S'pore Grandma, 80, Can Do 6 Pull-Ups & Just Won Silver In The 800m At An International Athletics Meet

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There are certain sentences you never want to hear during National Service.

"Your grandmother can do better than you" is probably one of them.

Well, anyone related to 80-year-old Singaporean Charlotte Lim can now say that truthfully.

Charlotte, better known online as @pullup_grandma, recently showed off her strength in a now viral video taken in South Korea, doing pull-ups alongside Amotti, winner of Netflix's Physical: 100 Season 2.

Yes, pull-ups. At 80.

And apparently, she could have done one more.

Speaking to 8days.sg, Charlotte revealed that her personal best is actually six consecutive bodyweight pull-ups.

She can even do a weighted pull-up with an additional 6kg.

"He asked me twice, 'Are you sure you are 80?'" Charlotte laughed.

According to Charlotte's 43-year-old daughter and personal trainer, Yan Lin, meeting Amotti was especially exciting as Physical: 100 is one of her mum's favourite shows.

Charlotte told us she enjoys the reality competition because it feels transparent.

But meeting its Season 2 champ? She wasn't exactly starstruck.

"To me, he's just another young man in the gym trying to keep fit and healthy," she said coolly.

What's even more impressive is that Charlotte only started exercising seriously at 72, when she couldn't even do a sit-up.

She did her first pull-up at 76.

Asked what she can physically do now that she couldn't do in her 50s or 60s, Charlotte's answer couldn't have been more succinct.

"Everything!" she said.

These days, her weekly routine would probably exhaust some people half her age just reading about it.

Charlotte does three FITRX workouts a week at her children's gym, plus three active recovery sessions involving running and bodyweight exercises.

She's also currently taking part in a three-month challenge to clock 1,000 pull-ups, 2,000 push-ups, 3,000 sit-ups and 4,000 squats.

But meeting Amotti wasn't actually why Charlotte was in Korea.

She was in Daegu representing Singapore at the World Masters Athletics Championships.

When 8days.sg first reached out to her, Charlotte was preparing to compete in the 800m final later that afternoon.

A few hours later? She was a silver medallist.

When we subsequently asked what felt better — getting Amotti's approval or standing on an international podium with a silver medal — she didn't hesitate.

"Silver medal. Amotti is just another gym bro,” she laughed.

And her first thought upon crossing the finish line?

"I need to sit down!" she recalled.

Charlotte finished in 4min 38 seconds, shaving an impressive 31 seconds off her previous personal best of 5min 09 seconds at the Singapore Masters Track and Field Championships.

"Elated with the result! All the extra training paid off!" she told us.

The funniest part? Charlotte doesn't particularly enjoy running.

"Truthfully, I do not like running. My children signed me up for the race,” she admitted.

There was, however, one very good reason she agreed to run.

Her daughter Yan Lin's birthday falls on Aug 25, and Charlotte had promised to try to bring home a medal as her present.

Charlotte credits her two children — she also has a son, who is 54 — who both coach her, for her transformation.

"They're great coaches and I'm teachable," she said, adding that exercising together has brought the family closer.

So what would she say to people half her age who complain they're too old or tired to exercise?

"They should do it for their own health! Exercise is medicine. Better to exercise and eat clean than pop pills," said Charlotte.

And if you are wondering how Charlotte reacts when people are shocked that an 80-year-old can still do pull-ups and compete internationally?

"You jealous?" she cheekily quips.

She also has considerably less patience for people who use age as an excuse not to exercise.

"Of course! Very annoyed" she said when asked if it annoys her.

According to Charlotte, despite years of trying, she's managed to convince only one friend to join a gym.

"Most old people are lazy or fearful," she said.

Maybe "your grandmother can do better than you" isn't such an empty threat after all.

Photos: coachwhy_yan/IG, pullup_grandma/IG