Out Train Your DNA

Its the classic battle of nature vs nurture. Where Nature always wins???

Take Usain Bolt. The guy is genetically built differently to most sprinters. He’s tall, lean and has long, gangly legs. Where his competitors tend to be shorter and stockier, as this is the ‘ideal’. Your genes will control these elements such as height, weight and length of the femur in comparison to your tibia and fibula. Now this is down to good old fashioned luck. You inherit some genes from your mother, and some from your father. But you can out train these genes, as Bolt has proven time and time again. With his body type hes not considered an ‘ideal’ shape for a sprinter, but became the greatest sprinter of all time. How? He trained HARD!!!

Basketball is another sport where there is an ‘ideal’. However, players shorter than the ‘norm’ continually make the grade by focusing on the skill aspect, rather that focusing on what physical attributes they don’t have.

We all have athletic potential in our DNA. It’s just being able to unlock that potential that is difficult.

Bolt is a special example, as most of us are middle of the road with our genetic make up, destined to neither excel or fail. BUT this can be altered, with hard work, determination, and working relentlessly on our weaknesses. Knowing the weaknesses we possess is a difficult skill, but once discovered, we can start to improve, adapt, and beat our genetic make up.

By working on our weaknesses (and that means swallowing our pride sometimes), we will be able to do something about them, and not let those slight weaknesses become glaring ones.

Now, most people don’t want to become the next Usain Bolt or Mo Farrar. Most people just want to get into better shape and feel fitter and healthier. Whatever your genetic make up, this is 100% achievable. No matter your body type, by working out hard, eating well, and believing in yourself, you can out train the family genetics to become the fittest and best version of yourself you ever thought possible.

And all it takes are slight tweaks. Maybe ditch the bowl of co-co pops in the morning for yoghurt and fresh fruit. Maybe increase the intensity of your workout slightly. Maybe include more water into your daily routine. Whatever the tweak may be, it will definitely help you on the path to glory.

So, no matter what your family history. No matter how many weaknesses you feel you may have (I bet you its way less than you think), you CAN and Will be able to overcome them with a bit of grit and good old fashioned determination.

You just need to get started!!!