BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – About two years ago, The Vermont Journal published a story about a group of powerlifters, mostly in their 60s and 70s, who were breaking records in competitions across Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.
Last month, many of those same competitors celebrated more wins at the 2026 annual Can-Am Championships, held at Supreme Fitness in Brattleboro.
Their trainer, Meg Letson, said, “One of the things I’m most proud of is that the [2024] competition…wasn’t a ‘one-hit wonder.’ Two years later, these athletes are still training consistently, still competing, and in many cases lifting better than before.”
Martha Rowley and Pamela Parant, ages 76 and 66 respectively, say they owe so much of their overall good health to regular strength or resistance training, especially as they get older.
“I feel that the consistency has kept me pretty healthy, both physically and mentally,” Parant remarked. “I am stronger now than when I started strength training.”
Parant said she is inspired by other lifters, like Rowley. “I think that I will continue weight training and powerlifting as long as I am able. I have already set a goal for my 70-year-old self. She will be here before I know it.”
Letson lives and works on a lovely property in Bellows Falls, located in the hills above Rockingham Boulevard, with trails, gardens, and two cats. She converted her garage into a gym about six years ago, and the space is cozy but well-outfitted. During the warmer season, Letson opens the overhead door and takes her workouts outside.
An increasing amount of research points to the benefits of resistance training as we age. According to an article published by the Mayo Clinic in 2024, “In addition to building strength and muscle mass, you’ll also slow the aging of your brain, blood vessels, and bones.”
The piece further states, “resistance training could slow, and in many cases, reverse the changes in muscle fibers associated with aging. This was even true in people who didn’t start resistance training until after age 70.”
For the athletes that train and compete under the leadership of Letson, those findings do ring true. Rowley maintains the Vermont and American Powerlifting Association records for her division in both deadlift and bench press. Parant holds the national record for squats, and at May’s Can-Am competition achieved her personal best, breaking her own state and national records. Their teammates, Chris Lundberg, 71, Mike Foster, 63, and Ashley Cole, 36, also broke or held state records at the event.
Letson emphasized, “To me, that’s the real measure of a successful strength program – not just peak performance, but sustainability, resilience, and long-term health.”
She continued, “Even better than a single competition result, this is evidence that strength training improves quality of life, preserves independence, builds confidence and community, and, done intelligently, it’s something people can continue for decades.”
