At the Core of the Olympics

  I am an old jock and so is my wife.  We always enjoy watching the olympics especially the summer olympics.   This year was extra special for me as both men’s and women’s triathlon races went down to the wire and were quite exciting.  I am happy to see the sport of triathlon gaining national exposure as it has become my favorite sport.  Triathlon tests every single aspect of an athlete’s physical and mental being.  

One thing I have found out over the past 6 summers of competing in triathlon is there is one set of muscles that are key to making all other muscles work effectively.  These are the “core” muscles.  These are primarily the abdominal muscles as well as the upper leg and buttock muscles.  Years ago I studied to become a personal trainer and throughout that process I learned that the greatest athletes had the greatest balance and balance was derived from having strong “core” muscles.  It was explained to me that in order for the upper body muscles to work in perfect unison with the lower body muscles the core muscles needed to be the strongest.  If you watched the olympics did you get a good look at Michael Phelp’s abs?  Or how about our female beach volleyball gold medal winners?  All of these athletes have extraordinarily strong core muscles.  Did any of you get to see the strength and conditioning excercises Dara Torres the 41 year old silver medalist swimmer went through in order to compete at the highest level at an age once thought of as old?  It was one of the most strenuous core workouts I’ve ever seen. 

Well believe it or not some of the greatest people I know are also well balanced with a very strong core.  Their core is strengthened by a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Just as the great athlete’s core muscles help the upper body muscles work in perfect harmony with the lower body muscles, the Holy Spirit serves the same purpose for us and allows us to have everything we do work in unison with God’s will.  Just like an olympic athlete the “core” of a Christian gets strengthened by working it on a daily basis.  Every morning I do my “core” spiritual exercises of prayer, devotion, meditation and reading and then my “core” physical exercises of various abdominal and upper leg exercises.  Becoming alive with the Holy Spirit only requires one step…accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour.  Becoming strengthened, empowered and ultimately balanced by the Holy Spirit is a daily walk.

How is your core?

P.E.A.C.E