Increasing Your Image and Performance Every Which Way

Fitness professionals and athletes have a knack for continually pushing the envelope when it comes to the quest for heightened performance. They tend to experiment with more of the latest training enhancers, equipment, supplements, gimmicks and fads than most of the public. When they're lucky, those methods improve their quality of life and boost performance confidence as well. But with all the pitches and hype out there, it helps to be ever vigilant of the stuff that just doesn't deliver what it promises.

One of the best ways for an athlete to gain an edge is to improve his or her vision. Laser eye surgery (or LASIK) has enhanced vision for millions of people and gives athletes the opportunity to optimize their performance without the annoyance of contacts or sweaty, slippery glasses. One athlete who has benefited from LASIK surgery is tennis professional Richard Krajicek, who says the technique allowed him to focus on preparing to return a serve at 120 mph.

The notion of 20/20 vision without glasses or contacts also appealed to PGA Tour Pro Tiger Woods, football player Troy Aikman, baseball pro Wade Boggs and Indy 500 race car driver Billy Roe. Correcting nearsightedness with state-of-the-art surgery which promises only 15 minutes of downtime suits most athletes' schedules. For others, however, it just means trading their distance glasses for reading glasses. I've decided to pass on it until they figure out that one little hitch.

According to Mark Speaker, M.D., Ph.D., a vision specialist in Manhattan, New York, fitness professionals should sort through the confusing claims about laser eye surgery before they decide to have the procedure. Complications can occur, and they should discuss such potential problems with their doctors beforehand.

A distinct quality of the fitness profession is the allure of making it to the big time, showing your talents on stage at the large conventions, teaching before a huge enthusiastic crowd of students who are busy scrambling down notes on your choreography or pearls of training wisdom. Whether your career objectives take you to this ultimate showcase or you're just happy teaching your loyal weekly class, you probably have realized you are in a business that is part image and part expertise, like it or not.

Little by little, instructors tend to polish their presentation skills over the years. That doesn't have to mean looking sexy, but it does imply that instructors do sharpen their image with more experience. Successful pros on the circuit are fun to look at, as well as follow along with. Of course, that's just a small part of their professional image, but it's as real as any other part.

I believe this essential quest to present an attractive, professional looking image to your students is what drives your curiosity about products and services pitched to you through the sports, fashion, beauty and nutrition industries. Just be careful about weighing the pros and cons for yourself. Determine if your best overall interests are served with the procedures or products, and know your clients really only judge you by two standards: the caring attitude you impart when teaching and your skills as an instructor. There's no better looking package than that.

Love,

Peg

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