Training for Health Versus Competition

A classic saying among competitive athletes states, "Health ends where competition begins." The general public thinks that highly competitive amateur and professional athletes not only possess the skill and talent to take them to the top of their sports, but also possess superior health because of their rigorous training schedules and devotion to becoming the best. After all, we see their fantastic bodies and rejoice with their successes; we know that they must be extremely healthy to have achieved such lofty goals. That competitive athletes are perfect physical specimens is a misconception in the lay community. This notion couldn't be farther from the truth for some athletes. The reality of competitive athletics is that all bets are off and the rules are few. Many competitive athletes are continually overtrained, resulting in lowered immune systems, lack of sleep, and constant muscle soreness. Many competitive athletes will do anything it takes to be competitive and win-even experimenting with drugs, untested supplements, unscientific diets, and unproven training methods. Depending on the sport, many competitive athletes are basically beaten up. Don't try to push yourself into competition or strive to be an elite athlete if your goal is to train for general health and fitness.

Consider professional basketball, for example. Although these men and women kick butt on the court and look terrific doing it, they may not be able to get out of bed the next morning because of the stress they endured during the game. What about the constant overuse injuries that plague tennis players? They play so many games a year on the tennis circuit that their bodies get worn out and their general health suffers. Bodybuilders look the picture of health as they flex their massive muscles on the stage, but they practically starve themselves before a competition and purposely dehydrate themselves to the point of risking death. Does that strike you as healthy?

Being healthy is a balancing act. You need to eat a balanced diet, get the appropriate amount of sleep, exercise reasonably, work moderately, and enjoy time with friends and family. Health care professionals use many physiological markers to determine a person's health, and only one of them has to do with appearance. Don't be misled that the only way to be healthy is to compete against others. There is more than a fine line between competitive athletics and general health and fitness-it can actually be a wide chasm. The only competition you need to wage is against yourself.