I grew up as a dancer – a contemporary dancer who did abstract, unconventional dance. I also was a very competitive rugby player and thus developed hand/eye coordination from a young age. As I develop as a coach and a professional triathlete, I am realizing that the skills of body awareness and coordination are critical to improving as an athlete. When you’re connected to your body on an emotional and physical level, you can improve far quicker. Triathlon is more than just moving forward in one plane of motion, it involves intricate movements of the smallest parts of your body.
As soon as you can visualize those parts moving and you can connect with them on a deeper level, you can make those minor adjustments to form and function and improve your efficiency. I see all the sports of triathlon like a dance – it has rhythm, a beat…when I’m going well it feels like every muscle moves seamlessly with a smooth suppleness, with an intuitive sense of creativity.
Check out the picture above of my sister who is a professional dancer – Jennifer Paterson.
