There’s a certain longing that comes with aging, a bittersweet nostalgia for the days when our bodies felt limitless. As a 42-year-old former athlete, I often find myself reminiscing about the time when pain was a fleeting sensation, not a daily companion. There was a freedom in movement, an ability to push through exhaustion without fearing the consequences. But as the years pass, the body collects its dues. The miles run, the weights lifted, the games played—they all leave their imprint. What was once effortless now requires careful consideration.
And yet, there’s a beauty in this evolution. The awareness that comes with experience allows for a deeper understanding of movement, longevity, and the necessity of strategic training.
The Innocence of Youthful Movement
In our younger years, movement is instinctual. We sprint, jump, cut, and pivot without hesitation. There’s no second-guessing, no concern for what happens after the game. Recovery is fast. Injuries heal quickly, sometimes without us even realizing the severity of what happened. Our bodies adapt without complaint.
As a young athlete, I lived in a world of unfiltered movement, where training was all about pushing limits—running faster, lifting heavier, and grinding harder. Concepts like structural balance, mobility, or long-term durability never crossed my mind. Pain was merely an inconvenience, something to be ignored or numbed with a bag of ice. If I felt stiff, I’d stretch quickly and move on. If something hurt, I’d push through it, always focused on getting back in the game as soon as possible.
With over two decades of experience in movement science, my perspective on training has evolved. The way we move in our younger years lays the foundation for how our bodies function later in life. But rather than looking back with regret, the focus should be on adapting to meet the changing demands of an aging body. The relentless effort of youth wasn’t a mistake—it was a phase of growth and exploration. Now, the objective is to refine our approach, shifting from simply pushing limits to prioritizing longevity, resilience, and purposeful movement. Training isn’t about making up for the past; it’s about using experience to sustain strength, mobility, and vitality well into the future.
Sport is an Assessment, Not Training
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned as a physical therapist is this: sport itself is an assessment, not training. Too many young athletes—and even seasoned professionals—treat their sport as their primary mode of conditioning. But sports are chaotic, unpredictable, and asymmetrical. They expose weaknesses rather than strengthen them.
Watch any high-level athlete, and you'll notice a pattern: success in competition depends not just on strength and conditioning but on how well the body handles unpredictable demands. The sharp cut, the landing from a jump, the sudden burst of acceleration—these moments aren’t just about power; they test an athlete’s ability to move efficiently under stress.
This is why intentional training is essential. It should go beyond lifting heavier or running faster to address asymmetries, build resilience, and refine movement mechanics that hold up in dynamic environments. When injuries occur, they often prompt a reassessment of training approaches, highlighting the importance of movement quality and overall preparedness.
Accepting Our Changing Bodies
As we age, the accumulated effects of years of activity become more noticeable. The knee that once absorbed countless impacts may feel stiff on cold mornings. The shoulder that once threw effortlessly might ache after a weekend of recreational play. The back that handled heavy lifts with ease now offers reminders of the loads it has carried.
Over time, the focus shifts from simply doing more of what we’re good at to addressing the areas that need the most attention. Training shouldn’t just reinforce our strengths—it should target our weaknesses to create better balance, resilience, and longevity. Recovery is no longer automatic; it requires intentional effort—mobility work, strength maintenance, and strategic movement choices. Yet, this stage of life offers a deeper understanding of the body. The all-out intensity of youth evolves into a more mindful, adaptable approach, fostering a greater appreciation for well-rounded movement and the ability to keep doing what we love for years to come.
Movement for Longevity in Practice
Here are several key factors to consider as our approach to physical activity adapts and evolves:
Prioritizing Recovery: Recovery is no longer a passive process. It’s active. Sleep, nutrition, hydration, and structured rest days become as important as training itself.
Mobility Over Flexibility: Stretching alone isn’t enough. Mobility—strength through a full range of motion—is key to joint health and long-term movement quality.
Be intentional and Versatile in your fitness efforts. Training shouldn’t just be about working hard—it should be about executing a plan. Modify intensity, duration, and frequency to align with your goals rather than just pushing through for the sake of exertion.
Strength with Purpose: Lifting heavy for the sake of lifting heavy isn’t the goal. Strength should serve function. Can you get up and down off the floor easily? Does the lifting you do in the gym make you more useful to others?
Understanding Asymmetry: No human is perfectly symmetrical, and these natural imbalances influence how we move, perform, and recover. Rather than striving for perfect symmetry, the key is to understand and work with your body's unique asymmetries. Recognizing these patterns allows you to train more effectively, reduce compensations, and prevent long-term dysfunction.
Respecting Pain: Pain is the body’s way of signaling that something needs attention—not necessarily a reason to stop, but an invitation to listen, adjust, and move smarter. Instead of ignoring discomfort or pushing through recklessly, the focus should be on recognizing what triggers it, making appropriate adjustments, and using it as a tool to refine movement and build long-term resilience.
Embracing a New Kind of Movement Joy
There is a unique satisfaction in aligning our lifestyle behaviors—sleep, nutrition, mobility work, and strength training—to support faster recovery from the intense activities we love. Whether it’s the explosive movements of basketball, the grappling demands of jiu-jitsu, or any other high-effort pursuit, we recognize that these activities come with an expectation of soreness, fatigue, and discomfort. Rather than resisting that reality, we embrace it, understanding that the true reward lies in optimizing our recovery so we can get back to doing what we love, more often and with greater resilience.
The journey becomes less about avoiding pain and more about mastering the art of preparation and restoration. There is joy in knowing that the better we care for our bodies, the more capacity we have to engage in the sports and movements that bring us fulfillment. The cycle of effort, adaptation, and recovery becomes its own source of motivation—a challenge that deepens our connection to movement and strengthens our appreciation for what the body can continue to do.
Conclusion
As we progress through different stages of life, our approach to movement and physical activity naturally evolves. The memory of pain-free living is often an illusion—we’ve always experienced pain, but it was fleeting, required little thought to address, and rarely disrupted our routines for long. Now, discomfort may linger longer and demand more intentional adjustments, making recovery and movement strategy just as important as effort and performance.