Carl Lewis, Jerry Rice, and Nadia Comăneci Share Their Secrets to Staying Strong with Age

Inspired by its hit series “Limitless: Live Better Now” with Chris Hemsworth, National Geographic turned to some legendary athletes to talk about the fitness and wellness habits they’ve learned later in life.

In 1976, a 14-year-old Nadia Comăneci was the first Olympic gymnast to score a perfect 10. She did it six more times over the course of her career. Now, at the age of 63, she has figured out a fitness routine that works for her.

“I think life happens in phases. When you’re a teenager and young, I mean, you’re just busy with, you know, you don’t worry about the years. Once you retire and you get hit by the, you know regular life, you realize that if you stop moving, then things go south very fast,” she told National Geographic. “I do, you know like, 10-15 minutes of bicycle, 10 minutes of elliptical, I do some stretching, light weights, and in 40 minutes I’m out.”

Jerry Rice is the NFL’s all-time leader in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns. The three-time Super Bowl champ, now 62, keeps a regular workout regimen and also enjoys the benefits of being a dog dad!

“I do a lot of Peloton, a lot of CrossFit. I also have a big South African mastiff, and he likes to run, so we get out there. And yeah, the knee is going to swell sometimes, and you might be a little stiff when you get out of bed. But you’ve got to fight through that pain, knowing that the ultimate goal is that you’re still going to be flexible and active as you get older. So that’s my motivational speech: Challenge yourself every day, and it’s going to reward you in the end,” he said.

Legendary sprinter Carl Lewis admits that even with all his athletic prowess, he’s just like us.

“What I’ve learned about my body is it ages like everyone else,” he said.

At age 64, Lewis said he gets fulfillment from doing something each year that he never thought he’d do.

“It helps me to have a challenge. It really does, and I always tell my kids the same thing, ‘not only just have a challenge, but put your name on it. If you want to stay active, if you wanna stay healthy, have a reason to get up.”

For more athletes and their wellness habits, visit nationalgeographic.com.

Disney is the parent company of National Geographic and this station.