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Please have a look on the following scenarios and let me know what is the current English equivalent for the meaning in my question that can be used to fill in the blanks:

Please imagine a couple including an old man and a young person are hiking in a mountainous area! The young man cannot keep up with the older one! The young says: Hey; you're so strong! I'm not able to walk as fast as you! The older says: heh; you know! ................................. (said humorously)

or

  • Did you see how the grandmo danced yesterday? She was better than everyone else! Even youths couldn't dance like her! Somebody eslse says: yea! .......................

There is a proverb in my language which can be used in such occasions, which leterally says: a log smokes.

connotation: a log (a thick wood) will smoke more tha just a narrow wood piece (a young person); meaning that although one is old, but older prople are sometimes more experienced and better than any other youth!

I have found three English alternatives which I found it a bit of a translated type of some other languages:

  • A creaking door hangs longest.
  • The life is between the old dogs yet.
  • There's many a good tune played on an old fiddle.
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Sayings like "there is life in the old dog yet", or "there is many a good tune played on an old fiddle" certainly fit, but they can both imply an element of surprise at the old person's ability to keep up with someone younger as if the display of vitality is uncharacteristic.

If instead, you want to portray the older person as fit, strong, and dismissive of the idea that they are not as strong as a younger person then I would perhaps look for a saying that is more like a quip than a proverb, such as:

  • "Age is just a number"
  • "Age is a state of mind"
  • "Age is no barrier. It's a limitation you put on your mind"
  • "Age is of no importance unless you are a cheese"
  • "Age is irrelevant unless, of course, you happen to be a bottle of wine"
  • "Age does not matter if the matter does not age".
  • "You are only as old as the woman you feel" (humorous, when said by a man!)
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  • Perfect @Astralbee; couldn't be any better that the way you abswered it! I found the answer along with some cery useful sayings of my language; I was reading your post and when I came to: Age is of no importance unless you are a cheese, I thought being old can be more valuabe for wines and I wanted to ask you about it; when I read the next line out saw you had written it felt really satisfied. Thank you very much for the great response. :) I wish I could add some more pluses to this answer.
    – A-friend
    Commented Apr 30, 2019 at 13:47
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I know the second one as

There is life in the old dog yet.

As given in The Free Dictionary.

One still has vitality or the ability to perform certain actions despite one's advanced age.
Did you see Grandpa out on the dance floor? There's life in the old dog yet!

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