Why Staying Fit is Essential for Pro Sports

Fitness and sports are like love and marriage: You can’t have one without the other. Also like love and marriage, that’s a bunch of poppycock! Of course you can have one without the other. And that is all too often the problem. Fitness is not always maintained in sports. When that happens, bad things follow. Here are a few reasons why staying fit is essential for pro sports and everything else that matters in life:

It’s All in Your Head

From home runs to touchdowns, slam dunks to… whatever it is they do in hockey, the magic happens in the brain. Even after the body starts to betray, a sharp mind can keep a fit athlete in the game. Even the very mindset of winning and losing starts with the brain. From the physical to the mental aspects of the game, it’s all in the head of the athlete.

This is why the most important piece of safety gear is always head protection. World football is a notable exception. American football is the poster child of this principle. Even back in the days of the leather-heads, we were aware of some of the risks.

It is those risks of which we were unaware that are at the center of the current concussion litigation. According to one NFL concussion lawyer:

A settlement fund has already been approved. Federal District Court Judge Anita Brody approved a settlement that could award retired players who are now experiencing certain neurologic disorders up to $5 million each.

Those neurologic disorders often take time to manifest. Like cigarettes, everyone knew playing football was dangerous. We just didn’t know how dangerous. Nor were we aware of the long-term effects. However, the NFL did know about these things and did not disclose the information.

The NFL did not protect the fitness of the players, leaving them to suffer from crippling injuries that might have been avoided if certain rule changes were in place a lot sooner. Once athletes lose their mental sharpness, everything else soon follows. Whatever the sport, keep your head in the game and out of harm’s way.

There’s No “I” in “Team”

When you are a part of a professional sports team, you are a part of something a lot bigger than yourself. The hopes and dreams of a hundred other people are depending on you. It is not just the starters on the field when the camera is on. It is the coaching staff, the practice squad, and all of the families of all of the people on the team, including yours.

Whether it is Uganda vs. Ethiopia, or the Seahawks vs. the Patriots, your individual health and fitness affects everyone on the team. If you are not at your best on game day because you suffered an injury, your team suffers. It is even worse if it is an injury that could have been avoided with proper stretching and exercise. Slacking on fitness is one of the worst things you can do to your team.

Till the Whistle Blows

In football, there is a saying: “Play until the whistle blows.” It means that you should not slack off anticipating the end of the play. You should go full speed until the play is officially over. But the whistle is also a reminder that at some point, the game will be over. And there will be no more plays. An athlete has to make preparations for that final whistle.

Professional athletes have to prepare for life after sports. Some stats show 78% of professional athletes are bankrupt, divorced, or unemployed two years after they stop playing. The average career of an NFL player is about three and a half years.

Fitness is a must for professional athletes because sooner than they expect, the final whistle blows. They have a lot of living to do after playing the game. A physically fit former athlete has better prospects than one that can barely walk.

Everything that applies to professional athletes also applies to you, whatever your profession may be. So keep your head in the game and fully protected. Your performance affects more than just you. And you have to be prepared to live a full life, even after the final whistle has sounded on your current endeavors.