Home » Home » Ryan Joiner » Why Do You Need to Be Strong(er)?
Ryan Joiner

Why Do You Need to Be Strong(er)?

Athlon Elite Fitness & Performance Update

Strength is one of the most fundamental survival skills we possess. But what does it mean to be strong? And exactly why is it important for you to be stronger than you currently are? (Hint: it’s NOT so you can look pretty like the unemployed nut-jobs strutting down the Venice Beach boardwalk…)

There is quite an EXTENSIVE list of definitions for the word “strong”—27 to be exact. And on top of that, there are 11 different facets or “types” of strength, e.g., Absolute Strength, Maximal Strength, Limit Strength, etc.…

So, this discussion could get detailed. But the heart of the issue is a rather simple one and is very eloquently stated in the quote below:

“It is the nature, and the advantage, of strong people that they can bring out the crucial questions and form a clear opinion about them. The weak always have to decide between alternatives that are not their own.”

– Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I love that quote! Even though Bonhoeffer, an early 20th century Protestant Theologian, wasn’t talking about “athletic strength,” what he said resonates loudly in that context.

Weak people have fewer options—in life and in sport.

Nowhere is this principle more obvious than in sports. The stronger athlete usually prevails, even when things are stacked against him or her, e.g., a defender bearing down, while playing on poor field conditions, and in front of an unruly crowd. Many things can go wrong in that situation, but with superior strength, an athlete has many more options to move and overcome adversity.

Conversely, when someone is weak, they’re often stuck following the current path of motion, even when that’s leading towards failure, or worse, injury. This is because they lack the resources (strength) to overcome the forces acting in that moment and alter their path—think of stepping off a curb as a gust of wind pushes you in the same direction as the bump from your overly excited Labrador Retriever trying to get to the wonderful odor coming from the bush on your left… If you were strong, you’d make an adjustment and keep going. But lacking strength, you accelerate toward the impending doom of the hard sidewalk.

We are all subject to gravity. It is our worst enemy. And unlike many other adversaries, it NEVER has a bad day… It begins beating on you every morning when you rise, and doesn’t quit until you fall back into bed that night.

Your best skill for dealing with this challenging foe is muscular strength.

When we build an exercise program at Athlon we try to make sure it is designed to improve all 10 human movement skills (that are necessary for athleticism):

  • Strength,
  • Cardiovascular endurance,
  • Power,
  • Speed,
  • Accuracy,
  • Balance,
  • Coordination,
  • Agility,
  • Stamina, and
  • Flexibility

Whether you’re 10 years old, 40, or 90, these are the skills that can make you move and feel better.

Notice at the front of that list is: STRENGTH. It’s the foundation of all other physical skills. You cannot have speed or power without first using strength to initiate the movement. You cannot be agile, coordinated, or balanced without muscles first exerting force against something. And you can’t be flexible without being strong. (Often the reason someone is not flexible, or cannot move into a particular range of motion is not because the muscles aren’t long enough, it’s because the brain doesn’t trust the muscles to be strong enough to be safe in that lengthened position.) With more strength comes better flexibility.

The fact is, more strength gives you more options, in everything you do. If you want to feel better, move better, look better, have fewer injuries, and be more productive in everything you do, get stronger. Or you may just find yourself running out of options.

Stay tuned for a future blog post on some of the best methods for building better strength.

Until next time,

Ryan

Facebook Comments

About the author

Justin Stoner

Justin is a journalist of more than 20 years. He specializes in digital technology and social media strategy. He enjoys using photography and video production as storytelling tools.