in the body building world — undefeated for nearly a decade in the over-60 category.
“I had never even attended a competition,” he said. “The first time I was at one, I was in it, so it was a real learning experience.”
To look like this he hits the gym at least three times a week and sticks to a diet full of protein and vegetables.
It’s all worth it, he says. He’s never felt better and isn’t on a single medication.
The best part is, he’s inspiring others.
Moore says just because you reach a certain age doesn’t mean you should give up.
“A lot of people ask me, ‘When are you going to stop?’ and my answer is, ‘I’m afraid to stop,'” he said. As long as I’m healthy without injuries, I’m going to continue.”
