This 69-year-old woman started powerlifting in retirement

Last winter, she competed in her first powerlifting competition and set a personal record with a 185-pound deadlift.

• She says she's no longer dealing with fatty liver disease and has seen improvements in her bone health.

• "One of my friends thought I was getting early-onset dementia because it was such a change from who I was," she says.

How it started: Hendrix was born prematurely in Nebraska, weighing just 2 pounds, 1 ounce, and says she struggled with illnesses and avoided athletics growing up.

• That aversion followed her through her adult life until she tore her meniscus at 65 and went to Kaizen Physical Therapy to help strengthen her muscles. Her physical therapist suggested she try a deadlift.
• "I thought he was crazy, but we did a deadlift, and it turned out I really liked it. I felt physically stronger," she says.
• Her physical therapist and doctor at Oak Street Health encouraged her to continue her training at DSM Barbell Club.

The big picture: Older adults have traditionally been advised to lift lighter weights with more repetitions, but newer research shows heavier weightlifting can help build muscle and preserve strength as muscle loss accelerates with age, per UCLA Health.

What's next: Hendrix volunteers with Des Moines' Raise the Bar Initiative, teaching girls how to lift weights. She also encourages older women to try strength training.

• Her next goal is to deadlift 225 pounds.