Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Staying Hard Core

‘Hard-core’ is that term that outsiders call serious enthusiasts and hobbyists. When you spend lots of time on a pastime or pursuit, you are considered hardcore because what you do may be perceived as extreme, unusual or tough. Endurance athletes can be christened as hardcore because of the unusually long and demanding hours required for training. Add the three disciplines in triathlon, and hardcore takes on a multiplier effect: times three, yet not necessarily in equal amounts.

Instead of considering hardcore as extreme, indulgent and insane can it be seen positively? When somebody spends as inordinate amount of time at work, he/she is labeled a workaholic. When an artisan or artist spends hours developing their art and craft, they are pursuing excellence as a master. When amateur athletes do well at sports, they belong in the sphere of elite age-grouper.

When you strengthen your core muscles that is developing a hard core. Core muscles hold our posture together and they comprise more than the admirable ‘six-pack’ abdominals that A&F male models flaunt as part of their launch. It involves the lower-back, and internal girdle or corset that protects our abdomen and vital organs. It keeps our torso from collapsing as we complete a triathlon or marathon without leaning ungainly forward.

Hardcore need not be a derogatory term or debilitating condition. If professionals, occasionally, take a hardcore approach to their performance they may excel in their endeavours. You don’t often hear of hardcore parents, however you do hear of doting parents. Love knows no boundaries or labels. You can be hard outside, but still soft to your core.

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