95-Year-Old Proves It’s Never Too Late to Start Exercising

Olga Kotelko passed away last year at the age of 95, having won more than 600 gold medals and setting over 30 world records. And before you assume that Ms. Kotelko had amassed her accolades in her youth or middle age, prepare to be shocked: She didn’t start training until she was 77.

This NY Times article, which is focused on how exercise affects the brain, only discusses Kotelko in passing as it tries to parse the somewhat conflicting data from studies saying that exercise may or may not help our brains. They first point to how much younger her brain was before her death, and says it may be possible that even if she began seriously exercising that late, the intensity of her regimen could have done wonders for her brain.

But without early looks inside her head, we will never know.

So the rest of the article says that despite a recent study that sees no help for the brain when it comes to exercise, there is still plenty of evidence that points to a possibility that even if you begin late in life, getting more oxygen to the brain via working out or even just moving around more than you used to can stimulate cognitive ability.

But despite that, watch the video with Olga. She was a truly amazing woman who didn’t see her age as being a barrier, but a reason to push herself even harder. She is an inspiration. Now, who inspires you? Let us know on our Facebook.