81 year old Nora Langdon is a professional powerlifter from Southfield, Michigan. Her interest in going to the gym stemmed from getting tired while going up and down the stairs saying, “My strength was going down to nothing” (Facebook: Ben Crump). Growing up, she had never played sports and worked a job as a realtor. Langdon decided that she did not want to go out weak and that she needed to get stronger. Art Little, whom she met at a birthday party, began to train her when she was 65. Little stated that he, “did not know she was interested in powerlifting” and that he thought she wanted to only, “get in the gym and lose some weight” (Facebook: Ben Crump).

During the first workout Langdon did with Art Little, she was so weak that she could only squat with a broomstick. The next day she said that she, “ached from the top of [her] head, to the soles of [her] feet” (Facebook: Ben Crump). It was so bad that she did not think she could go to train the next day. This was until she heard a tiny voice in her head that was telling her to go back.

During Langdon’s first state meet, she felt intimidated by the younger ages of the girls she was competing against. She thought “there was no way [she] was going to win” (Facebook: Ben Crump). Her trainer, Art Little, was called to the scoring table regarding the starting weight that Langdon was going to lift. The table told Little that Langdon’s starting weight must be too high for her age. But Little told them, “It’s not a mistake” and to “just watch her” (Facebook: Ben Crump). Langdon started the meet and said that she ended up doing the weight “real easy” (Facebook: Ben Crump). Langdon went on to set multiple national and world records for powerlifting in her age group and weight class. She broke the records for squat (413lbs), bench (203lbs), deadlift (425lbs), and total record for her age group, during her first meet.

Langdon made it known that it is typical for people to, “just sit down, do nothing, and watch tv” after they retire (Facebook: Ben Crump). But she said that, “That is the worst thing you can do” (Facebook: Ben Crump). She continued by saying, “If you don’t want to powerlift, fine, walk. If you like to roller skate, roller skate. Do something. But keep that body moving until the Lord calls you home.” (Facebook: Ben Crump).