The phrase “athletic again” can sound like a lot of work. When I say “athletic”, you picture Michael Jordan dunking a basketball or Usain Bolt blazing down a track. But those are athletes. Becoming athetic again is about developing athletic qualities, not becoming a professional basketball player or gold medalist sprinter.
But I want to stop you right there. A workout program is more than something that makes you sweat. It’s definitely more than something that only makes you sore. And it can be something that improves your quality of life. Instead of dreading the lower body workout I posted, start seeing the opportunity to develop your strength and mobility. Mobility and strength improvements lead to other things and so on. Understand what being more athletic can do for the rest of your day.
When you hear “get athletic again”, you might think, “I’m so far being out of shape, there’s no way”. However, we all have some athletic qualities that are ready to tapped into. Strength, speed, agility, balance, coordination, and flexibility/mobility are there for the taking. With a little consistency and hard work, it comes back. The body is an amazing machine that will adapt to what you give it. Tell your body you want to sit in a chair for 8 hours a day, it will start to adapt to that position.
What would be the problem with being stronger so you can hold your baby without struggling? What would be the issue with being agile enough to play tag with your children? Or what about having the stamina to work all day and come home and spend time with the family? Not to mention the secondary benefits like weight loss and body fat. Your heart is healthier so you can live longer and your joints aren’t so cranky throughout the day too. That is why the goal is putting athleticism back in your life.
Athletic again programming asks you to run, jump, hop, squat, and push/press, and pull stuff. That, in essence, is every way in which you can express the qualities listed earlier. That is how you will get your athleticism back. Move heavy stuff quickly and do all the things that encompasses an athlete on a daily basis. I want you to focus on getting back the things your body forgot it could do. It takes soreness and a little gritting of the teeth, but it will give you far more benefits than without it. Put meaning behind your effort and the results will be there.
Take home message:
- We are shooting for more than just vague goals. You are training to feel athletic and be able to run, jump, throw, and do things physically again.
- “Back in my prime” is only for people who don’t want to work for it back, anyone can get their strength and stamina back with a little hard work and focus.
- The body adapts to stimulus you give it. Sitting at a desk all day tells the body to adapt to a position that isn’t smart for our structure.
- Athletic Again is not asking you to be a competitive athlete again, but I am asking you to do things that can lead to greater quality of life and happiness down the road.
Peak Sports Performance 