Sally Haas spent much of her life making people laugh on stage as a comedian. After about a year of gym experience, the Affton resident tried powerlifting at age 70. Today, she holds Missouri state records in the bench press, squat and deadlift.
Haas tried powerlifting at age 70 after about a year of gym experience, according to FOX 2. She competed in the 2025 USA Powerlifting Beer City Classic in November, the St. Louis Call Newspapers reported. She said she holds the Missouri state records in all three competitive lifts, and now shares her journey through social media and a book chronicling how she built her strength later in life. Long before that, Haas spent much of her life performing comedy; she described competing as terrifying, according to the St. Louis Call Newspapers.
Training Without Age-Based Shortcuts
Haas trains with coach Zach Cayer at The Edge Fitness Club in Shrewsbury, where he helps fine-tune her technique and programming, per the St. Louis Patch. The USPA Tested Missouri State Championships took place in March 2026, according to Fitness Volt. The USPA's tested division includes urinalysis drug testing, according to the United States Powerlifting Association.
The United States Powerlifting Association rulebook lists age categories for Masters lifters and awards for Open competitors. According to FOX 2, Haas hopes to inspire others to get stronger and take a chance on themselves.
A Book and a Social Media Following
Haas authored a guide titled Grow Old or Grow Strong: The Inspiring Guide to Turning Age into Unstoppable Strength, which describes strength training with age, per the St. Louis Call Newspapers. She also shares her journey on social media and hopes to inspire others.
Why Late-Life Strength Training Matters
Haas's story lines up with a growing body of research on resistance training in older adults. Women experience an estimated 5% to 10% reduction in muscle mass per decade after age 50, with decline accelerating after 65, according to Dartmouth Health, which identifies progressive resistance exercise as the primary way to counter post-menopausal muscle loss. A 2026 study described by Stanford Medicine found that greater muscular strength among women aged 63 to 99 was associated with lower mortality risk, according to Stanford Medicine.
For Haas, strength training is part of life in her seventies. After trying powerlifting at 70, she trains with coach Zach Cayer at The Edge Fitness Club in Shrewsbury.
