I want each one of our members to strive to be an “Everyday Athlete”. Let’s rewind back to a summer in your youth, a time when things came and went without much of a thought. Waking up in the morning and having a simple breakfast, watching some cartoons, or maybe reading a book. A summer full of gorgeous days and fun activities such as riding bikes, swimming in the local pool, a game of tag, or kicking around a ball. In the afternoon, a much-needed mid-day snack and a power nap to reboot before the next round of playful movement at some sort of practice.

How could you not want to go back to that?! In the background of all this fun and joy occurred something you may not have realized was happening. As you experienced new and challenging tasks, your brain began to form neural pathways to categorize them and dictate how much mechanical energy was needed to perform them. This is called Motor Learning, which involves a wide range of sensations, spanning from relatively low-level mechanisms like brushing your teeth, to making high-level cognitive decisions, like jumping out of the way of a speeding car.

Now, let’s bring it back to the present. It is unbelievably common to see individuals here in the gym, who after high school, give up on motor learning capabilities and fall into a sedentary lifestyle. The average lifespan of an American is 76 years old. If you stop moving at age 18, that’s 76% of your life that goes underutilized! You are never too old to acquire new skills. I challenge you all to this: Be an “Everyday Athlete”. Go for long walks and bike rides. Sprint a couple times a month. Lift heavy weights to build a strong skeleton and musculature physique. Tend to a garden or yard. Read a book. Build a structure. Keep your mechanical energy high and neural pathways sharp, and in turn regain your youthfulness.

Yours in health,

Nick and Tom