DeletePHOENIX — A little old lady from Arizona is motivating thousands to exercise after her trainers posted inspiring pictures and videos of her exercising on Instagram.
Edna, as she is known on the Web, has been training twice a week for over 10 years at FitLife fitness center in Scottsdale, Arizona. Anton Mackey, Edna’s trainer and a yoga teacher, started posting videos and pictures of Edna this year and users immediately fell in love with her drive, determination and spunk.
"She is a huge inspiration for other clients, and all people lacking motivation,” Mackey told TODAY.com.
In one of Mackey’s videos, Edna sits on an exercise ball and smiles confidently at the camera while pulling resistance bands. In another, she does squats with Caitlin Turner, a trainer who loves to help Edna when she’s at the gym at the same time.
“One of my favorite Edna quotes was in answer to the question, 'What is the secret to staying young?' Her answer: 'Never let yourself get weak,’ ” Turner said. “She really surprised me with how strong she is. When we did tricep exercises together, she was using as much weight as I was, and I'm a long way from 97.”
In a video Turner posted to her Instagram page, Edna does squats with Mackey while wearing rocking pink leopard-print leggings. “She is an inspiration to everyone!!” wrote one commenter.
Turner, an avid yogi and blogger, says that besides motivation for younger people to get up and move, Edna is also showing the world what seniors are capable of, even at age 97.
“Whatever you tell yourself is true. If you think you can't exercise, you're right,” Turner said. “If you think you can exercise, you're right. Listen to your body, and just do the best you can.”
To view the most recent videos and pictures of Edna, visit Anton’s Instagram page, @antonyoga11 and Caitlin’s Instagram page, @gypsetgoddess.