Most people half his age struggle to stay consistent with the gym.
Joseph Caminiti is 101 years old and still trains five mornings a week.
The World War Two veteran has built a routine that would leave plenty of younger people exhausted, driving himself to the gym every weekday for cardio, weights, and recovery sessions that have become part of his daily life.
And according to Caminiti, there is no secret formula behind his remarkable longevity.
“You’ve got to exercise. You’ve got to keep going. You’ve got to keep moving,” Caminiti tells TODAY.com.
At an age where many people rely heavily on assistance, Caminiti still lives independently alongside his 98-year-old wife, continues driving himself around, and refuses to slow down.
“If you see me, you wouldn’t think I was 101. Everywhere I go, they (say), ‘You’re not 101 years old.’ And I say, ‘That’s what I am.’”
Born in West Virginia in 1924, Caminiti grew up in a large family with eight children before eventually joining the U.S. Marine Corps at just 17 years old.
His life story stretches across some of the most defining moments in modern history.
Caminiti served in both World War II and the Korean War, surviving the Battle of Iwo Jima and witnessing the iconic U.S. flag-raising on the island — a moment permanently etched into American military history.
After returning home, he spent decades working in Connecticut manufacturing bearings for a division of General Motors. Away from work, he built another extraordinary achievement in his personal life too, having now been married to his wife for 79 years.
Yet despite living through war, physical labour, and more than a century of life, Caminiti has largely avoided the health problems many associate with old age.
He has never had cancer or heart disease, and while good genetics may have helped — with both parents and several siblings living into their 90s — he firmly believes lifestyle choices made the biggest difference.
Being 101, in his eyes, is not something he spends much time thinking about.
“Like any other day in my life — 100 is just a figure. I’m just lucky that I made it this far,” he says.
What makes his story even more remarkable is how ordinary his routine sounds to him.
Every weekday morning, Caminiti heads to The Edge Fitness Club in Bristol, Connecticut, for an hour-long workout.
His sessions begin with 30 to 40 minutes walking on the treadmill before moving onto weight machines to strengthen his arms, legs, and other muscle groups. Once he’s finished, he rounds things off on a hydro massage bed.
There is no elaborate training philosophy. No complicated biohacking. No obsession with trends.
Just movement and consistency.
“Some people get a trainer to show them what they want to do, but at my age, I don’t need a trainer. I’ve been going to the gym since I was a kid,” Caminiti says. “Nothing needs to motivate me. I just go… I love it.”
That attitude has remained with him since childhood. As a young boy, Caminiti had a paper route and regularly attended a Boys Club from the age of 12, staying physically active long before fitness culture became mainstream.
His son William says doctors once stressed the importance of avoiding a sedentary lifestyle, advice his father took seriously.
“He enjoys going (to the gym). He kind of just says, ‘I’ve got to keep moving,’” William tells TODAY.com.
Caminiti’s outlook on health is similarly straightforward.
He avoided smoking throughout his life and drank very little alcohol beyond the occasional beer.
“He never smoked, he never drank,” his son says.
When asked what advice he would give others hoping to live a long life, his response is immediate and blunt.
“Don’t smoke, No. 1. Keep active as much as you can. Try to stay away from pills, if you can,” Caminiti advises.
Incredibly, he says the only pills he currently takes are vitamin D and B12 supplements.
Food has also remained one of life’s pleasures. Unlike many modern health trends built around restrictions, Caminiti never cut out the foods he loved.
His favourites include lobster, steak, baked stuffed shrimp, spaghetti and meatballs, and salad.
“I never avoided any food. Whenever they put (it) in front of me, I ate it,” he says.
“He ate healthy, but he also ate pretty much whatever he wanted,” his son adds.
Even now, dessert remains non-negotiable.
“Oh, yes. I have ice cream almost every night. I eat pie, I eat cake, I eat cookies,” he says.
Caminiti has recently lost weight due to an esophagus issue that makes swallowing more difficult, something commonly associated with ageing, but he still approaches life with the same attitude that has carried him through more than a century.
Keep moving.
Keep living.
And stay independent for as long as possible.
Until only a few years ago, he was still climbing ladders and painting his own house at 95 years old. Eventually, maintaining the property became too demanding, leading him and his wife to move into an apartment together.
But even now, he makes one thing very clear.
“It’s a regular apartment house,” Caminiti emphasizes. “Assisted living — I don’t need that yet.”
Featured image credit: Fox61 / YouTube / The Edge Fitness Clubs
