NFL players know better than anyone the dedication it takes to perform at a high level. Long practices, grueling workouts, and constant travel keep them in motion, so they rely on daily habits to stay sharp, recover fast, and keep their bodies in peak condition.
You might think pro athletes ease up once their playing days are over, but that's rarely the case. The stadium lights may be gone, but the drive to push themselves doesn't fade. That relentless pursuit of peak performance sticks with them for life. That's why, eight years into retirement, Reggie Bush still laces up and runs almost every day.
"I do a lot of running now on the treadmill...usually running with a little slant, a slow, small incline, because that helps alleviate just the full force of my weight onto my knee," he says in regards to theseason-ending left knee injury he suffered in 2015. "So that's one way that I focus on my agility, staying fast."
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Reggie Bush's Flexibility Focus Post-NFL
But running isn't the only way the former pro stays sharp. Flexibility has been a focus for Bush since his high school track and field days, but it became a top priority after injuries during his playing career. Now, as he's gotten older, mobility work is a non-negotiable part of his daily routine.
"Flexibility was always important," he says. "The curveball is when you get injured in football, because when you get injured, you have to get surgery, and now you're on the shelf. I lost a significant amount of flexibility on my left side of my left leg and my hip, and that kind of hurt me over time. Now that I'm not playing football, I try to focus on stretching, you know, every day."
Flexibility also plays a key role in Bush's regular golf games, a passion he picked up towards the end of his NFL career. What most people don't realize is that golf demands incredible stability-keeping your feet grounded-along with flexibility to swing with precision and avoid injury. And as you age, your body just doesn't move the way it used to, especially after 11 years of grinding in the NFL.
Reggie Bush's Golf-Driven Mobility
"A lot of my training has gone more golf-specific now," he said. "But I also still do a lot of running and a lot of different flexibility, strengthening exercises, hip flexibility, hip rotation. Because the older you get, those hips just start getting tight. What I've learned as you get older is [that] you have to work on your body daily."
It's not just athletes who benefit from daily movement and mobility. According to Bush, everyone should adopt an athlete's mindset: "When your body is strong, and your body is fit, and your body is healthy, it helps you. In anything, I don't care what it is, you could be dealing with mental stress...you have some bills, when you work out, and you stay in shape, you're also mentally working on your confidence. And your confidence is so important."
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This story was originally published May 14, 2025 at 12:46 PM.