A feeble body weakens the mind.

A feeble body weakens the mind. – Jean-Jacques Rousseau

The student-athlete has the best of both worlds.

What does that mean?
While having a robust body doesn’t guarantee your mind will be equally robust, there are few who have maintained a strong mind while allowing their body to become feeble. Note that I discount from this saying those who suffered accidents or other life-altering events. To me, this quote is about those who don’t take care of their body.

The quote, in the context of France near the end of the Monarchy, this was more about keeping an active body and an active mind. The basic concept is that someone who would let their body go to crap, they probably aren’t doing all that much to keep their mind sharp either.

While today’s comfort society puts King Louis (and court) to shame, there are whole new classes of workers for whom their livelihood is derived from their mind, and often at the expense of their body. There is a reason the stereotypical computer geek is skinny and weak.

Why is being at least a little bit fit important?  
To me, the body and the mind are part of the system that is each of us. Yes, you can have a great mind and a feeble body (computer geek as an example), just as you can have a great body and a feeble mind (blond bombshell as an example).

While some people don’t make their fitness a priority, there are a large (and getting larger all the time) segment of the population that is really out of shape and getting worse. Take a moment and consider what you would have to think about yourself to allow that to happen.

What might start out as a dislike of jogging, moving small bits of iron in repetitive patterns, or an allergy to sweat can end up being a very poor self image when it comes to fitness. While it’s possible to maintain a clear mind, I have to wonder what is going on in someone’s head when they go beyond a certain point (either fat, skinny, weak, stiff, or whatever their dysfunction is).

Where can I apply this in my life?
In Europe, under the Feudal system, most jobs were physical in nature, and only the very wealthy could afford to not have a minimum of physical fitness. They had people to run to get food, they have people to fetch or deliver things. They had people to do everything they didn’t want to do themselves.

But those who went completely for sloth, and an absolute minimum of physical activity, often went soft in the head as well. These, I believe, are the people the quote is addressing. Those who just don’t care about their physical or mental fitness, often because they were focused only on pleasure.

This isn’t a post about doing 100 push-ups. I tried and couldn’t get past 40 on any regular basis (my high was 64). But I’m old and a little pudgy, so I’m not trying to get to a Muscle Beach level of fitness. I’m just trying to keep in good enough shape to keep up with my kids.

For me, the idea was to figure out what was the right level of exercise, and by extension, physical fitness. I would think that most of us should be able to at least walk around the block a time or two in nice weather. Perhaps even jog that far without passing out or getting painfully out of breath.

But there is more to fitness than just endurance. Are you flexible enough to get back up if you fall down? There is a whole industry that centers around people who have fallen and cannot get back up. Also are you strong enough to do one push-up and get your knees under you so you can try to stand up?

If you are reading this, regardless of your physical condition, you have at least an average mind (perhaps even better than that, if I may be so vain). So the question I would ask of you is why are you in the shape you are in? Although I suppose the first question should be what shape *are* you in?

I’m sure there are some readers who are able to run a marathon, but I would imagine most are not. We have all made decisions as to what we are going to do about ourselves, what level of exercise and physical fitness we feel is appropriate. But have you thought about it lately?

My wakeup call was when I couldn’t keep up with my son when he was young. Now he’s in High School and on the track team, and I’m going to quit the competition. I’m in good shape for my age, and while there is always room for improvement, the question is how much do I want to improve and why.

Until you can find an answer to the question “Why?” that is big enough, your mind won’t be able to help you build your body. Similarly, when your body isn’t feeling well, how does well does your mind work? Conversely, have you ever noticed how clearly you think after a little bit of exertion?

The body and the mind is a partnership that, together, makes each of us who we are. Neglecting one will have, eventually, an impact on the other. I would urge you to take heed of today’s quote and work on both.

From: Twitter, @blackposimage
confirmed at : http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jeanjacqu141396.html
Photo by gilmorec

Happy Birthday to Jean-Jacques Rousseau, born 28 June, 1712.