Full Breakdown
90-Year-Old Bodybuilder Defies Age Norms
By Drooid · · How we work
Career Highlights and Training Regimen
Toshisuke Kanazawa, a 90-year-old former Olympian-hopeful swimmer turned professional bodybuilder, captured his 19th national title in the 85+ division at the Japan Masters Bodybuilding Championships just before his birthday. He first won the Mister Japan title at 24 and repeated the feat three years later, later placing fourth at the 1967 Mr Universe contest in Montreal alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sergio Oliva. Since turning 80, Kanazawa has added six World Masters championships to his record. He now trains two hours a day, six days a week, focusing on machines rather than free weights and avoiding squats and bench presses to accommodate slower recovery.
Longevity Practices and Health Metrics
Kanazawa attributes his sustained performance to a lifelong avoidance of smoking and alcohol, and to a diet centered on brown rice, furikake, natto, miso soup and occasional raw eggs. He reduced his protein-shake intake from six to three daily portions as he aged, noting that large liquid volumes become harder to tolerate. He aims for about seven hours of sleep each night and allows longer rest periods between sets. Recent health checks, according to Kanazawa, show biomarkers typical of much younger men, and he has never experienced a serious illness.
Aging Japan: Demographic Context
Japan’s population is characterized as a “super-ageing” society, with almost 30 % of its 123.7 million residents aged over 64. Figures released last month indicate that the number of centenarians now exceeds 100,000, the majority of whom are women. These statistics are often linked to concerns about depopulation, economic slowdown, and rising health-care costs.
Impact and Outlook
Kanazawa worries that many older Japanese abandon activities they once enjoyed, viewing physical decline as inevitable. By continuing to compete—most recently taking fourth place in the mixed-pairs category at the Japan Open Championships alongside a partner 39 years his junior—he aims to demonstrate that sustained effort can counteract age-related muscle loss. He has expressed a desire to keep bodybuilding “until the day I die,” positioning his personal regimen as a model for active ageing in a nation grappling with demographic challenges.