I love the game of Tennis. I didn’t grow up playing like I did with other sports but I always enjoyed watching the game. My favorite player growing up was Andre Agassi. The way he moved on the court. How cool he seemed. His strength, power and grace while moving around the tennis court.
Then along came the next generation of great Tennis talents. Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal. All three are some of the best to ever play the game. My favorite to watch has been Nadal. Similar to Agassi, there was something about him that drew me in. His passion, fire, intensity and his strength and explosiveness on the court. He had something that resonated with me.
I don’t know about Nadal’s opinions on life. I don’t know about his diet or his workout routine or if he is a dog lover or a cat lover. And I don’t care.
Many years ago I had a conversation with my dad about athletes and celebrities. The walls of my bedroom were covered with posters of all my heroes and idols. Athletes and rock stars.
My dad asked me if I noticed that none of the people were smiling. He wanted to know if I thought they were happy. And if they were my idols. I didn’t see them as happy but I saw something else they had that I wanted.
They were intensely focused. AND they were on posters!
Regardless if Nadal is actually THE best tennis player or not, I have no idea and it doesn’t matter to me.
What I realized many years ago is that I could enjoy watching a performer, an artist, an athlete and I could enjoy their talents on display without becoming attached to who they were as people.
I didn’t need to know any details about their life. Their opinions, beliefs etc. None of that changed how I could appreciate the majestic beauty of their art, whatever it is.
You may have ideas about a person, whether it’s an athlete or coach or musician. Maybe their ideals align with yours or maybe they don’t.
For me, I don’t need to know anyone’s views to appreciate their contributions to the world of sports, art, music etc.. if a human being is passionate and devoted to his/her craft, that is enough for me to pay attention.
Was Agassi the best tennis player of his era? Not according to the stats. But in my mind he was the only one that I would drop what I was doing to watch.
He had the “IT” factor for me. Nadal is the same way.
He may not be better than Federer or Djokovic but he has something that grabs my attention. It goes beyond words. The reasons why certain people, places and things in life reach the deepest parts of us. They touch something within, often for some unexplainable reason.
This post has nothing to do with strength and conditioning or fitness.. or does it?
Maybe that mysterious feeling we get in regards to athletes, musicians, artists is also what draws us to certain training programs or plans?
There’s something to it, for sure. As there are an endless amount of routines available to you, only a few truly speak to you. It’s worth looking into a little more deeply.
After writing blog posts almost every day for years, I took some time away. I guess I needed to allow some space to see what it is I truly wanted to write.
I can only write about squats and pushups so many times before I start to need a different subject.
I feel more posts coming but I have no idea where they will lead, and that’s fine by me. I don’t always need a plan. Like my training has shifted and evolved, so too my other pursuits in life.
Where passions goes, the energy flows. When I’m not feeling it, I need to step away. But there’s something coming that compels me to write more here.
Today I did a sled workout. Dragging the sled forward and reverse. That was the entire workout. It was perfect. Later I will do another workout. Likely a combination of calisthenics and isometrics and loaded carries.
These days my training is like that. Split up into multiple “mini” workouts each day. It varies each day but generally I don’t do one long session anymore, but prefer to provide my body with many quick workout inputs.
I may put all of this into a new book soon. I just published two books in recent months. Both are available for purchase on gumroad.com.
The first book- “Rugged Fitness” gives you a template to design the most effective workout plan that is intuitive and adaptable to any life situation. It’s not a cut and paste follow-me program. If you need that, I’d recommend either the Bodyweight Basics book or a customized training plan.
“Bodyweight Basics” gives you a direct-no bs- to the point plan to get in excellent shape using only your bodyweight.
The links are here: RUGGED FITNESS