Page 96 - South Mississippi Living - October, 2026

SPORTS & OUTDOORS
story by Joey Lee
Giving Yourself the
Ability to Say Yes!
I’m far on the north side of 50, and yet I still enjoy running,
cycling, swimming and chasing my athletic goals. There’s one
thing decades of training has taught me: fitness after 40 looks
very different than fitness at 20.
Us old-school guys looked at the best workout as the one that
left us completely exhausted. We pushed through soreness,
ignored nagging injuries, skipped stretching, and wore fatigue
like a badge of honor. The mantra was simple: no pain, no
gain.
Today, that mindset is disappearing.
We’re embracing a different philosophy. Instead of trying to
prove how hard we can train, we’re focused on how long we
can remain active. The goal is to stay healthy enough to enjoy
life for decades to come.
In many ways, fitness has become less about performance
and more about possibility.
Fitness supports the activities that define our lifestyle. It’s the
ability to spend a day on the water without an aching back.
It’s having the strength to load a kayak, carry fishing gear,
walk eighteen holes, put up a tree stand, or toss a ball around
with grandchildren.
The common thread is capability.
One of the biggest shifts has been the renewed emphasis
on strength training. For years, many of us focused primarily
on cardio or rec sports. Those activities are still important,
but experts increasingly recognize that maintaining muscle
mass becomes more critical as we age, because we lose muscle
naturally over time. Strength training helps preserve mobility,
balance, bone health, and the ability to perform everyday
tasks.
Fortunately, this doesn’t mean spending hours in a weight
room chasing bodybuilding goals; you don’t have to be Arnold
Schwarzenegger. The modern approach is far more practical.
Strength means being able to lift a cooler into the bed
of your truck, haul luggage through an airport, climb
a boat ladder or work in the yard. These aren’t athletic
accomplishments. They’re life accomplishments. And
maintaining that capability pays dividends far beyond any
gym.
Another concept is mobility.
Twenty years ago, most of us viewed stretching as optional.
Today, people find that the limitations they blame on aging
are really related to mobility. Tight hips, stiff shoulders, limited
ankle movement, and poor balance affect everything from
walking and golfing to paddling and fishing.
Mobility training supports movement quality, not just fitness.
Men who move well remain active longer, experience fewer
limitations and enjoy a broader range of activities as they age.
But I know from experience that the biggest challenge can
be recovery. For years, recovery was viewed as what happened
after an injury. Now, it’s part of a normal fitness routine.
Sleep, hydration, proper nutrition, and rest days are no
96 | October 2026 www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living