The Dr Charles Eugster Challenge – can you beat the world’s best 91-year old bodybuilder?

Dr Charles Eugster is the World’s fittest Nonagenarian and the oldest competitive oarsman and bodybuilder in the world.

He is an evangelist for exercise in old age and an inspiration to all. Charles is convinced that physical training in advanced years is the key to longevity and a dramatically enhanced lifestyle in later life.

For over a decade, Charles has competed in the World and European Masters rowing championships and every year he has won one or more gold medals.

Charles became interested in bodybuilding at 87 after introducing heavy weights into his training regime. At that time he noticed dramatic improvements in his rowing performance. Charles has since won the following major bodybuilding competitions:

2008 – won World Strenflex (General Fitness) Decathlon Championships 80+ category (aged 89)
2009 - won Van Der Merwe Cup international fitness decathlon with highest number of points scored by anyone in any age group
2009 – crowned Strenflex Swiss Champion, scoring a higher number of points in every exercise than he did a year before
2010 - scored the highest number of points ever in a Strenflex competition

Charles’ winning performance in 2010 included doing 57 dips, 61 chin-ups, 50 push-ups and 48 abdominal crunches, each in 45 seconds.

He says: "Anyone can do it...Your body can be rebuilt at any age- and your life transformed!"

But can YOU beat Dr Charles?

The full Strenflex decathlon obviously involves 10 exercises, but here’s today’s challenge:
- How many dips can you do in 45 seconds (down to arms at 90 degrees, up to full arm extension)
- How many chin ups can you do in 45 seconds (from arms at 90 degrees to chin above bar)
- How many push-ups can you do in 45 seconds
- How many crunches can you do in 45 seconds (preferably on an inclined bench, raisng your body to vertical)

You can rest between events, but need to do them all during the same workout. Good form and full range of is essential. Check out www.strenflex.org/en/index.html for details and diagrams of the exercises.

You’ll get positive points for beating Charles in each event, and lose points if you don’t score as highly. Post videos if possible to prove your score.

If you’re inspired by Dr Charles (and if you’re not, what’s wrong with you?!) you can follow him on Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/Dr-Charles-Eugster/197845626894568 and Twitter www.twitter.com/#!/charleseugster