There is a delicate balance at the 2010 Olympic Games, and I don’t mean trying to stay standing on all that ice and snow. There is a balance between athleticism and grace, or better yet, strength and flexibility. You cannot have strength without flexibility and you can’t have flexibility without strength. The two go hand in hand and nowhere is that more apparent then with the athletes we get to watch for the next two weeks.

The figure skaters are the perfect example with their ability to jump and land on a thin blade one minute and grab their foot behind their head the next. But maybe a little less obvious example of strength with flexibility is with the downhill mogul skiers. Their ability to bounce their knees side to side, the range of movement at their hips and the quickness in their reflexes combined with amazing acrobatic feats makes them the perfect combination of strength and flexibility.

And don’t forget those luge participants. Talk about core strength and coordination. These athletes have come a long way since their childhood days of sledding down a snow filled hill in their backyards. So why not take a page from these Olympic athletes and start making yourself more physically active. No I don’t mean to don a hi-tech sports suit and find an icy slope. Make time for yourself to train your body while these athletes inspire you. Find a Pilates studio and work on core strength and flexibility. It’s a start worth taking.