Sy Perlis is a 91-year-old World War II veteran, but also the new weightlifting world record holder. Perlis broke the World Association of Benchers and Deadlifters (WABDL) record in the 90-and-over age division Saturday at the National Push-Pull Bench Press and Dead lift Championships in Phoenix, Ariz.

His goal was to set the bar high, at 180 lbs. On his first time alone, Perlis broke the 135-lb. record that was set in 2005, but the competition let him continue to try to hit his goal weight. By the end of the day, he broke the record five times, finishing with a record weight of 187.2 lbs.

Perlis lives in Surprise, Ariz. with his wife Joan, 69, who says he works out five days a week and lives a healthy lifestyle that motivates her to get out of the house and go to the gym too.

When describing how he felt afterwards, Perlis said, "You kinda get a high after accomplishing what you set out to do."

The recordbreaker entered his first championship in his 80s and won world weightlifting titles in 2010 and 2011. Perlis, however, took a break in 2012 after having pacemaker surgery. He also struggles with arthritis and didn't begin weightlifting until the age of 60.

The WABDL is an association of lifters who compete in the single-life bench press and deadlift on state, national, and international levels. There are records for every type of weightlifting, and people have gotten more creative over the years. There is anything from the "most consecutive 120-pound front head presses by a male over 50" record to the "Longest distance hopped carrying 50-kilograms (110.231 pounds) weight in mouth."

According to the Guinness World Records, the most accumulative weight bench pressed in an hour is 305,300 lbs. — a record set by Eamonn Keane of Ireland in 2003, who did 1,280 reps of 200 lbs. and 493 reps with 100 lbs.

Weightlifting can be a dangerous sport, including the risk for hernias and muscle tears. When muscles are overexerted, they become sore as a result of tiny tears in the muscle fibers. In response, the body eventually rebuilds itself with new protein fibers and eventually grows stronger and more apt at lifting, carrying, and holding more weight. However, if the muscles are sore from weightlifting every day, it could be a sign that more recovery time is needed. Allowing 48 hours of break time between sessions is the optimal amount of time to allow the muscles to recover, rebuild, and ultimately avoid injury. Of course, the older the body becomes, the harder it is to recover and rebuild, which makes the musclebuilding process all the more delicate.

"Fifty-two percent of people 85-plus need some assistance with activities of daily living," Sandy Markwood, CEO of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, said.

According to the United States Census Bureau, only 1.8 percent of the population will live into their 90s. However, the number of people living to age 90 and beyond has tripled in the last 30 years. The Bureau is predicting that number is likely to quadruple by 2050.

Perlis has defied all odds and statistics in breaking the world record, and plans on breaking his own record again.