I’m a 72 year old Mr Universe Bodybuilder – my secret to staying fit into old age

AN award-winning weightlifter has shared his secret to staying fit and healthy as you get older.

A. Arokiasamy is a bodybuilder from Malaysia who, at the age of 72, continues to prove that older people can be as fit or even fitter than people half their age.

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Arokiasamy, a father of seven and grandfather of five, pumps iron every day and even believes his vigorous health routine has helped him defend his body to avoid contracting COVID-19.

After representing Malaysia in several editions of Mr. Universe and winning gold at the 1981 Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines, Arokiasamy eventually opened a gym in his hometown.

At his Teluk Intan gym in Perak state, where he grew up, he now trains other aspiring bodybuilders, charging around $1 per entry for a full day.

“Weightlifting and exercise can slow aging and keep you healthy,” Arokiasamy told AFP.

He said society could fight the threat of “the deadly coronavirus pandemic by lifting weights to stay fit.”

As strange as it sounds, strength training really does help older adults live longer, according to a Penn State study.

Arokiasamy got into bodybuilding shortly after dropping out of school and his bodybuilding hero is Arnold Schawrzenegger, a Hollywood movie star and former Mr. Universe from Austria.

His first win came in 1968.

Young Arokiasamy won a gold medal at a local competition and went on to compete professionally in Malaysia and abroad.

Even as he was at the top of the world as a successful athlete, winning contest after contest, Arokiasamy still had a day job and still works today.

As a young bodybuilding competitor, he worked as a school gardener and is now a security guard.