‘I’m 68 and Can Bench Press 75 Pounds—Here’s My Exact Weekly Workout Routine'

Suzanne Luhr is a 68-year-old retiree from Wyoming who used to work as a GIS Principal and Map Editor—and her workout routine did not start with a happy story. “I started my wellness journey following a bicycle wreck in 2011,” she recalls. “I was hit by a truck that broke my femur and fractured my pelvis.”

After the wreck, she started physical therapy. That’s when she became passionate about deadlifting. “I found my love for deadlifting, and it became a love, not just a necessity,” she tells Parade. “Watching my body and mind slowly improve, it became less about needing to heal my injuries and more about how I can grow stronger day by day.”

As of today, Luhr can bench press 75 pounds, squat lift 145 pounds, and deadlift 207 pounds.

Think that could never be you? Not so fast. Luhr says that while she looks forward to working out at the gym now, she used to think the gym was “for other people.” She’s since been chosen as a 2026 Senior Planet Sponsored Athlete with AARP. She’s also a competitive powerlifter who competed in the 2025 Senior Olympics in Cheyenne and many other major competitions.

“In this role, I really hope to inspire other seniors [who] think they cannot do it,” she says. “It’s doable, trust me. The first step is to just…take the first step!”

As a powerlifter, she’s naturally passionate about arm strength and has super-strong arms—partially thanks to a horse and some grocery bags, too. Stay tuned for those stories, plus her weekly workout routine, her favorite smoothie recipe and other fitness advice she wants to share.

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Suzanne Luhr

(Suzanne Luhr)Luhr’s Weekly Workout RoutineTuesdays and Fridays

On these days, Luhr attends a 1-hour strength training group class. Participants are broken up into five groups that rotate through five sections. Typically, they do three sets of five to 10 reps of each exercise, and if they do fewer reps, they lift heavier.

Luhr shares what that looks like for her group:

The upper body station is first, where the group rotates through lat pull-downs, bicep curls, rows and tricep push-downs or push-ups.

Second is squats, in which participants lift heavier with each set to maximize muscle growth.

Deadlifts are next—and Luhr loves them. “Deadlifts are my favorite station, so I always lift as heavy as I can, especially for my last set,” she says.

Fourth is the bench press station. “With two bad shoulders, this station is not my favorite, but I always try to push myself to new limits,” she explains.

Last but not least is lunges. Group members complete three sets of 20 yards each. Luhr does the first 20 yards without weights, then adds 10 pounds per hand for the next two sets.

Thursdays and Sundays

Luhr’s workout looks different on these days. She attends the Laramie Recreation Center and hits up the weight room for about 45 to 60 minutes.

First, she cycles through several upper body, core and leg exercises on whatever machines are available, and she often adds squats. Next, she climbs 34 floors on the stair-stepper machine, trying to add another floor each time as a challenge. Last but not least, she walks on the track for one to one-and-a-half miles.

Her “days off”

Luhr moves her body on her “off days,” too, mostly with walking. “For me, walking is an essential part of that muscle-to-mind connection,” she says.

She takes these walks around her small town (Laramie, Wyoming) to get to appointments or meetings. If the weather is especially nice, she’ll ride her bike. “Nothing is ridiculously far, and walking and biking are good for me and the environment,” she says.

How Luhr Got ‘Crazy Strong Arms’

Luhr is especially passionate about arm workouts, and her various experiences reflect why. For example, she’s spent over 30 years riding bareback on a horse—and getting up on the horse, especially with it being 5 feet, takes power in the arms and upper body. “Over time, that experience grew a mind-to-muscle connection, building strength in my arms,” she says.

She knows the value of arm strength for everyday living and exercising, too, and says she recognizes the importance of continuing to build and maintain that strength. “Strong arms and shoulders are critical for me since they support nearly everything I do, from gripping, pushing, pulling, lifting and carrying out everyday tasks without fear that I’m going to hurt myself,” Luhr says.

She engages in hammer curls and tricep dips to strengthen her muscles. “It’s super easy to do the tricep dips anywhere, which is what I like most about this workout,” she adds. “You are able to do it on a chair at home or in the gym…This is the same with hammer curls.”

Additionally, Luhr does pushups. She started doing them on a bar that she lowered over time. Once she got strong enough, she started doing pushups on the floor.

Luhr also brings functionality into her workout by using her grocery bags as weights. “For me, it’s important to think of how everyday activities make me stronger,” she says.

The Loved Ones Who Help Luhr Stay in Shape

Luhr’s loved ones have played a role in her fitness journey. She thinks of her husband, Wes, a “daily workout enthusiast” that she feels “constantly challenged” by. “He is an immense help to me,” she says. “He will keep me on track if I’m ever at risk of derailing.”

Her cat, believe it or not, also plays a major role. “Another close love that keeps me active both mentally and physically is my 20-year-old cat, Callie,” Luhr continues. “Pets have always been essential in my life, and everybody knows petting a cat or dog (or horse) lowers one’s blood pressure.”

Luhr’s Nutrition Habits

Luhr values nutrition, too. She’s a vegetarian who eats a lot of fruits and vegetables, and she doesn’t mindlessly snack as much. She has a yogurt maker she loves, and often makes plant-based yogurt, which she adds to smoothies. Additionally, she eats a lot of whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes. “I’m not a nutrition expert, but I do know what works for me,” Luhr says.

She spoils us with the approximate recipe for her go-to, high-protein, pre-workout smoothie, which makes two servings:

1 cup milk (she uses soy milk)

½ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)

⅓ cup walnuts or peanuts (or whatever nuts you like)

You can also add whey or plant-based protein.

“Having this smoothie a couple hours before [my] workout gives me plenty of energy to power through a good workout,” she says. “If my workout’s still hours away and I’m still hungry, a piece of whole-grain toast with peanut butter (crunchy, of course) and honey will get me through most of the day.”

Luhr’s Exercise Advice

As a strong, decorated 68-year-old, Luhr is definitely a solid choice for getting fitness advice. What are the main messages she wants others to know?

“When you’re ready to enter a gym, start with a coach or a friend [who] knows the ropes, so you learn proper technique for exercises or the machines to avoid hurting yourself,” she says.

Luhr also encourages not going too hard too quickly. “Start with light weights,” she says. “It doesn’t matter your weight, as long as you do it right. The weight, strength and self-confidence will come with time and persistence.”

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Sources

Suzanne Luhr is a 68-year-old retiree from Wyoming and a 2026 Senior Planet Sponsored Athlete with AARP.

This story was originally published by Parade on Apr 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Health & Wellness section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

‘I’m 68 and Can Bench Press 75 Pounds—Here’s My Exact Weekly Workout Routine’

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