World’s oldest bodybuilder, 93, still trains three days every week: His 3 simple rules for longevity and strength

At 93, most people slow down. But for Jim Arrington, slowing down was never really the plan. Known as the world’s oldest professional male bodybuilder, the California native is still training, still showing up, and still holding on to the physique he built over decades. In a video shared by Guinness World Records, he opened up about how he keeps going even in his nineties — and the three rules that guide him.

He does not talk like someone chasing records. He speaks like someone who simply refused to quit.

From ‘Skinny Bones’ to the Bodybuilding Stage

According to Greatest Physique website, born in 1932, Jim’s early years were difficult. He struggled with asthma and was often unwell as a child. He was thin, small-framed, and nicknamed “Skinny Bones.” Running and playing like other kids was not easy for him.
Things shifted when he was 13. While browsing at a local drug store, he came across a bodybuilding magazine. The images stayed with him. Remembering that moment, he once said, “They were so huge I just couldn’t believe it! Even their forearms were massive, just like Popeye. Everything else was huge, too.”

That curiosity pushed him to order a simple 25-cent training pamphlet. He began lifting weights using those basic instructions. Within three months, his weight increased from 115 pounds to 125 pounds. By 15, he was 150 pounds. The nickname faded. Strength slowly replaced sickness.

Interestingly, he did not compete right away. It was only at 45 that he stepped onto a bodybuilding stage for the first time. Training in Venice Beach, often called the “Mecca of Bodybuilding,” he believed he lacked the bone structure and genetics earlier on. But he kept building anyway.
Over the years, he earned major titles, including Overall 1st place at the 2014 Masters National Championships, where he also earned his Pro Card. His competitive record through his 60s, 70s, and even 80s shows consistent podium finishes.

Rule 1: Change Your Diet When Your Body Changes

In the Guinness video, Jim admitted he once followed what he called an “old-style” diet heavy in milk and beef. He explained, “I used to do the old-style (diet). Lots of milk and lots of beef. Those are the two foods that I’m not allergic but they lead to inflammation. I’ve changed my diet entirely. I’m doing more full of olive oil, mushrooms, things like that, so I figured if I did that, I could continue training, and I could keep this thing up.”

Instead of sticking to habits that no longer worked, he adjusted. That flexibility, especially with food, helped him continue training into his 90s.

Rule 2: Train With Purpose, Not Ego

Jim trains three times a week. Each session lasts around two hours. He focuses on mechanical tension and believes strongly in pushing through effort. His approach includes a demanding “10-10-10” method — 10 repetitions, a 10-second hold, and then another 10 repetitions to really feel the muscle working.

He has often repeated the idea of “no pain, no gain.” For him, intensity matters more than showing off heavy weights.

Rule 3: Adapt, Always

Perhaps his biggest lesson is about mindset. He has said, “The whole thing about bodybuilding is adaptation. What works for a person at one time in their life isn’t the same (later).”

He was once a sick child. Then a late starter in competitions. Now, he is a 93-year-old still lifting. At every stage, he adjusted instead of giving up.

Jim Arrington’s life does not read like a smooth success story. It is more about steady effort, small corrections, and years of not stopping. His three rules — adjust your diet, train with intention, and stay adaptable — are not complicated. But clearly, they work.