Old words still relevant.

As The Stoic philosopher Epictetus mused some 19 centuries ago:

“So you want to conquer in the Olympic Games, my friend. But first mark the conditions and the consequences, and then set to work.

You will have to put yourself under discipline: to eat by rule, to avoid cakes and sweetmeats; to take exercise at the appointed hour whether you like it or not, in cold and heat; to abstain from cold drinks and from wine at your will; in a word, to give yourself over to the trainer as to a physician.

Then in the conflict itself you are likely enough to dislocate your wrist or twist your ankle, to swallow a great deal of dust or to be severely thrashed and, after all these things, to be defeated.”

Epicteus had it right.

Some of the young athletes I have worked with, or who are trying to get selected into teams, seem to have a different viewpoint on life.

It goes:

• I will only do the bare minimum to achieve what I need to and rely on my parents to barrack Coaches into selecting me.
• I will only work when under supervision.
• I will miss training to go to a free lunch or to go on holiday.
• I will piss and moan if I fail to get selected for something… and then I will quit. I will eat junk food, abstain from breakfast and demand supplements.
• Never, ever, under any circumstances is anything my fault-instead it is the Coach or the other players’ fault.

Often they are the most talented ones too and are “anointed and appointed” (as Vern Gambetta would say) at a young age.

I have learnt to remove these athletes from my training environments at the earliest opportunity.

The Athletes from all sports who are part of the Excelsior Athletic Development Centre are learning what it takes to succeed. They have started their Quest for Ultra Performance