{"id":9568,"date":"2026-01-14T02:13:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T02:13:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=9568"},"modified":"2026-01-14T02:13:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T02:13:08","slug":"100-year-old-bodybuilder-says-the-key-is-simple-if-i-love-what-i-do-i-keep-doing-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=9568","title":{"rendered":"100-year-old bodybuilder says the key is simple: ‘If I love what I do, I keep doing it’"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n

Andrew Bostinto has been lifting weights longer than most people have been alive. At 100 years old, the New York\u2013born athlete still trains nearly every day and still competes. His secret to staying strong and motivated for nearly nine decades is surprisingly simple: do what you love, and keep doing it<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Bostinto, who began bodybuilding at age 12, has spent a lifetime breaking limits. As the founder and CEO of the National Gym Association (NGA), he\u2019s built a career promoting natural bodybuilding and healthy living. Here, we\u2019ll look at how he\u2019s kept his passion alive for almost a century<\/strong> and what his story<\/strong><\/a> can teach anyone about staying active<\/strong><\/a> and fulfilled later in life.<\/p>\n

A lifetime built on passion and persistence<\/h2>\n

For Bostinto, bodybuilding is part of who he is<\/strong>. \u201cPeople ask me when I am going to stop\u201d, he told Muscle & Fitness. \u201cI tell them I\u2019ll stop when I stop breathing\u201d. That mindset has carried him through decades of competition, military service, and recovery from health setbacks.<\/p>\n

He began training in the 1930s, long before gyms became mainstream. By 17, he was already modeling for fitness magazines. After serving 29 years in the U.S. Army, including during World War II, he returned to competitive bodybuilding. In 1977, at 52, he won the \u201cSenior Mr. America\u201d title<\/strong>, one of his proudest achievements.<\/p>\n

Now, a century old, Bostinto still trains five to six days a week<\/strong>. His routine has changed over time, especially after a stroke and lingering leg issues from his military days. But instead of quitting, he adapted. \u201cI find ways to compensate when I am training\u201d, he said. \u201cEven though my right arm is not as good as my left, I still do reps until I feel it on the right side\u201d.<\/p>\n

This year, just months after turning 100, Bostinto competed in the NGA\u2019s physique contest in Florida, earning a championship belt and trophy. His wife, Francine\u2014who serves as NGA president\u2014believes he\u2019s the oldest competitive bodybuilder in the world still training<\/strong>. Judging by his routine, he has no plans to slow down.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did everything I wanted to do in bodybuilding and the Army\u201d, he said. \u201cBut you know what? I still live my life for me. As long as I love what I am doing, I should keep doing it\u201d.<\/p>\n

What older adults can learn from this bodybuilder\u2019s mindset<\/h2>\n

Bostinto\u2019s story is a reminder that staying active and purposeful is central as we age. Here are a few takeaways from his example:<\/p>\n