Effie Nielson of the Wilford 2nd Ward, Salt Lake Wilford Stake, has an "uplifting" story that has reached, inspired — even stunned — people across the United States.
Sharing a stage with Arnold Shwarzenegger look-alikes whose massive muscles appeared to outweigh her tiny 105-pound body, Sister Nielson set world records and shattered stereotypes as she competed at the Nevada State Powerlifting Championships in Elko on Saturday, Sept. 22.
Did we mention Sister Nielson is a 90-year-old great-grandmother?
It's safe to say she was the only competitor who had to be reminded between rounds to put on her cardigan.
Her eye-opening achievements have also made her an instant media magnet. After her story got out, Sister Nielson was interviewed on radio stations from Los Angeles to Wisconsin. She was featured on CNN and Utah television. She is even being considered as a guest for a network television variety show.
While the country is now finding out about Sister Nielson's strength, her family has always known their age-defying wonder woman possesses strong personality traits — a strong mind, a strong sense of humor, a strong heart.
But nobody really knew how strong she really was. It was made official at the powerlifting meet. Her family first got an inkling last Thanksgiving and her ward members learned a lot in a Relief Society meeting last spring.
After turkey dinner at her Sugar House home, her great-grandchildren had a push-up contest. One of their aunts had just done five when Great Grandma waltzed in. "I thought I'd show 'em I could do it," she said.
And how. She would've made a drill sergeant grin with her military-style form, and she did 10.
"They all dropped their chins," Sister Nielson recalls. "They couldn't believe I could do that."
She showed off her power during a presentation about physical fitness, dropping to the floor and doing several push-ups for amazed Relief Society sisters. They knew she had a strong spirit, but push-ups at 90?
"She's one of those people who always surprises you," said Bishop Wayne Harris of the Wilford 2nd Ward. "She's not afraid to try anything. She's full of energy."
Her great-grandson, Mike Nielson, bragged about her to his trainer. They had Sister Nielson lift a few weights, and she impressed again. After only four training sessions, she dropped more chins by setting world records for her age. She squatted 80 pounds, bench-pressed 50 pounds and dead-lifted 135 pounds.
"Grandma's unreal," said Mike, 18.
Their trainer, Utah powerlifting expert Steve Sims, agrees. The oldest woman he'd seen lift was 74 years old. "We're not talking about a spring chicken here. That's incredible."
This from an otherwise typical grandma-type, who lives by herself and refuses to slow down. She keeps busy raising her own "beautiful garden," canning food, knitting, crocheting, writing poems, sending out enough cards to keep Hallmark in business for years and, now, pumping iron.
Sister Nielson also does family history work twice a week at her stake center, something she's done since the early 1990s. She is as proud about having extracted more than 10,000 names for temple work as she is any weightlifting accomplishment. Even she might have a hard time lifting at once the family rolls that all those names came from.
Bishop Harris said it's a blessing to have Sister Nielson in his ward. She never ceases to amaze him. She always wants to serve others, whether by doing family history, tilling and mowing lawns for elderly neighbors in need, going to a friend's house every morning to help put her eye drops in, or by sharing produce from her garden. Sister Nielson is her name, service is her game.
"She's a good example," he said. "She's always concerned about other people. We have the greatest respect and love for her."
It's no surprise, then, that her entire ward showed up for her 90th birthday party this past May. Her neighbors put up a "Welcome Home, Champ!" sign for her following her competition.
"She is so loved, you wouldn't believe," said Tom Nielson, her oldest grandson. "Our whole family pivots around her."
Tom witnessed her strength first-hand recently as he helped put a roof on her garage. Next thing you know, Grandma's climbing up the ladder with a 50-pound bundle of shingles on her shoulder. (That's probably a world record, too.)
"Grandma, don't do that; you're going to fall," Tom told her.
"If you don't stop hollering, I will fall," she responded.
Every Nielson has a similar story. Her 70-year-old son, Dell, recalls a time when she climbed a tree to pick apples. "I didn't want to go up there," he said. Another time, her grandson told her to stop handling the Roto-tiller out of fear she would hurt herself. "I'll man this," she said. "I don't need anybody to help me."
Even Sister Nielson admitted she's a little shocked to be powerlifting now.
"I never thought about lifting weights," she said. "I'm more of a fisherman than a weightlifter."
As soon as she said that, she reached into her purse to show off pictures of her recent salmon fishing trip in Alaska. "She outfished everybody," son Dell said. "Our whole boat caught 11 and she had 10 of them."
Good, clean living — and a secret workout program — help her stay in such good shape. Sister Nielson, raised as a "tomboy" on a sheep ranch in Moroni, eats lots of home-grown greens, drinks lots of water and chugs down a honey-vinegar concoction every morning.
She also exercises daily during Martha Stewart's TV show, waving two full jugs of water in each hand. And, of course, she does push-ups.
During World War II, she labored for Uncle Sam, drilling patterns for rotating gunner seats on B-24s.
At the Nevada State Powerlifting Championships, nerves were high as she first stepped on the stage to do a squat. A moment later, her thighs reached the required parallel position and a judge yelled, "Up!"
She raised herself and smiled. Her family exhaled. The audience went bonkers. The announcer's voice boomed in the microphone: "Excellent lift! An international and intergalactic record!"
Not too shabby for a rookie — especially a 90-year-old one.
