How’s Your
EMOTIONAL
Flexibility?
By Margie Warrell
Y
ou may spend a lot of time
on your physical flexibility, but
emotional flexibility is just as
crucial in order to live a healthy, wellrounded life. Margie Warrell explains.
When I went to the Australian Open this
year, I found it inspiring to see top seeded
players like Victoria Azaranka and Andy
Murray move about the court. Their strength,
their speed, their agility, their determination,
their sheer endurance… particularly in the
blazing heat that enveloped Melbourne
that week (over 43°C more than once!).
One thing that has always struck me about
the worlds best tennis players (and frankly,
all top athletes) is their masterful repertoire
of strokes and maneouvres. Not only do
they serve brilliantly, but they must also slice,
smash, lob and volley brilliantly. Sure, they
each still have their favourite shots, those
they can execute better than any other
player – Serena Williams’s power serve or
Roger Federer’s one-handed backhand,
for instance – but they know that a brilliant
backhand or killer serve isn’t enough. To be
competitive on centre court against their
top-ranked opponents, they have to be
strong across the board.
While most of us don’t aspire to being
professional tennis players (I decided after
last years open to take it off my list), the
same principle applies to winning in the
bigger game of life. The more options you
can draw from in how you respond to the
curve balls that come your way the better
outcomes you will ultimately create.
Indulge me for a moment if you will. Try
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WHAT’S NEW IN FITNESS - AUTUMN 2014