Here at Elite Sports Clubs, we’re excited that May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month! Paired with spring finally arriving, it’s a great reason to get your exercise routine into high gear, and to feel superhuman. But aside from a quest for an increase in strength and speed, what can we do realistically, to go above and beyond? What does it mean to be superhuman?
Defining Being Superhuman
Being superhuman can get easily confused with being a superhero. When we hear the word superhuman, we may think of Superman, the Incredible Hulk, or Wonder Woman lifting up cars or jumping from building to building. While comic book and movie characters can be inspirational, their backstories often include two key factors that make it impossible for even the most super of humans to compete with them: (1) Their superpowers are usually achieved accidentally, like through a radioactive spider bite or a laboratory experiment gone wrong, and not through rigorous exercise or a healthy lifestyle and (2) They also have some sort of known weakness that is exploited by their enemies, like kryptonite.
Being superhuman doesn’t necessarily mean being exactly twice as strong as a normal person, or as fast as a superhero. Being superhuman is really about improving yourself in some capacity, and hopefully improving those around you in conjunction. When inspiring people inspire others, a chain reaction happens with limitless potential!
Feeling superhuman also doesn’t mean taking on extra weight or being under more pressure. In fact, don’t you feel superhuman when something is easier than it should be? Becoming superhuman is about giving 110% and pushing yourself even further in all aspects of life. Here are some small steps you can take to start feeling superhuman:
Multitasking
It can be hard to balance obligations and exercise. There often doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to accomplish all that we need to. So when possible, try to plan ahead and include physical activity while taking care of your to-do list!
Have you been meaning to catch up with a friend for coffee? Maybe take that cup of joe to go, and take a walk with them around a nearby lake. Got tickets for a Milwaukee Brewers game? Depending on proximity, you can easily bike there using the Hank Aaron State Trail, which connects the stadium to Milwaukee’s lakefront. Lock it up at a provided bike rack and play ball! Taking a little time to plan your route and your routine will benefit you by potentially addressing multiple tasks at once.
Rest
OK, so maybe most people wouldn’t associate feeling superhuman with catching some z’s. However, it can’t be overstated that proper sleep is not just crucial, but necessary to function at your top level.
More important than any supplement, sleep is when the majority of healing, reconstruction and rejuvenation within your body occurs. You can’t keep moving without hitting the “restart” button, so to speak, so when you push yourself physically but don’t get enough shuteye, you’ll feel it.
From a dietary standpoint, lack of sleep also effects your appetite. Stimulated by specific hormones, your appetite suffers if those hormones are out of balance, due to lack of sufficient sleep. If pushed into hyperdrive, this can lead to over-eating, cravings for carbs or sugars, or even false hunger cues. Getting in a rhythm of sleeping at least 7-8 hours per evening can combat these issues.
Assisting Others
Using your strengths for a worthy cause or devoting your time for the betterment of someone else are goals that a lot of us may say we’d like to accomplish, but our busy lives or other commitments can get in the way. Being superhuman means putting others (sometimes many others at once) before ourselves, and almost as importantly, prioritizing your schedule in order to do so.
Volunteerism gives you many ways to stay active while contributing to your community. Some options include building houses for Habitat For Humanity or lifting and shelving food at a local food bank.
Plus, there are always plenty of local races, 5K’s, charity walks and more that benefit organizations doing hard work to raise funds or awareness.
More Ideas
Do you have other ways that one can become superhuman? We’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments!