A lifetime of fitness: Clay Smalley continues moving into his 70s

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — For more than four decades, Clay Smalley has made fitness a part of his life — and a way to connect with the people around him.

Smalley will turn 70 on Aug. 31, but the longtime fitness instructor isn’t planning to slow down.

He leads Kardio Kraze classes at Bowling Green Parks and Recreation on Tuesdays and Thursdays, where participants follow his lead through a high-energy workout.

“It feels great,” Smalley said about continuing to teach as he approaches 70. “After teaching, I started teaching aerobics in 1982 and reaching 70, hey man, it’s my dream.”

Smalley’s fitness career began while he was a student at Western Kentucky University. He said he first became interested in teaching aerobics after taking a class at WKU and eventually decided to take over the class.

His career has continued for more than four decades, with fitness becoming more than just exercise.

For Smalley, staying active is a lesson he learned early in life.

His father coached him in basketball, baseball and football and also ran a community center. Smalley said watching his father deal with rheumatoid arthritis helped shape his commitment to staying fit.

“So I wanted to make sure that I stay fit,” Smalley said.

His philosophy for staying active is simple.

“Just moving,” Smalley said.

He encourages people not to worry about keeping up with younger people or reaching a certain level of fitness.

“All you gotta do is just move,” he said. “Whether it’s aerobics, whether it’s riding a bike, just walk and swimming. Just move.”

Smalley’s classes have also become a source of community for the people who attend them.

Myra Wardlow, a Kardio Kraze participant, said Smalley’s personality is one of the reasons people continue coming back.

“We love Clay,” Wardlow said. “He’s always challenging and making me go extra.”

She said Smalley also knows how to make exercise enjoyable.

“He keeps it fun, exciting and keeps us laughing,” Wardlow said. “It’s like we’re not even working out.”

Smalley said his students have become like family over the years. He remembers going out to eat with members of his classes and said he even attended the weddings of couples who met through the fitness community.

“Because when I first started in the West Wing, we all treated each other like family,” Smalley said.

Now, as he prepares to enter his 70s, Smalley acknowledges that he has had to change the way he approaches fitness.

“When I was in my 20s and 30s, I thought I was a freak of nature,” Smalley said. “I was teaching classes sometimes five days a week, three or four times a day.”

Today, he said rest and nutrition are just as important as exercise.

And his next challenge is already planned.

On Sept. 1, the day after his birthday, Smalley plans to begin a 500-mile bike ride during September to support cancer research.

His message after more than 40 years of teaching remains the same.

“Your greatest wealth in life is your health,” Smalley said.

For Smalley, turning 70 isn’t a finish line. It’s another milestone in a lifetime spent encouraging others to keep moving.