Sports Training Art Or Science?

Hi folks,

Cement carving, like the one guarding my house, by Andy Fleishman.

It is unusual for a scientist, as far as I know, to employ an artist to work directly in their research program, but that is what happened in my laboratory in the early 1980s. Andy Fleishman collaborated with us to produce models of the nose of the rat because of his eye for detail and accuracy. It worked out well for our research program, leading to software that would reduce the need for animal experimentation. Then my son, Duncan, who always had an eye for art and is also a great athlete (and my current running coach), started making designs for tee shirts, and now he is creating great signs for our local business, Johnny’s Gone Fishing. In fact, he is thinking about developing a sign-making enterprise, bringing art and business together, but what about art, science, and athletics. Is sports training more an art than a science? Before I go on, I would like to say that I consider the separation of Art and Science to be purely arbitrary, as great science is really an art, whilst great art is in part at least an intellectual and thus a scientific pursuit. Art is just another way to explore and attempt to understand the universe.

I cannot really speak for Art, but Science would do well to include guidance and insights from the arts when training it’s students. This used to be a key component of the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), if I remember correctly, but that has long since passed, more’s the pity.

Artistic signs created using stencil techniques by FitOldDog's son, Duncan.

ART as defined by WikiPedia: “is a term that describes a diverse range of human activities and the products of those activities, but is most often understood to refer to painting, film, photography, sculpture, and other visual media.”

SCIENCE as defined in WikiPedia: “is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe.”

The problem with the latter definition of science is that the universe refuses to be neatly packaged into nice little testable bits and pieces. Just take a look at Quantum Mechanics if you want to know how confusing the universe can continue to be after hundreds of years of highly successful science. The universe is more like a Will-o’-the-Wisp. Furthermore, all of the great scientists I have personally encountered, or read about, included Art in their lives, so who knows what role that played in the opening of their minds to meaningful questions (the key to effective science).

Simple artistic signs by FitOldDog's son, Duncan, are much more attractive than stick-on letters.

Whilst training, I spend a lot of time thinking about technique, in addition to studying my biomechanics with the assistance of Feldenkrais, Continuum, and Biochemistry. I suspect, however, that my performance is more under the influence of variables that are hard to test or subject to experimental research, such as my moods, hopes and fears, dreams, and those mysterious underlying motivations.

Successful athletes must effectively integrate these two aspects of their psyche to yield an optimal outcome, whether they do it consciously or otherwise. Several coaches, including my dance teacher, Rebecca, have said to me, “Kevin, you’re thinking too hard again. Just relax.” Easier said than done, but I bet that that is part of the art of being a great athlete. Learn the science and then forget about it to excel in the art of your sport by living entirely in the moment during it’s execution.

-k @FitOldDog

Today’s workouts:

Rest!!!