Saturday, June 12, 2010

The World Cup Showcases Extraordinary Fitness

As an avid soccer fan, I love the World Cup. No other sporting event can compare to the passion, excitement, story lines, and FITNESS that surround the World Cup! Once every four years, the world nears a standstill as the world's most popular game is center stage. This also means that some of the world's best all around athletes are center stage as well. Unlike most sports, soccer games are 90 minutes of non-stop action. You don't have the opportunity to huddle up and call a play, converse in the dugout between innings, or call a seemingly endless number of timeouts as the end of the game approaches. In fact, you barely have time to catch your breath. Soccer is mentally and physically exhausting and it requires an extreme level of fitness. A level of fitness that, in my opinion, few athletes possess. I say this in an attempt to change the way you view the game of soccer. This is not a game of slow paced action and limited excitement. Rather, it is a game of delayed gratification, compelling match ups, and deliberate buildup. It is a game where individuals are forced to display "speed, strength, endurance, and agility." I encourage you to check out this link to a recent Men's Health article that elaborates on the individual abilities of "The Fittest Men of Earth." After reading this Men's Health article and watching several games during this World Cup, I think you will agree with me that soccer player's are a different breed of athletes and we should be looking to add many of their training techniques to our current workout routines in order to achieve a higher level of overall fitness. Enjoy the World Cup and good luck to the USA!!!


P.S. Please follow me on Twitter if you want to check out my latest World Cup commentary!!

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