“Build up your weaknesses until they become your strong points.” – Knute Rockne
Who does not have “football on the brain” these days? Between IU’s amazing and record-breaking season and the current playoffs and upcoming Super Bowl, most of us are “football focused.” And the quote above by the legendary Coach Rockne, while referencing football players’ challenges and attributes, could also speak to our own challenges and how we can interpret and meet those.
This column will focus on how our physical weaknesses, or what we consider them to be, challenge us and how we can turn those into strong points. Although I certainly do not have credentials which allow me to speak professionally on mental health issues, I believe it is true that those issues can be addressed by modalities which include professional counseling and possibly even medications. Please do not hesitate to reach out to licensed mental health care professionals if you are in need.
One of the analogies I use when explaining to my class members or a client about how we can visualize our fitness plan is that of the three-legged stool. As we know, a stool with one or two legs cannot stand. A stool with at least three legs and a seat (of course!) is stable.
One of the three legs is flexibility, the ability to bend, turn, reach, and stretch. A second leg is strength. As we age our muscles naturally begin to atrophy and they require resistance to sustain or build strength. Thirdly we need aerobic conditioning. Our lung capacity diminishes with age and adequate oxygen levels are critical for both our physical breathing and nourishment for our brain cells.1
Of course, any operational stool needs a seat! I like to think of the seat as an analogy for nutrition. Proper nutrition is the foundational seat for the three “legs” of the stool mentioned above – flexibility, strength, and aerobic conditioning – and which will allow the stool to be stable and durable as we strive for optimum health and fitness.
A key component of this healthy endeavor is knowing a baseline of your overall health. You can obtain this by a complete physical with your licensed physician and a report of your bloodwork which your physician will share with you and make recommendations. After this you will know more about any “weaknesses” or what I prefer to call “challenges.”
Dear readers, once those are addressed and you commit to a program following the three-legged stool analogy mentioned above, your perceived weaknesses can indeed become your strong points!
Need inspiration? Tune in to the opening ceremonies of the 2026 Winter Olympics on Feb. 6! Go USA!
Sharon McMahon, CNWC
The opinions expressed in this article are not intended to replace advice of your personal physician or licensed health professional. Please consult your physician for any issues you may have related to nutrition or fitness activity.