The physical therapy pool at a West Los Angeles sports medicine clinic is bustling with people who are rehabbing sore or surgically repaired hips, knees and shoulders. Their faces occasionally wince as they slowly struggle through underwater exercises.
Then, a strapping older man with a full head of silvery hair, a bodybuilder's physique and a George Hamilton-like tan and smile struts poolside. It's Bob Delmonteque, a former model, fitness author and trainer, who's there for a minor tuneup to fortify his lower back. The 6-1, 200-pounder glides into the water, chatting with and charming the others, as he makes his way to the deep end of the pool.
"He's how old?" asks Mildred Hattenback, 82, as she exercises after undergoing a recent knee-replacement surgery. "How old did you say?"
Eighty-four, she is told.
"Oh my God," says the Beverly Hills resident. "Is he really? He looks terrific. He looks like he's in his 60s."
When some people see Delmonteque's photo, they think it's been digitally altered. When others see him in person, they think he's been surgically altered. Neither is true, he says. Instead, the former Mr. Universe contestant has dedicated his life to personal fitness, sculpting a body that would be the envy of a person less than half his age.
For more than half a century, Delmonteque's physique, conditioned since his teenage years through a strict regimen of exercise and diet, has been the central focus of a wildly colorful life. The Texas native has trained Hollywood movie stars from Marilyn Monroe to Matt Dillon, some of the Apollo astronauts, and written seven fitness books and numerous magazine articles. He has also owned a health club and still serves as a pitchman for nutritional supplements.
"I see myself as the Pied Piper, with thousands following me," says Delmonteque, whose latest book, "Lifelong Fitness 2004," shows off a stunning set of chiseled chest, arm and ab muscles -- and touts him as "America's No. 1 senior fitness expert."
While some (Jack La Lanne, for example) might quibble with that self-proclaimed title, health experts say there's an important role that super-fit seniors such as Delmonteque can play: inspirational role model. As health experts and gerontologists struggle to get the message out to seniors about the benefits of fitness, Delmonteque offers vivid proof of what can be accomplished -- even by someone in his or her mid-80s and beyond.
