Now here is a question of the day...
Who is an athlete?
Is it only those whose physical abilities by genetics and by training exceed everyone else's?
Is it someone who engages in competitive sports regularly?
Do you have to practice a certain number of hours per week to be an athlete?
Do you have to be young and strong to be an athlete?
Do you have to be athletic to be an athlete?
I have met people that are not athletes but they are more athletic than any athlete I have met?
I have met a LOT OF athletes that are not athletic judged by their movement skills.
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In my opinion, training for athleticism = training for function = training for life
What is athleticism?
I think athleticism has a lot to do with movement skills such as flexibility, balance, speed, power, strength, stability and coordination.
Doesn't everyone need these elements to perform their tasks in life safely and effectively?
Competitive athletes require more of lot of these elements in order to be successful than an ordinary joe but he should still "train" all these areas as well.
I think every person no matter what age, should incorporate power, coordination and balance in their exercise regimen.
My favorite exercise for an 80-year old woman that I used to train, was a medicine ball throw. (...and NO, that is not the reason she is not working with me anymore..haha)
POWER!
Yep, a little less intensity and resistance than an olympic hammer thrower would use but the same concept.
You know what? The engine is the same for all of us - the same principles and movement concepts apply to all of us - just the parts might be different.
My everyday non-athlete clients have taught me more about athletic conditioning and performance enhancement than I ever would have thought.
One more question to wrap up:
Is this true or false? An athlete = a healthy mind in a healthy body
Tommi
PS: America believes in education: the average professor earns more money in a year than a professional athlete earns in a whole week. Evan Esar
