Andy Murray....timely warning to the dance world too perhaps?

[Peanut68]

Am sure many of us saw the stark physical agony & mental anguish on our homegrown Tennis Champion’s face & heard his heartfelt words of disappointment & worry for the future. 

Training in many Sports, including tennis, to compete at an elite level is not dissimilar in many ways to training in ballet/dance. At just 31 he is looking at retiring from a job he clearly loves as in debilitating pain. He is looking at further operations to purely ease pain for day to day living. A salutary lesson for us all when looking at how far/how long young bodies are pushed to ‘be the best’. 

He is a young man with a young family. Yes, he has achieved international fame & fortune & a place in the history books. But I too saw just a man who wants to enjoy kicking a ball about with his kids without pain being the overriding personal legacy. 

I truly believe the emphasis on extreme flexibility & performing ‘tricks’ is a worrying trend that may well store up these sort of physical & associated mental problems for our young dancers as they get older. Much more personal risk assessment & acceptance of need to seek help for injury & allow time for rehabilitation is IMHO needed.

Yes, reward & recognition takes hard work & tears in many fields...but please don’t let’s continually push the boundaries of physical movement (& dare I controversially say taste too?) in seeking to provide audiences with new thrills. Our dear Mr Murray so clearly demonstrates that there is more to life....

Edited January 11, 2019 by Peanut68
Typo

[Picturesinthefirelight]

I could not agree with you more.

 

 

[alison]

There are those tennis followers who are convinced that what really was at the root of the problem was his decision to go for broke and claim the year-end no. 1 position, when he would have made it to no. 1 early in the next year regardless.  Nothing is worth that sort of sacrifice.  It's a horrible end to such a great career  

[Fonty]

Alison, I think part of Andy's problem was that, because of his style of play, not to mention his temperament,  he always went for broke. 

 

Edited to add that I am using the past tense with great sorrow.  I do so hope he can achieve something this year, but if he retires tomorrow, he can hold his head up high, and say, "I gave it my all."

Edited January 11, 2019 by Fonty

[Dance*is*life]

When I got married I turned to teaching.  I always said that when I gave up dancing I would become a teacher, but in the end I have carried on dancing all my life, without, I am grateful to be able to say, any major problems.  I often think the fact that I only had a short performing career, but kept up taking classes, put less strain on my body.  I often read about dancers almost crippled from overuse of their joints- it's very sad. With all the modern methodology getting purportedly better results, I still feel that our old fashioned training was somehow gentler on the body.

[penelopesimpson]

So, so sad for poor Andy.  He has had to fight so hard for his success and clearly he loves the sport.  I am sure he has the maturity to diversify in the future and become just as well thought of for his mentoring.  He has been a worthy champion in the Steve Redgrave mold.  I salute you and wish you and your family joy and much future happiness.

[Dance*is*life]

I wanted to add to my post above and for some reason can't edit it. My response was to what Peanut said that training in sports is similar to professional training and a career in dance.  The demands on our bodies are sometimes just too great.  Gymnasts sadly pay an even higher price in damage to their bodies.  I suppose that's the price of excellence.  I know someone who was actually crippled from being a super efficient stenographer.   It is very sad when it happens to someone like Andy Murray who achieved so much and has given so much to his chosen sport.   He is still young and hopefully he will eventually find another outlet for his talents - perhaps in coaching - teaching is very rewarding.

[alison]

What I found so heartbreaking is that he says he still can't put on his socks and shoes without pain.  Playing tennis is one thing, but when it starts affecting your day-to-day existence off the court as well ...

[Vonrothbart]

One thing for sure he won't have any money problems, like maybe some of our family member dancers, if they had to retire prematurely or not. I know he'll be a bit sad for a while but it will soon wear off when he checks his account with 77m in it. I'm from a rugby family, (Pros) where to say your body is on the line is an understatement, and when I look back I couldn't pull my socks on a Monday after a match when I was fit. I respect him for what he does for some charities, as he does raise a lot of money for very good causes.

[Anna C]

To say his sadness will wear off when he checks his bank account seems rather harsh to me and I think misses the point.   

 

Andy Murray has thrown himself into sport since early childhood and for someone as driven as he is, I very much doubt that money is the motive behind his fighting spirit.  When people are driven to compete or create, it’s hardly ever money that drives them and gets them out of bed in the morning.  It’s perfectionism and a need to win, to dance, to race, whatever.  When your body lets you down and you can no longer dance, train, play tennis, whatever you have been working towards for years, it is devastating.  

 

My own daughter had to change path from an almost lifelong dream of becoming a dancer; she overcame a very bad injury at full time training, took her A Levels and then found out from her Consultants that her body will never manage more than one or two classes a week.  She’s now at a top university (the importance of a Plan B, folks!!) and all being well, will hopefully one day end up earning far more than she would have done as a dancer.  Do you think that made her any less heartbroken about ballet? Not in the least.  

 

Andy Murray should have had another 3, 4, even 5 years left at the top.  He may well have won  Wimbledon again and competed in the 2020 Olympics.  His body has let him down and stopped him in his tracks.  Yes, it’s nice to have money in the bank as security but that’s not why he competes and it won’t make a jot of difference to how devastated he is.   Only time and support from his family will help with that. 

[LinMM]

Totally agree Anna C 

When any activity which you are passionate about

is such an essential part of your identity it does leave you bereft if suddenly taken away.....sometimes more gradually but sometimes quite suddenly Eg: an accident. It's devastating. 

Look at Michael Schumacher.... he had millions... but am pretty sure would have given most of it away to be back to full health again. 

Most such people would generally give most of their money to be able to get their "life" back.

Im sure when Andy does stop the money he has will nevertheless be useful for sure though. 

Edited January 12, 2019 by LinMM

[alison]

4 hours ago, Vonrothbart said:

I know he'll be a bit sad for a while but it will soon wear off when he checks his account with 77m in it.

 

Soon wear off, will it???!!!  You make it sound like a hangover, to be cured by a simple dose of the hair of the dog.  The man is clearly devastated at being unable to play the sport he loves so much to any sort of real level, and I suspect he'd give most of that money to be able to carry on doing it for another few years.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

My husband became ill last year and for a while it looked like he may never work again. His area is music and although he is back at work he has to live with a chronic condition. 

 

He has has insurance and we have no mortgage so he could have easily given up work. But The devastation when you think the art to which you have dedicated your life to cannot be under estimated. 

[tabitha]

The other difficult thing to come to terms with is having all that money and still not being able to ‘fix’ the problem. Sometimes there are things that even money can’t buy. 

From my own experience, it was always the next treatment or another worldwide eminent consultant who might be able to help, even travelling to America where they have some groundbreaking medical treatments. 

It all cost thousands and subconsciously I thought if only I paid more money and found the ‘right’ consultant or treatment, then there had to be a solution!

Sadly we are still coming to terms with the fact that there are some structural body issues which cause physical problems in elite training that just can’t be overcome with medical science. Dreams shattered before they’ve truly begun when it’s not within your control, leaves an enduring sadness that nothing else quite ever makes up for! 

[Vonrothbart]

Comparing Michael Schumacher to Andy Murray is ridiculous, and yes I agree it is rather sad for him right now, but as Nadal said, " Today him, tomorrow one of us" that's life. and shrugged his shoulders. Some would argue, he has let his body down by pushing it when he should have rested, that's the chance a lot of us take to get as high as we can. We then shouldn't belly ache about being unlucky with injuries etc. (not saying he has) 

[Anna C]

4 minutes ago, Vonrothbart said:

Comparing Michael Schumacher to Andy Murray is ridiculous, and yes I agree it is rather sad for him right now, but as Nadal said, " Today him, tomorrow one of us" that's life. and shrugged his shoulders. Some would argue, he has let his body down by pushing it when he should have rested, that's the chance a lot of us take to get as high as we can. We then shouldn't belly ache about being unlucky with injuries etc. (not saying he has) 

 

Blimey. 😳 

[Picturesinthefirelight]

That lack  of empathy is astounding. 

[Vonrothbart]

Life's very tough at times for us all, now if it was someone who couldn't feed their children through losing their profession, I would be the first to say how sorry I am. I've discussed this over lunch, and after a few minutes there were twenty something people involved, and not one disagreed with me. (even the waiters)😁That's my last on it, though. and we're all entitled to our opinions.

[Anna C]

20 minutes ago, Vonrothbart said:

Life's very tough at times for us all, now if it was someone who couldn't feed their children through losing their profession, I would be the first to say how sorry I am. I've discussed this over lunch, and after a few minutes there were twenty something people involved, and not one disagreed with me. (even the waiters)😁That's my last on it, though. and we're all entitled to our opinions.

 

I’m glad you’re satisfied that lots of people agree with you; that’s very important to some people.  Doesn’t mean you’re right of course  but as you say, we’re all entitled to our opinions.

 

Personally I think if we were all capable of empathy the world would be a better place.  When my daughter had to change career path and give up her dream I’m glad nobody took your attitude in her presence.   

 

 

[bangorballetboy]

56 minutes ago, Vonrothbart said:

Life's very tough at times for us all, now if it was someone who couldn't feed their children through losing their profession, I would be the first to say how sorry I am. I've discussed this over lunch, and after a few minutes there were twenty something people involved, and not one disagreed with me. (even the waiters)😁That's my last on it, though. and we're all entitled to our opinions.

 

Must have been a fun lunch.

[capybara]

6 hours ago, Vonrothbart said:

 but as Nadal said, " Today him, tomorrow one of us" that's life. and shrugged his shoulders. 

  

Nadal showing his true colours !    I noted that the more sympathetic, carefully worded, statement came from Nadal's Academy rather than from him.

 

 

[Vonrothbart]

1 hour ago, Anna C said:

 

I’m glad you’re satisfied that lots of people agree with you; that’s very important to some people.  Doesn’t mean you’re right of course  but as you say, we’re all entitled to our opinions.

 

Personally I think if we were all capable of empathy the world would be a better place.  When my daughter had to change career path and give up her dream I’m glad nobody took your attitude in her presence.   

 

 

🤙

 

2 minutes ago, capybara said:

  

Nadal showing his true colours !    I noted that the more sympathetic, carefully worded, statement came from Nadal's Academy rather than from him.

 

No, he actually said it.

33 minutes ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

Must have been a fun lunch.

It certainly was BB, as always.

 

[LinMM]

Perhaps comparing Schumacher to Andy Murray's situation wasn't the best of comparisons!

However just trying to say how any top sports person (or dancer) because they rely so much on the physical body for their work and raison d'être could have a sudden accident and their career could be over sometimes when it has only just got going and how devastating this must be especially when still so comparatively young. 

Of course we know that careers of this sort have a comparatively short life but if you were expecting say as an example to be able to dance till at least 30 and instead you have to stop at 22 because of an injury or accident that is very dispiriting. 

 

 

 

 

[Vonrothbart]

I totally agree with you LinMM.

[LinMM]

I'm sure you didn't mean to come across as harsh as you did Vonrothbart.....things in print can look much worse than when you are actually in conversation with someone.....to me Nadals comment seemed harsh anyway! 

I know Andy Murray has had a lot of success already so has already massive achievements to his name ....but he probably thought he had another eight to ten years.....though of course nothing can be guaranteed in any Sport or Dance career.

It was agonising though to see Andy Murray in that state in the tv interview.

 

To be honest nothing in Life can be guaranteed ....people lose their jobs suddenly in all walks of Life ...or lose loved ones suddenly especially hard if their own children and so on. 

So perhaps it's as well to look out for each other when these devastating things happen to those we know and those we don't. 

 

 

 

 

[Vonrothbart]

You read me like a book LinMM, I'll put my hand up and say I was a little harsh. (just a little though.😉I think most of us have sad stories to tell, eg my son had to retire well before his prime, that almost certainly cost him plenty of international caps. We're all made different both in body and mind, and I was brought up to not worry about something that you can't do anything about.