The Ageist Interview

At 74, What am I Still Capable Of?

I’m in New York City, because tomorrow is the Hyrox!!! If you haven’t heard, the Hyrox is eight stations of sled pushes, rowing, wall balls, and walking lunges, with a 1K run between each one. I’m going solo, and my daughters Kate and Perrie are doing the doubles division.
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Recently, The AGEIST sat down with me for an interview, and we dove into all about the Hyrox, what keeps my energy going in my 70s, and a few things I’d tell every one of you to start doing today…. 

“It’s okay if you think I’m crazy, because I definitely think I’m crazy,” says Kathy Smith, 74. The onetime queen of ’80s fitness videos is telling AGEIST about “Everesting,” the practice of climbing 29,029 feet in 36 hours, which she accomplished two summers ago in Whistler, Canada. “You get to the top of a mountain, take a gondola down, and then you go right back up,” she says with the clear, upbeat voice that helped make her a workout goddess for millions of people with VCRs and exercise mats in their living rooms. “The point is not to win, but to test your mental limits.”

That kind of straightforward confidence has also defined Smith’s approach to aging itself. “I’m never thinking, ‘Oh, 60 is coming, 70 is coming,” she says. “There’s not a ton there for me in that kind of mindset. It’s more like, ‘I am on Earth and this is a gift. So what can I do with it now?’ And then the ‘nows’ keep coming.”

In June, Smith will be a solo competitor at Hyrox, the famed circuit training race that combines a staggered 8k run with activities like rowing, sandbag lunges, and pushing a sled across a gym floor. But she wants workout newbies to know that even if they can’t perform the feat of a dozen burpies in one go, they can reinvent their lives with a few repeated habits. “It’s okay if you’re scared of the gym. New places can be intimidating. But what’s the worst that happens?” she jokes. “You get really good at squats? Anyway, there are so many studies that show when you move your body, you light up your mind.” So do it, she says, for the crossword puzzle glory.

Here’s what else Smith wants you to know about matcha, habit stacking, and why it’s actually good that so many people are on their phones in the weight room.

What’s your name?
Kathy Smith.

What’s your age?
74.

Where are you right now?
I’m in Park City, Utah. I lived in LA for about 35 years, but I moved up here around 15 years ago after my youngest daughter graduated high school. I still travel constantly, though. I’ll actually be back in New York soon for a Hyrox competition.

Isn’t Hyrox the race where you cross-train through all the impossible events?
Yes, but they’re not impossible! It sounds insane when you describe it out loud. It’s basically just eight very demanding fitness events, with a 1K run between each station. There are sled pushes, wall balls, walking lunges, burpee broad jumps, rowing—the whole thing. The “wall balls” get me every time. You start with a 90-degree squat, and throw a 9-lb ball into a 9-foot target, and you do 100 of them! There’s a judge watching to make sure you nail them.

“I was one of the first women running marathons in America and even my doctor said, ‘This is bad for you. Your uterus will drop and your t*ts will fall down.’”

Sorry, but that sounds absolutely nuts.
Okay, yes. It’s crazy. But people said that about everything related to fitness. They said women shouldn’t run marathons, back in the 1960s and ’70s. It used to be illegal for women to run the Boston Marathon! Then when I made VHS tapes, they said nobody would work out at home… They said step aerobics was ridiculous… They said spinning would never last… They said walking workouts were silly… And all of these things have really taken off and helped so many people connect with their bodies and their energy. Every new thing sounds weird in the beginning. I’ve always been curious instead of judgmental. That’s probably been the defining trait of my career.

How did you become an aerobics icon?
I was living in Hawaii, and I was teaching exercise classes and working as an extra on shows like Hawaii Five-0, just to pay for college. The President of Universal Studios saw me on a shoot one day. He said, “You should really come to LA.” So I lived in his guest house for a bit. His next-door neighbor was a woman named Gilda Marks, who was the founder of Flexetard, which was basically the Lululemon of yesteryear. to be her showroom and runway model. Gilda had a little studio, and Jane Fonda and Barbra Streisand and other celebrities would come to a class… calisthenics with music. It was arm circles and leg lifts. I loved going to the class, and thought, “Okay, this is fun, but I wish there was an aerobic component. Can’t we dance a little?” And then I designed and started teaching class, which is what you’d now know as aerobics, and I got this huge following.

You worked out with Jane Fonda?!
Then by the late ’70s, Toni Proferra, who was an independent record promoter, was in my class. She suggested an “exercise album.” We put our money together and we shot in the studios late at night. We recorded after heavy metal bands or whatever, because that’s when studio time was the cheapest. The LP came out in 1978. It was a vinyl record with a poster, and the poster had small photos of me doing the moves. People thought, “Nobody will buy this.” But they did. Then in 1982, we shot my first video. People again thought, “Nobody will buy this, because they don’t want to work out at home” But it sold millions. I ended up being signed to a major record label, because they didn’t have a fitness division. So I’d be backstage at an international sales conference with Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp because I had a “hit video.” And even then, people thought “this is just a fad… it won’t last.”. But this reminds me of when women started running marathons. I ran my first marathon in 1975, and there were 12 women out of a field of 800. even my doctor said, “This is bad for you. Your uterus will drop, and your t*ts will fall down.”

Why do you still race today?
Challenges keep me motivated, but they also create community. Like this time around at Hyrox, I’m a solo competitor, but my daughters are doing the doubles competition, and we all trained together recently… My favorite part about it is the respect you have for each other at the end, and the excitement. It doesn’t matter if you “win.” Nobody is going to “win” this race. It matters that you tried and you really went for it. It creates a whole family environment. Everybody who tries belongs.

“I’ve been talking about lifting weights for decades, but nothing compares to what happens when women start lifting heavy and moving functionally. It changes everything.”

‘Belonging’ is still hard for some people with workouts and gym culture, especially because there used to be more toxic vibes associated with it. What would you say to someone who might be intimidated to visit a gym now?

To be able to step into that place of what your body can do, as opposed to what it looks like? That’s where the fun starts. That’s where the growth starts. We all have been gifted our bodies, all shapes and sizes, and they’re all gifts. So if you’re intimidated to go to the gym because you don’t “look” like a fitness person, know that YOU ARE PERFECT…JUST THE WAY YOU ARE! And if it’s more of a skill issue nobody expects you to push a sled around on your first day. Yes, lifting heavier weights is incredible for your health as you age, and you need to work up to that if you can. But start light… 3-5 pounds. Start with something that sounds fun. Have you always wanted to learn how to surf, or dance, or swim better? Sign up for a lesson that taps into your aliveness. And, the culture of gyms right now is actually just everyone on their phones. Nobody is looking at you. They are literally just looking at their phone, whether it’s fitness apps, or checking their messages. That might be a good thing, right? Because nobody cares.

What’s your main recommendation for people over 50 when it comes to fitness?
Strength training. Real strength training. I’ve been talking about lifting weights for decades, but nothing compares to what happens when women start lifting heavy and moving functionally. Pushing sleds, carrying weight, learning how to brace your core—it changes everything. You discover muscles you didn’t even know you had. Your balance improves. Your coordination improves. Your brain lights up. And the biggest thing is confidence. It’s great.

How do you get out the door in the morning?
I’m huge on habit-stacking now. The older I get, the more intentional I have to be about routines. I’ll make an appointment for an infrared sauna in the morning because I know that gets me out of the house, which gets me to my matcha, which gets me to the gym. Then I start small. Breathwork on the treadmill. Five easy minutes. Nothing dramatic.

“I’m not trying to prove anything anymore. I just want to stay engaged with life.”

Did you ever imagine your life looking like this at 74?
I’m not really one of those people who visualized her goals or her life, to be honest. my life unfolded through curiosity and opportunity. I lost both my parents young, and running genuinely saved me from depression. Then I became fascinated by the human body. I studied running, yoga, strength training, nutrition—anything I could learn about… And then opportunities kept appearing. I moved to LA. I met people. I started teaching. Suddenly I was traveling the world… There wasn’t some grand master plan. Even now, I don’t really think in terms of 10-year plans. I’m much more intuitive than that. Something speaks to me, and I follow it.

What’s one of the last things you followed?
Ohhhh, recently I did a four-day darkness retreat in Oregon called Sky Cave. Complete darkness. No light, no sound. Total sensory deprivation. I heard Aaron Rodgers talking about it, the football player, and I thought “Oh, I should seek that out.” Most people hear about living in a cave and think, “Why would you do that?” But, I’m thinking, “Oh wow, what will I discover doing that?” That’s also why I signed up for Hyrox. I’m turning 75 this year, and I genuinely want to know: What am I still capable of? Plus, there are just these unpredictable moments of awe. At one point during the 29029 challenge, I was all alone in a field. It was really misty and a buck deer was standing there, and I thought, How lucky am I to be here?

What’s something you haven’t found to be true about aging?
That it slows you down. It’s like, just keep showing up and staying curious. Also, I will say that the older I get, the more I realize that people get too attached to outcomes—times, rankings, perfection. I care much more about the experience itself. I’m not trying to prove anything anymore. I just want to stay engaged with life. I want to keep learning. I want to keep saying yes to things that scare me a little bit.I think that’s what keeps you alive.

Do you have a new adventure lined up?
I’m doing a 3-week walk in Japan in November. I love walking, and I love nature, and I love that connection. That’s where I get my greatest inspiration, my best ideas, and where I’m my happiest.

What are your three non-negotiables?
1. Making my bed. That sounds simple, but it’s grounding for me. My dad was military, so maybe some of it comes from that, but I also once heard someone describe bed-making as a way to become fully present for two minutes. You’re smoothing the sheets, fixing the corners—you’re focused on one thing instead of immediately spiraling into your to-do list.

2. No electronic devices allowed in the bedroom at night. It’s hard but it’s so worth it, especially if you have sleep issues.

3. Saying “no” is actually a big one right now. Be okay with saying “no.” I think life is what you say “yes” to but also, maybe more importantly, what you say “no” to. You don’t need a packed schedule. You can be okay with a little free time or even a little loneliness. Saying “yes” is a choice and what you want to say “yes” to is what’s going to lead you in the right direction.

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