The Challenge: At 73, Judy Lombardi Rises to New Challenges

The Challenge

Soon to be 73, Judy Lombardi is still putting on a clinic at the CrossFit gym...

“When I was in high school or college, we had nothing like CrossFit. Women never lifted weights… [But when I turned 61], my friends said, “You should try this,” And so I did and I was blown away. I loved it so much I couldn’t believe it.”

“I’m probably the oldest person in the gym, but I don’t care. I love the challenge… the comradery. People cheer you on. It doesn’t matter that I’m lifting 35 pounds and someone else is lifting 150. They encourage you no matter what.”

I’m probably the oldest person in the gym, but I don’t care.

I love the challenge.

Judy Lombardi does weighted burpees at the Cioffredi & Associates clinic in Lebanon, NH with Megan Osanitsch, PT

For Judy, prioritizing fitness goes beyond the gym. It lets her stay active in the life that she loves.

“I have property that I maintain and it takes a lot of work. I’m replacing fences, shoveling, moving sand… [It] all ties back. I do burpees: that’s going to get me off the floor when I’m 94. I carry stuff and think, “Ok, how do I lift this 50 pound bag of sand and do it right?” It’s functional and I love it.”

Last year though, Judy started to develop pain in her shoulder. A torn rotator cuff was going to put a halt to her pursuits. One surgery later, Judy walked in to Cioffredi & Associates Physical Therapy in a sling for her first appointment with Megan Osanitsch, PT

Megan Osanitsch, PT, DPT, CF-L1 Trianer

“[Being matched with Megan] was a stroke of luck that I’ll never, ever understand. I sat down in our first meeting…and I’m expecting push back. I said, ‘I do CrossFit workouts and I want to get back to it.’ And she says, ‘I do crossfit too!’ And I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh. It’s perfect.’”

And so Megan and Judy got to work…

“Judy’s hard work, dedication, and adherence to the plan we developed together led to her very quickly achieving all of her short term goals like items on a check list. She has these big goals that go past rehab though, like improving her quality of life, longevity, and overall health and wellness. So we decided to transition to the Performance PT program so we could target her advanced needs and goals. It’s been a really successful partnership and Judy has made tremendous progress.” -Megan Osanitsch, PT

“I’ll never not lift weights for the rest of my life. It’s so important.”
“I just love working with Megan. I love it because she understands everything that I love. I’ve been so happy and made a lot of gains. Plus, I’ve learned so much about my body, about moving, about stretching and soft tissue work, and maintaining my ability to do stuff. That’s been really valuable.” Now Judy is focusing in on getting back to the full function and strength that she had before the surgery. In addition to putting in the work at PT, she’s been shoveling snow, hefting sand bags, and getting back to the gym. Not to mention, this month, she is gearing up for a celebratory 73 burpees to mark her birthday! “I’m so grateful to Cioffredi & Associates and Megan for getting me back to close to 100%… I tell all of my friends who are my age, ‘You can do this… Just try it!’”

You can do this… Just try it!


Judy continues to set new challenges and pursue her goals with Megan Osanitsch, PT through the Performance PT program at Cioffredi & Associates in Lebanon, NH.

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This article first appeared in the Spring 2023 Cioffredi & Associates Newsletter. Read more here:

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