Erica Bryant

Democrat & Chronicle

Most grandmothers, especially those reaching 80 years of age, can be counted on for cozy hugs, surprise gifts, and gray hair. So you may be surprised when you meet Willie Murphy, a 77-year-old grandmother who can do one-handed push-ups and deadlift 215 pounds.

The 105-pound senior started with 5-pound weights a few years ago, after seeing a sign about a weight-lifting competition at her local YMCA. She asked a Y employee if she could participate. "Go for it, granny," he said.

She took his advice with a vengeance.

In addition to lifting more than twice her weight, Murphy can do one-handed pull-ups, one-handed pushups, fingertip pushups, and the pushups where you put your fingers in diamond formation and press your nose all the way to the floor.

Murphy is quick to point out that her strength is all natural. "None of those steroids for me," she said, setting down a barbell.

And it's not as though she needs it. She handily won her division in the deadlift competition at the recent WNPF World Championships. She also came home with first-place awards in power curl, bench press, bench press repetitions and the World Natural Powerlifting Federation 2014 Lifter of the Year award.

Murphy laughs a lot and eats what she wants to eat, including Pizza Hut on football days, washed down with rum and cranberry juice. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning, she heads to the local Y to lift weights and powerwalk.

Since her victory, Murphy's been getting a lot of love at the gym. All morning, people stop to congratulate her, give her fist bumps or ask to touch her biceps. One lady gets off the step machine to tell Murphy that she is her idol. Murphy says thank you and curtseys.

"They see I'm old and I'm not being pushed around in a wheelchair," she said with a laugh. "I can shovel my own snow. And I can push my car if it gets stuck in the snow... I'm almost 80 years old and I am still living life."

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