ath·let·i·cism
noun
noun: athleticism
- the physical qualities that are characteristic of athletes, such as strength, fitness, and agility.” what he lacks in stature, he more than makes up for with speed and athleticism”
Athleticism
According to the Oxford Dictionary, athleticism appears to be a quality that can be measured in terms of physical prowess. In other words, if an individual can accomplish extraordinary physical feats, they are considered “athletic”. While this definition is not completely flawed, I believe that by employing a different perspective, we can establish a more comprehensive definition of athleticism.
Defining what athleticism means
Athleticism should essentially be the standard by which one evaluates an individual’s capacity to enhance coordination using visual, tactile, and auditory senses. In my view, this athleticism metric proves to be the most precise in assessing an individual’s capability to perform and acquire athletic skills overall. After all, isn’t that the essence of athleticism? Merely excelling in one area does not suffice to embody the full spectrum of attributes that define an athlete.
The majority of professional athletes engage in their respective sports due to their innate talent. This is simply the way it operates. However, there are individuals who possess the exceptional capability to imitate and replicate movements and feelings they witness, seamlessly incorporating them into their own actions. This remarkable skill, known as athleticism, is entirely rooted in coordination.
can you build coordination towards athleticism?
Yes, but not as you might expect. Certain individuals possess a natural talent for quickly acquiring coordination in terms of positioning or balance. Conversely, someone who is not particularly athletic may struggle to develop coordination for a specific movement or pattern, despite dedicated effort. For instance, even the least athletic person could master the technique of squatting after a decade of practice, achieving one of the best technical squats globally. However, this does not guarantee improvement in other athletic abilities.
Not everyone is an athlete, yet
Regrettably, developing the skill to coordinate yourself more efficiently has reached a standstill. Nevertheless, this setback should not discourage you from pursuing enjoyment or mastery in a sport that you love. It simply implies that it might require more time for you to grasp and implement the concepts of the sport, and things that come naturally to some may need to be explained to you.
The concept of athleticism will be widely disregarded as individuals tend to make broad comparisons such as “according to that reasoning, athlete A lacks athleticism because their only good at x” which is perfectly acceptable and I firmly support it. Allow me to emphasize this point: numerous professional athletes possess minimal athleticism but still excel at their sport through discipline, hard work, and a natural disposition to their sports-specific movement patterns (which isn’t athleticism).
Conceptualising Athleticism
If you are acquainted with the anime/manga Naruto, you will recognize the character Kakashi. For those who are not well-versed in this subject, Kakashi (known as the copy ninja) possesses the unique ability to replicate and imitate the techniques and moves of others solely by using his eyes. While it is true that you may have acquired coordination through diligent effort, there are individuals who possess innate athleticism and find it effortless to engage in any athletic activity. These individuals can effortlessly imitate and replicate movements with minimal difficulty. Undoubtedly, we all know someone who possesses such remarkable capabilities.