Barack Obama is keeping it real about what health looks like in his 60s: less ego, more caution. 

In a new People interview tied to the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, the former president said he feels “great,” but admitted that he is no longer trying to move the way he did when he was younger. At 64, Obama said he is paying attention to his knees and Achilles, and that he is not planning to run up and down a basketball court the way he once might have. 

“I am in good shape if I’m just running north-south,” Obama said. “You start getting me sideways and I start worrying about something kind of going [wrong].” He added, “I don’t want to be in a boot,” a line that makes it clear he knows the difference between staying active and pushing his body too far. 

That does not mean he is giving up the game entirely. Obama said he is still open to lighter competition, like a game of Horse or a shooting contest, but not full-court pickup at the new Home Court gym at the Obama Presidential Center. The facility is designed to be more than a basketball space anyway, with room for community events, yoga, and other activities in Chicago’s South Side. 

Meanwhile, Michelle Obama is already one step ahead of him when it comes to keeping her body healthy. Obama said his wife is “way ahead” of him on “the whole stretching and flexibility tip,” while Michelle joked that he could still choose to dye his hair if he really wanted to look a little more like her. 

The bigger picture is that Barack still clearly wants to stay active, but he is doing it with a little more wisdom now. For a former president whose image has long been tied to being athletic, disciplined, and youthful, that kind of openness about aging well feels refreshingly normal. And we need that right now from a world leader.