Former NFL Star Jerry Rice, 62, Shares How His South African Mastiff Keeps Him Physically Active (Exclusive)

Inspired by Chris Hemsworth‘s hit series, Limitless: Live Better Now, Nat Geo is shining a spotlight on how legendary athletes manage their health and fitness after age 60. 

PEOPLE has an exclusive preview of “The Power of Aging Athletically” in National Geographic‘s October issue, in which living legends such as former NFL star Jerry Rice, WNBA Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller, gymnastics Olympian Nadia Comăneci and track and field Olympian Carl Lewis share their healthiest habits.

Jerry Rice

Widely considered one of the greatest wide receivers of all time and one of the NFL’s all-time leaders in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns, Rice, 62, has not slowed down since retiring from football in 2005. 

He says the key to staying fit is as simple as being a dog dad. “I also have a big South African mastiff, and he likes to run, so we get out there,” Rice tells Nat Geo about how his pet keeps him moving. Of course, he also does “a lot of Peloton [and] a lot of CrossFit.” 

But being active past 60 isn’t without its challenges. “The knee is going to swell sometimes, and you might be a little stiff when you get out of bed,” he admits. “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.” 

Rice adds, “So that’s my motivational speech: Challenge yourself every day, and it’s going to reward you in the end.”

Cheryl Miller

As for Miller, 61, the women’s basketball legend is “learning how to run again.” She says, “I can at least get out there and put some shots up and move around. I wake up at four in the morning, get myself organized for the day, do my Bible study, and then I’m out the door and walking up hills and jogging, and it’s such a joy.”

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Nadia Comăneci 

Comăneci, who was just 14 years old when she scored the first-ever perfect 10 during the Olympics, continues to maintain a strict physical regimen at 63 years old. “Now I work out 40 minutes a day, no matter where I am. And I’m very realistic. Your body tells you what you can do. I don’t run, for example, because I feel my joints will go out too fast,” she tells Nat Geo. 

Carl Lewis

Known as the fastest man alive in the 1980s and ’90s, the former 100-meter record holder, now 64, finds joy in pushing himself to try new things. “I get fulfillment now from doing something every year that I never thought I would do. I decided I wanted to bench 300 pounds at age 60, which is crazy. I got to 285,” Lewis says. “Then one year, I went skydiving.” 

“For [age] 63, I wanted to do a split,” he continues. “I started training about six months beforehand, and I still haven’t done the split. It may take me until 65, but I’m going to do that damn split.”

The wellness tips from Rice, Miller, Comăneci and Lewis are just some of many featured in “The Power of Aging Athletically,” which can be read in full at NatGeo.com. Limitless: Live Better Now is now streaming on Hulu and Disney+.