This week is arguably the largest single sporting event of the year. As I read a large number of pre-SuperBowl articles I found an article which talked about the large concerns for the large number of NFL linemen who were prone to a large number of significant health issues, like enlarged hearts and other cardiovascular diseases.
Imagine that! These large professional athletes, known for their elaborate physical conditioning and disciplined carnal workouts now facing heart disease. It just didn't make sense....until I read on.
Linemen, being the largest of the NFL crew, typically tip the scales between 300 - 350 pounds (that's minus their equipment). It is a position that encourages weight gains and girth. If NFL linemen were totally subject to the Body Mass Index (BMI) used by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, they would all be classified as obese. Thank goodness they don't abide by that index, but their risk factor for metabolic issues increases substantially because of their larger body size. These metabolic syndromes include such issues as an enlarged heart, sleep apnea, abdominal obesity, and high blood pressure.
To top it off, many of these athletes leave with chronic joint and bone injuries, because of the nature of the game, making any type of exercising after their retirement next to impossible. Fifty-five percent of NFL linemen have a metabolic condition compared to twenty-two percent of other retired professional athletes.
Man, are you sure you still want to be an NFL lineman? Of course you do, but it's important to be aware of the many issues and pitfalls that can sub come ALL professional athletes, especially once those glory days are gone.
Remember my credo..... 100% OF PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES ULTIMATELY EXPERIENCE JOB TERMINATION? Whether it be 15 years or 15 days, a professional athlete's career will eventually be over.
Going from an NFL linemen, larger than life, to simply large would be an adjustment for anyone. In addition to the potential physical ailments there is; bankruptcy and divorce, often a lack of purpose and depression, incomplete education and career planning, and the list can go on. Always keep in the back of your mind that being a professional athletes is only temporary. It will eventually end and it's important to have a PLAN or least an idea before it gets to that point. A PLAN that addresses the physical, emotional, and practical part of this transition.
And with increased health risks for NFL linemen, it appears that the larger the athlete the larger the need for a PLAN. A large paycheck simply isn't enough to address the larger issues that can occur.
My SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION PLAN FOR PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES addresses the emotional, financial, and physical issues that arise from a transition out of professional sports. The twenty featured former professional athletes found in my book, FROM GLORY DAYS, have once again found success by using traits that I now use in my PLAN.
Stay tuned for more discussion in future posts. In the meantime, visit our website to find out more about me and my book. www.fromglorydays.com
