Manuel Valbuena Andes is known by many in the fitness space as “the Grandad Bodybuilder.”
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Proving age is just a number, the Spanish strongman first began his journey in the sport at 49 after early retirement, per Mirror.
Andes allegedly smoked and drank so much before then that his doctor recommended he go to the gym to improve his health.
After joining a gym near his home in Madrid, Spain, Andes quickly took to bodybuilding and developed a passion.
A few years later, at 53, Andes began competing and even won a few shows due to his shredded physique.
The strongman broke powerlifting records in his age category and competed until the age of 72.
Tragically, in 2016, Andes died in a car crash traveling to a competition in the city of Alicante.
Three others were severely injured but survived the event.
Either way, the bodybuilder’s legend lives on and seemingly paved the way for other older bodybuilders who also prove that age doesn’t define them.
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For example, Lee Haney, 63, has revealed the secret to losing weight at any age.
Haney recently addressed his 274,000 followers on Instagram during a promotional post for his self-help fitness book, Fit at Any Age.
“The key to losing weight is to make sure your body is in a calorie deficit versus a surplus in calories being consumed,” Lee explained.
Fans are likely to take Lee’s thoughts to heart, given his bodybuilding resume.
Lee is an eight-time Mr. Olympia champion and won every competition from 1984-1991, breaking Arnold Schwarzenegger’s previous record of seven in a row.
At his age, Lee remains one of bodybuilding’s most decorated athletes.
Other former competitors like Frank Zane, 88, have also refused to end their gym days — continuing to advise the next generation.
Zane shared a post with his 199,000 followers on his Instagram account @therealfrankzane recently, offering a crucial suggestion to those looking for improved workouts.
He explained that stretching between sets at the gym drastically increases a training session’s effectiveness.
“Stretching between sets will double the effectiveness of your workout,” the 88-year-old wrote.
“The stretch involves the muscles you are working and gives these muscles more of a pump. Breathing deeply, think or say the mantra ‘I am flexible and can stretch my limits’.”
For more related content, check out The U.S. Sun’s coverage of a bodybuilder, 60, who was dubbed “The Monster.”
The U.S. Sun also has the story of a 45-year-old bodybuilding master with eye-popping lifts.