Stress buster sports
Winning is the goal but learning how to lose gracefully is even more valuable.
The corporate fast track is one endurance race. The runner compete in many levels to keep pace with and overtake their colleagues. The marathon eventually eliminates the flashy sprinters and pseudo-runners. Only the best survive.
Fast trackers have to be in excellent mental condition and top physical fighting form. Stamina, talent, intelligence, and wit are assets to success.
It is vital to release tension and clear the mind through wholesome, healthy activities.
Sports keep the mind in focus and the body in shape. A good sport develops the positive value of healthy completion via team play.
Winning is the goal but learning how to lose gracefully is even more valuable.
Physical maintenance is a valid concern of the executive who want to relax, network, socialize with clients and peers.
The corporate climber deals with factors such as where and with whom he spends his precious free time. Being in is almost as important as being fit.
It is “in” to have be tanned and toned. It is “out” to look like something the cat dragged in fat and flabby.
Keeping fit does not mean short, irregular visits to a fancy gym or occasional tennis session. It is a major exercise that needs careful time management and the wherewithal to de-stress — in style.
Health buffs indulge in daily or thrice weekly calorie-burning cardio activities. The sprite dances, does yoga or Pilates. The athlete swims, runs on a field or treadmill, or swings his club or racket or mallet.
The harassed CEO justifies his inertia by saying: “I need to rest.” The couch potato vegetates and considers exertion as an excruciating waste of his energy. Thus, his physique is like the contour of a stuffed bear.
In contrast, sportsmen and women project ab enviable aura of exuberance and sex appeal. Their youthful faces and toned bodies belie their chronological age. They know the secret of looking and feeling young.
Combative, aggressive warriors expend energy in explosive, rugged bursts of basketball, target shooting, marathons, Iron Man triathlon competitions — running, biking, swimming — or kickboxing and weightlifting. Brute force releases toxic stress and stimulates hormone secretion.
Nature lovers trek to the mountains for periods of meditation and reflection. They gaze at cloud formation, admire exotic flora and fauna, and bask under the peaceful canopy trees and stars.
A weekend at the beach can banish the oppressive congestion and worries of the concrete jungle. Sailing, diving, snorkeling, surfing are water sports that reveal new vistas of marine life.
Riding the wind is a magical experience of the adventurous individual. Racing on a powerful sports car on the highway or riding a gleaming motorcycle on a winding road is considered the ultimate macho high. On a hang glider, a parasail, a bungee rope, one feels the sensation of flying and being free. Nothing beats the breathtaking, heart stopping adrenaline rush that comes from a fast sport. It’s part of the thrill — the risk, the danger, the turn on.
Among the sports, riding deserves special mention.
The equestrian and polo player love riding a powerful steed or a willful mare as challenging and exhilarating.
Unlike other athletes, (such as a gymnast balancing on a beam or a golfer with his favorite clubs), the rider has to develop an amiable relationship and bond with the partner — a strong horse.
The lay observer should understand the dynamics of such a relationship. Intelligence, instinct, and good vibes are needed.
Equestrians describe the special chemistry between rider and horse…”two creatures work as one.” A team perfectly attuned to and in synch with each other.
Non-riders think that the horse does all the work. The rider does not simply sit on top and let the horse execute the steps.
The horse trots, canters, gallops and jumps. According to experts, that’s only 70% of the sport. The rider fills the equation by training, guiding, and making the horse achieve its full potential. It is teamwork.
A good horse cannot go on automatic pilot. Without a skillful rider who will develop that relationship, a magnificent stallion cannot perform well.
There should be a clear line of communication between rider and horse for harmony, balance, coordination. “Communicating with another human is hard enough as it is,” a lawyer commented. Imagine talking to a horse? That’s tough!”
It takes years of practice and patience to learn the language and moods of horses. One needs time and energy to learn how to ride well and develop a confident carriage; to understand the nuances of equine behavior. Imagine trying to control a temperamental beast that weighs one ton to 1,500 pounds.
Discipline and timing — knowing when to be firm or to let go — are the keys to good and safe riding. The desire to overcome the difficulties compels the competitive rider to work hard and to practice often. That goes for polo, dressage, jumping, or simple pleasure riding.
Ask a rider (horse or motorcycle) what he likes best about the sport. He would dismiss or shrug away the occasional scars ( bruises, dislocated joints, fractures, concussions) and downplay the risks.
With great enthusiasm and a zest for life, he would reply “The fun of riding the wind.”