You Become What You Do

Your body adapts and learns from what you do…and doesn’t tell you about it.

A few years ago, a friend was in town visiting for a few days. We started talking about basketball and before long we had decided to go to the park at the end of the street and shoot some baskets. Just a friendly game of H-O-R-S-E.

Well, the game of H-O-R-S-E turned into a few games of one-on-one. I hadn’t actually played basketball in years; hadn’t really even played H-O-R-S-E in years either.

I was determined to not let this guy, many years younger, beat me. We played hard. I was exhausted when we finished but was triumphant. I felt great.

Until the next morning when I could barely walk down the stairs. I thought I had just “over done it” and the pain and stiffness would pass.

It didn’t. I had injured both Achilles tendons and had a bad case of tendonosis for months. About nine months. All from three or four games of one-on-one.

Your body is inherently lazy by design; always seeking the lowest level of energy expenditure to get the job done. This is why you do not need to be fit to be alive. Your body can function at a very low level of fitness because of its ability to adapt.

But, your brain doesn’t know much about your fitness level.

You might think you can still run five miles, or play basketball, or ski the black runs at Vail even though its been years since you’ve done any of those things. So, like me, one day you decide to give it go. Most of the time, it doesn’t go well because your “white” tissues – tendons, ligaments, cartilage, bone – have been dormant; under exposed and under prepared to meet the physical demand your mind still imagines.

You become what you do. Train your body to play basketball or ski or run or to just be in better over all condition and you’ll enjoy life more and feel a lot better.

But just don’t fall for what I did – your mind telling you you’re in better shape than you really are.

The mind still remembers what the body has long since forgotten.

You become what you do.

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