Are you an athlete?

With the business name, The Pain Free Athlete I often have people commenting that they are not an athlete and therefore do not qualify to work with me. I respectfully disagree. 

The word athlete in our society often brings up images of muscle bound, ultra fit Olympians. I interpret the word athlete as having a much broader reach. The word sport too, often has a limited context. Collins English dictionary defines sport as "an individual or group activity pursued for exercise or pleasure." Given this definition nearly any form of movement could be considered a sport and therefore the participants, athletes.

Take this short quiz to determine if you are an athlete.

Do you enjoy participating in sports?
Yes : No

Do you like to challenge yourself physically, mentally and emotionally?
Yes : No

Do you want to stay active until you're 90?
Yes : No

If you answered Yes to all three questions you are an athlete!

The best definition of athlete I have found comes from dictionary.com:  "a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill." I further categorize people as athletes if they desire to be active in sports. It does not matter what your fitness level is or if you choose to compete or not; it is not even a concern if you are currently participating. Having the ambition to play sports makes you an athlete.

Embrace your athletic identity! Now that you know you're an athlete go with it and see what you can do. . .