This covers the breadth of dimensions of well-centered fitness (Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social), but the inspiration comes from the Physical. I was teaching on Monday on Neuromuscular Disorders, and we spent some time on cerebral palsy. The course is Pathophysiology & Exercise, so, of course, we examined the intervention of exercise in the disorder (as well as several others, e.g., Parkinson’s disease). One point I tried to drive home to the students was to never underestimate the capacity of the client/patient or lower your expectations. In cerebral palsy, as in any condition—healthy or otherwise, success will rise to the level of expectation. So, we must raise our expectations just above what we believe to be reasonable.
We make a habit of limiting one’s capacity based on prejudices. I see it in academics, as well as in fitness and sport. It is far better to over-estimate one’s abilities than to under-estimate. Of course, we can’t expect the extremes, but we can expect just more than we think to be reasonable. Sure, we might fall short, but we keep pushing. If we keep falling short of low expectations, we are—well—falling short of one’s potential.
We cannot presume to know what one is capable of achieving. Daily, I see students in the classroom who under-perform because they have never been challenged to exceed expectation. Sadly, by the time to get to me in upper-division course, the habits and self-perceptions are hard to change.
Physically—age, genetics, physical or intellectual disability, etc. are nothing more than opportunities to challenge oneself to be (extra)ordinary. Little excites me more in fitness (and academics) than to see a person exceed expectations—to prove the critics wrong. I love the attitude of “’Can’t’ never did anything”.
Bernie, one of my best training partners ever, was a 3-sport athlete in high school with cerebral palsy. He expected me to train him as hard as he trained me. (Indeed, we often fought over who would train first, knowing that whoever went second would get pushed harder as “payback”.) He may not have been a starter, but he wasn’t a bystander. He worked hard, if not harder than most, to prove himself and to push his teammates. It was an inspiration.
As soon as we see limitations in people (ourselves), we limit them—we prevent them (ourselves) from achieving their full potential. So, we must never see someone as where we think they are. Rather, we need to look beyond where we think they can go. In doing so, success is inevitable.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!