Tension is rust

Relaxing your mind helps to relax your body. The opposite is also true: Relaxing your body helps to relax the mind. It’s a circle of relaxation. Where you start is up to you. Runners use every bit of energy available to them to propel themselves forward through the air and — they hope — to the podium. Then there are target shooters, whose outfits are a little less revealing (no need for aerodynamics). If you can watch them in high-definition, you should. They maintain such control over their muscles that they can remain perfectly still. Any movement of their body, even a slight sway or an adjustment from the wind, can ruin their shot. They’re trained to squeeze the trigger for maximum control rather than pull it with their arm. Both kinds of athletes are at the Both kinds of athletes are at the top of their game, and both can control the muscles they need to an almost superhuman degree. But although both are perfect for their particular sport, if these athletes switched sports, they couldn’t function in the same capacity. Then there’s a sport that combines both kinds of skills. The biathlon has you cross-country ski as hard as you can toward a target, then stop, release all your tension, and shoot. Biathletes have to slow down their heart rate and release muscle tension so it doesn’t affect their shot.