- Hey Grokites.
In case you can't tell from the rings on my cheek,
(three loud stomping noises)
Today, we're gonna grok the Olympics.
And we're gonna grok an aspect of the Olympics
you may have never considered before.
The science behind the Olympics.
Sure, the Olympic games are chock full of jocks.
No offense Shaun White.
(chuckles)
But it's science that really runs the show.
Let's break down three crucial scientific factors
behind those amazing feats of strength and skill.
And find out about what really brings home the gold.
Number one.
Olympians are not normal.
Most people are in awe of Olympic athletes,
and there's a good reason for that.
Even the guy or gal who comes in last
at the Olympics
is still far better at any sport
than anyone you know.
Unless you know people who happen to be Olympians,
in which case,
Hey, big fan.
The anatomy and physiology of your average Olympic athlete
is not just amazing,
it's kinda other worldly.
David Epstein and his book,
The Sports Gene,
explains that Olympians have bodies and genetics
that are beyond exceptional.
And they fall way beyond the bell curve.
Seriously, they're not normal.
Michael Phelps, for example,
has like special hands and feet
that make him an exceptional swimmer.
And imagine if you were a runner
who had an extremely high tolerance
for oxygen deprivation.
So not to make you feel bad or anything,
but if you're anything close to normal,
you'll probably never be an Olympic athlete.
Unless you actually are one,
in which case,
hi again.
Number two.
Olympians are swole in all the right places.
I didn't know what that meant.
Until my producer Noee told me.
Swole.
There may actually be anatomical things about you
that can prevent you from achieving your Olympic dream.
I was a sprinter in track
when I was in middle school.
I also had the body of a 12 year old
until I was 16,
so I was exceptionally fast
and very svelte.
But even though I was an excellent sprinter,
I actually didn't have the endurance
to be a good long distance runner.
There are actually different types of muscle fibers
in your body
that will determine if you'll be
a good long distance runner
or someone whose more like Carl Lewis.
He was a sprinter.
And you guessed it,
your genetics determine what proportion
of your muscle fibers you have in your body.
For example,
fast twitch fibers are good for sprinting.
And slow twitch fibers are good for long distance running.
So depending on if you have a lot of
slow twitch or a lot of fast twitch fibers,
that's gonna determine
if you're a good sprinter or long distance runner.
And while there are exceptions,
training can only do so much
to change the distribution of fibers in your body.
So I guess the lesson is
bloom where you're planted.
If you wanna be a long distance runner,
but you're only good at sprinting
don't blame yourself.
Just blame your lack of slow twitch fibers.
(chuckles)
Old medical joke.
Number three.
It's all in your head.
Or, a lot of it is in your head.
When I look at the Olympics,
I feel proud of my country.
And excited for the thrill of competition.
Physical prowess and anatomy
are just two aspects of the science
that it takes to make an Olympic athlete.
The amount of mental strength and
psychological toughness that is required
to compete in any level of athletics
is exceptionally demanding.
But the kind of training that makes an Olympian
is literally all consuming.
We're talking about hours of every single day
of these athletes' lives
that are dedicated to training,
to repetition,
to intense concentration.
And pain and injury on top of all that.
In addition to working their bodies to the limit,
Olympians need to be prepared to fail.
To literally and figuratively fall down
over and over again
and get back up.
Olympians also have to deal with the unfairness
they may experience,
especially in subjectively judged competitions
of the Olympics,
such as gymnastics, diving, and figure skating.
So my Olympic beanie goes off
to not only the physical exceptionalness
of all the Olympic athletes,
but also to their emotional and psychological
strength as well.
They endure this pressure for their fulfillment,
but also so that we can watch them compete.
So that we can celebrate their wins
and feel the pain of their losses.
So as you can see,
the Olympics really are all about science.
Which still doesn't explain
why curling is a sport.
Love you curlers.
Thanks for watching.
Enjoy the Olympics,
and go USA.
I don't know.
For more coverage of the Olympics,
go over to groknation.com.
(light-hearted music)