Some argue that physical strength is important for success in sports while others believe mental strength is more important. Both the strengths compliment each other in their own way. An athelete with either one of the strengths will not be able to keep up with the competition. This essay will discuss both perspectives before explaining why I support the latter.
Proponents argue that physical strength is crucial to attain speed, agility and stamina for an athlete, let it be a 200m race or javelin. For instance, a football players needs to dribble the ball and shoot it into the goal posts with great precision and accuracy which requires well-developed calves, abdominal muscles, glutes and hamstrings. A basketball player, likewise, needs to throw the ball into the hoop requiring impressive front delts, chest, biceps and triceps. In addition, injuries are a part of sport but if an athlete does not have the physical strength and agility to move fast, the chances of injuries increase dramatically. In light of all this, it is understandable why some people believe physical strength is more important.
Advocates of this view claim, mental connection and peace allows any person to take a decision wisely. In the book titled, “On War” by Carl Von Clausewitz, the author explains a war is won before it is started. It is the complex strategy with motivation, connection and psychology of a warrior before entering the battelfield. If an athlete lacks the confidence to defeat the opponent, there is no chance for them to win this game. Moreover, mental peace plays another major role. If an athlete loses focus during the game and takes it as mental pressure, it becomes quite hard to recover from such a feeling avd eventually, the athlete does not perform well.
There is so much competition in sports these days that an athlete without one of the two aforementioned strengths is not selected in the team. Watching sports on television, I have seen such athletes zone out of the game and their mates shouting “keep your head in the game” just explained how much pressure there is during a match, let it be crucial for the team or not. Let an athlete be in his prime, without confidence and concentration, an athlete cannot perform. Thus, in my opinion, mental strength plays a far more greater role for success in sports.
