A 71-Year-Old Grandmother Won a National Bodybuilding Bikini Championship
3 min read · RealCase summary
Bette Vargas, 71, a mother of four grown children and grandmother of four from Oakland, California, was a former race-walk champion who says she was "discovered as a bodybuilder" while at the gym years earlier, back when "my focus was on getting my children into college."
She became USA Natural Bodybuilding Champion and Global Natural Bodybuilding Champion in 2024, along with winning her age-category bikini championship, training on a four-day split — two lower-body days, two upper-body days — with active cardio and stretching on the remaining days, and following a disciplined vegan diet.
As of March 19, 2026, Vargas ranked 6th in the quarterfinals of the national Ms. Health & Fitness competition, competing for a $20,000 prize and a Muscle & Fitness HERS cover. Alongside competing, she works as a wellness consultant, holistic health coach, and personal trainer, hosts the "Crazy, Sexy Menopause" YouTube channel, and is working toward a yoga instructor certification.
Key takeaways
- ›Didn't start race-walking and competing in fitness events until her late 30s or early 40s
- ›Competed in both national and global Natural Bodybuilding contests in 2024
- ›Won the bikini championship in her age category, and later became a top vote-getter in the national Ms. Health & Fitness competition
Original source
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