CHAMPION, Ohio (WKBN) - A Trumbull County man who started lifting weights before he became a teenager is still going strong at age 72.
Mike Sindrich of Champion started lifting weights at age 12, which is when he says he found out right away he was strong. By the age of 14, he was doing 140-pound curls for 20 reps.
Throughout his life, Sindrich has received offers to do exhibitions in foreign countries like Denmark and Sweden. He also made the Olympic team in 1976 for weightlifting and has beaten world champions in powerlifting like Dave Waddington.
Now at age 72, Sindrich says staying fit helps him stay young and healthy and it's not just luck.
"The older you get, the more disciplined you have to be because every little thing gets more critical," said Sindrich. "You can get injured quicker. You have to be more committed. You can't drink, can't smoke."
Sindrich's bench press record is almost 530 and his clean press is over 430.