Burglar broke into an elderly woman's home, and soon found out she was actually an 82-year-old female bodybuilder

Staying physically fit can make a significant difference in life. After all, self-protection is a priority we should all embrace, especially as threatening situations gradually become entrenched in everyday life. Oftentimes, intruders target homes with children or elderly residents, assuming they are vulnerable. However, this intruder in Rochester, New York, picked the wrong house. On November 25, 2019, 82-year-old female bodybuilder Willie Murphy proved she was no easy target when an intruder broke in. Here's how she fought back and sent him to the hospital.

Award-winning female bodybuilder Willie Murphy was getting ready for bed in her home at around 11 p.m. when she heard a noise from her front door. When she went to check, she saw a man standing outside, asking for help from her. The man began begging her to call the ambulance, stating that he was sick. However, Murphy ended up calling the police to get the man the help he needed, and did not let him inside. This caused the man to get agitated. Murphy, who had won a deadlifting competition previously, immediately grabbed a table and threw it at him, causing it to break. The intruder, who at this point fell to the ground, was then further beaten up by Murphy. She then blinded him by grabbing a bottle of baby shampoo and pouring it all over his face, while continuing to thrash him, this time with a broomstick. However, the intruder who wanted to get out of there finally managed to get into the ambulance that arrived with the first responders, moving away from getting thrashed more by Murphy.

When the cops arrived, they were quite surprised to find an elderly yet brave bodybuilder standing tall, as if a commotion had never taken place. The police apprehended the intruder, while Murphy received applause for her bravery. So much so that the police officers requested to take photos with her. Murphy's words, "I'm alone and I'm old, but guess what? I'm tough," inspire us to stand strong and never back down in challenging situations. Interestingly, Willie Murphy chose not to press charges against the intruder, after all, she’s too busy pressing the bench bar to further strengthen her inspiring physique! A study authored by Thomas, K.S., & Fiatarone, M. A. in 1997 explored the psychological benefits of progressive resistance training in older adults. The study noted that strength training boosts self-esteem and reduces anxiety, as noted in studies like the one using the Hamilton Rating Scale of Depression, where high-intensity training led to significant reductions in depressive symptoms. It also highlights the mental fortitude that can translate to confidence in high-stress situations, as in Murphy's case. With burglaries on the rise, it's essential that people focus on learning self-defense while also building community support for longterm help.

More on Scoop Upworthy

Elderly woman fixes man’s gym form — he’s stunned when he learns who she is

Woman silences men by deadlifting the same weight as them

Grandma, who was told she 'belongs in kitchen' silences trolls with inspiring bodybuilding journey