‘She’s a boss babe’: Members turn out for beloved gym owner’s 70th birthday workout

By Lucas Nelson

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    HENDERSONVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — A beloved gym owner in the mountains celebrated her 70th birthday this week, and her coworkers and clients came together early on Saturday morning, May 28, to celebrate her with — what else? A workout!

The workout was to complete 70 repetitions of each exercise in Saturday’s workout — a feat difficult for most, but not for Brenda Osteen, the owner of the Pump House Fitness Center in Hendersonville.

“The best part of anything I do at this gym is for health reasons. I want to see people healthy and happy and moving and enjoying life, ’cause life is too short,” Osteen said on Saturday morning.

“The more they whine, the more I love it. The more they moan and groan, the more I know I’m getting my job done,” she said.

No matter the age or level of fitness, Osteen’s clientele and even her gym’s trainers say she works hard — to push others and to show her support as they walk their own fitness journey.

“She is pushing and creating an environment for everyone to excel no matter your age, no matter your body type, no matter what,” said Ashtin Prather, Pump House trainer. “It’s beautiful, and you cannot accept anything better than that.”

“She’s a boss babe.”

“Brenda gives so much to all of us, and to see everyone there, supporting her, I think it shows that it matters how you treat people, and that speaks volumes about who she is as a person. To see that many people here, that early on a Saturday morning, working out, giving it their best.”

Just from Saturday’s turnout, it’s clear the impact Osteen has had and continues to have on so many.

“I have started over three times in my life,” Osteen said. “I lost my job, everything, and finally, God said, ‘What does it take for me to shake you and show you what you need to be doing?’ and now I’m not working — this is not work for me, this is so much fun, and I love it.”

While she made the workout look easy, those taking part had a common opinion: It wasn’t!

“No, it’s not easy; she kicks butt. To be 70 years old, she can run laps around a lot of us young people,” said Colton Freeman.

“It was something that you drive into and you finish it because you have no other option, right? It’s a commitment you make,” Prather said of Saturday’s workout.

“Oh no, I’m going to die, I’m not going to make it, ha, but I did,” added another gym member who took part in Osteen’s birthday workout.

Looking refreshed and glowing after her birthday workout, Osteen is already looking forward to her 80th birthday workout.

“I said, ‘I can’t wait til I’m 80. Y’all are gonna die then for sure!'” she said with a laugh. “People need to know that age is only a number and you can do whatever your heart and your head feels. Do it, move — doesn’t matter if you can do all of this — don’t matter. The key is to keep moving and stay strong.”

“Thank you for giving us this place, thank you for providing the opportunity to grow, thank you, thank you for giving me the opportunity, thank you for being the example that you continue to be in life,” Prather said as a birthday message to Osteen.

Happy birthday, Brenda!

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