Mind
Woody Allen once said, “People think I’m smart because I wear glasses. Really, I’m a jock. I love sports. I love to play them. And I love to watch them.”
The mind and the body are not separate. They are part of a greater whole.
If you are ever to reach the pinnacle of your physical potential, if you are
ever to be in the best shape of your life, then you must treat your mind and
your body as a unit.
Culturally, we are taught to separate the mind and the body. We believe
that there are those who are athletic, muscular, and fit, and there are those
that are smart. But we don’t usually think of them being the same person.
We admire a good body, but we assume the possessor of that body is a
“muscle head”. We assume this person pumps up their muscles in lieu of
pumping up their brain. We think: Jocks are dumb.
Conversely, we figure if someone is really smart, they must be out of shape, weak, lacking in social skills, and nerdy. We assume someone is intelligent if they look like Woody Allen, they wear Glasses, or don’t have a very athletic physique. We have a hard time combining the two.
And in many respects, this attitude has become a self fulfilling prophesy.
Many people who self identify as jocks, don’t work hard on their minds. And
many who self identify as geeks or brains, don’t work hard on their bodies.
There is even a level of animosity between the two groups.
It wasn’t always this way. The Ancient Greeks believed that Poetry was a
Sport, and they contested it in the original Olympic Games. The Japanese
treat Flower Arranging as a Martial Art. It has been said that Leonardo Di
Vinci could do a back flip from a standing position! He was also into training
grip strength. He was a complete person.
I am a Fitness Coach. I train a persons body first. There is a clear link
between a healthy body and healthy mind. The harder you workout, the
more blood is available to your brain, your endorphins get flowing and you
can think better. Those who exercise regularly have a 70% reduction in the
risk of Alzheimer’s! Depression rates drop through the floor. And you feel
more in control of your life.
But, I strongly believe that we should all actively cultivate every facet of who we are. Draw, learn to play an instrument, write a novel, meditate, take more classes in Mathematics and Science. It’s all important. Don’t deprive yourself of a fulfilling and vibrant life. You only get one. And it is shorter than we’d like it to be. Take full advantage of it.
That’s what we’re all about here. Life. Life at it’s fullest. A strong mind in a
strong body.
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