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>>Self Exploration Part 1
Understanding
Your
Body
F(H) | FUNCTIONHUMAN
A system of pure growth designed with you for you.
You will never be able to create proper goals without first understanding how your body works. Remember: you're a part of the most complex species on the planet. You're also a one-of-a-kind...and you're an athlete.
Think
of
your
body
like
a
car
Why a car? No matter the age, nearly every human being can see a car and understand that there are design features that tie to quality and performance.
Your heart, arteries, capillaries, and veins and the blood flowing through. Your blood-responsible for sending oxygen and nutrients to cells, removing waste, regulating body temperature, and carrying hormones (the primary driver of muscle growth). This is like the engine of a car. If the car is pushed too hard or neglected for too long, the engine breaks down.
Simplified, from your nose and mouth through your throat and into your lungs. If there's any blockage (i.e. infection in the form of phlegm from illness), there's a signification disruption in the body systems. This is like the filters of an engine. Air needs to be brought to power the pistons. If air can't get in, the engine can overheat and shut down.
Your network of glands and organs tied to hormone production. Hormones are not just about reproduction. How's your mood been lately? Yep, could be related to your hormones. Your metabolism, growth, feelings of hunger, sleep cycles-all hormones. This is what makes us human. A car can't organically adapt, express feelings, or grow naturally on it's own.
Your lymphatic system is part of your immune system. Think of it as your body's network of vessels and nodes focused on draining fluid from tissues and distributing white blood cells necessary for fighting illness. This is like the mechanic changing the oil of a car.
Simply, a system of organs (like kidneys, ureters, etc.) with the responsibility of filtering the urine that derives from specific organs and releasing it from the body.
This system is responsible for breaking down everything you eat and drink into the specific nutrients that your body needs/can use. Technically speaking, this series of tubes and organs that starts at the mouth and finishes at the anus (your butt). Feeling bloated before or during practice/game and it's impacting your performance? What, when, and how much you eat is crucial.
The female and male systems are very different. For example, there has been significant research on the female athlete triad; a connection between menstrual dysfunction, low energy (no matter of state of eating, i.e. proper nutrition or eating disorder), and reduced bone mineral density. Another example of what makes us human.
You have approximately 206 bones in your body. This system primarily includes your bones, joints, ligaments, and cartilage. What you eat, how you exercise, exposure to the outdoors, etc. all impact the strength of your bones and their ability to endure the effects of 1) gravity and 2) duress from performance. This is like the frame of a car. If the car is pushed too hard or neglected for too long, the engine breaks down.
Your brain, spinal cord, and system of nerves branching out to the rest of the body. This system isn't just about the basics of thinking, seeing, breathing, etc. As an athlete, it's about learning movements related to training and your sport like reaction time or reflexes. This is like the computer system in a car.
You have over 600 muscles divided into three categories: skeletal, smooth, and cardiac. These muscles keep you upright (posture), fighting gravity while also generating heat for your body. As an athlete, the more efficient your muscles are for your sport (the optimal relationship of size, strength, elasticity, etc.) the better you'll be. This could be looked at as a car's horsepower. If a car isn't maintained well, the initial horsepower will decrease. If modifications are made to the engine, the initial horsepower can increase.
Think sweating, regulating body temperature, protecting from bacteria, sensory input, and the production of Vitamin D, which is vital for your body to synthesize any calcium from food. (Calcium is kind of a big deal; the foundation of your bones; a catalyst for muscle contraction, blood clotting, releasing neurotransmitters, etc.) This is like engine coolant and oil. If the car is pushed too hard or neglected for too long, the engine breaks down.
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Which
car
do
you
think
is
better?
Doesn't it depend on the goal? Both cars are designed for very different reasons, right?
The biggest issues with pre-college athletes as they relate to the body are:
