83-year-old woman becomes a fifth-degree BLACK BELT after taking up karate at age 60

An 83-year-old woman became a fifth-degree black belt this month after taking up karate at age 60 — and Chuck Norris himself was there to mark her incredible achievement.

Carole Taylor hasn’t gone soft in her retirement — in fact, the Layton, Utah grandmother is stronger than ever, having spent the last 15 years perfecting her martial arts skills.

And last weekend, ‘Karate Grandma,’ as she’s come to be known, earned her fifth-degree black belt at a demonstration in Las Vegas, where Walker, Texas Ranger star Norris, 81, called her an inspiration.

Way to go, gran! Carole Taylor started practicing karate at age 60 and is now a fifth-degree black belt

Big deal! Last weekend, she earned her fifth-degree black belt at Chuck Norris¿ annual United Fighting Arts Federation International Training Convention

Big deal! Last weekend, she earned her fifth-degree black belt at Chuck Norris’ annual United Fighting Arts Federation International Training Convention

Elders: Norris, 81, gave her a hug and called her an inspiration

Elders: Norris, 81, gave her a hug and called her an inspiration

Carole clearly embraces an open-minded attitude about life, and as she entered her senior years, she was open to taking on new activities. 

‘They say when you get past 60 you should do something you’ve never done before to keep those passages in your brain active,’ she told KSLTV. ‘I thought I should do that.’

One day while watching her then 11-year-old granddaughter Sierra’s karate class, she grew interested — and inspired.

‘I thought: “Wow, this is mental and physical. This would be a good thing for someone my age to do,”‘ she told East Idaho News. ‘So I asked the teacher if it would be all right if I joined the class, and so that’s why I did it.’

She was soon joining Sierra for classes, where she earned the nickname Karate Grandma.

The grandmother-granddaughter duo went on to earn their first-degree black belts at around the same time.

Never too late! She started practicing karate at age 60 after watching her then-11-year-old granddaughter's class She soon joined the class herself

Never too late! She started practicing karate at age 60 after watching her then-11-year-old granddaughter’s class She soon joined the class herself

'I get a kick out of my girls saying, "My mom is 83 years old and could kick you,"' she said

‘I get a kick out of my girls saying, “My mom is 83 years old and could kick you,”‘ she said

Pictured: Chuck Norris on Walker, Texas Ranger

Pictured: Chuck Norris on Walker, Texas Ranger

Carole has continued to practice, and last weekend, she received her fifth-degree black belt at Chuck Norris’ annual United Fighting Arts Federation International Training Convention in Las Vegas. 

When it came time for her demonstration, Carole pretended to hobble onto the mat with a cane as ‘Little Old Lady from Pasadena’ by the Beach Boys played on the speakers — before proving she’s much sturdier than she looks. 

She went on to demonstrated hand techniques, stances, footwork, targeting, focusing, and power, earning a standing ovation from members of the crowd.

At the ceremony afterward, Norris himself presented Carole with her black belt and called her an inspiration.

‘I was so excited. I was able to bow to him, turn around, he put [a black gi] on me, I turned back around and bowed, and then he grabbed me and hugged me so hard, he actually pulled me off the ground almost … my one foot went up,’ she said.

Carole is pictured during her demonstration ahead of getting her fifth-degree black belt

Carole is pictured during her demonstration ahead of getting her fifth-degree black belt

She demonstrated hand techniques, stances, footwork, targeting, focusing, and power, earning a standing ovation from members of the crowd

She demonstrated hand techniques, stances, footwork, targeting, focusing, and power, earning a standing ovation from members of the crowd

She demonstrated hand techniques, stances, footwork, targeting, focusing, and power, earning a standing ovation from members of the crowd

'It¿s just one of those things that makes for a more full life for me, and I absolutely love it,' she said

‘It’s just one of those things that makes for a more full life for me, and I absolutely love it,’ she said

In addition to furthering her own skills, Carole also teaches karate at the same dojo where she tok classes.

Her daughter, Lacey Owens, says katate helps her mother’s mind stay calm, improves her memory, and gave her purpose during the pandemic.

‘It’s just one of those things that makes for a more full life for me, and I absolutely love it, and it makes me feel strong, and it makes me feel confident, and it makes me feel as though I’m able to continue to learn,’ Carole said.

Plus, she added: ‘I get a kick out of my girls saying, “My mom is 83 years old and could kick you.”‘

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk