| Wilma Rudolph:From Polio to Gold Medalist-- | | | | our bodies as a foundationfor further growth. In |
| ROME, Italy: On September 7, 1960, Wilma | | | | Wilma Rudolph's case, developing herphysical |
| Rudolph made | | | | capabilities probably saved her life. |
| Olympic history by becoming the first woman, not | | | | These levels of energy represent the layers of |
| to mentionthe first African-American woman, to | | | | our |
| win three gold medals. | | | | "intelligences," or the Essential IQs. |
| Her accomplishments in track and field-taking first | | | | According to Howard Gardner, the Harvard |
| placeinboth the 100-meter and 200-meter dash | | | | Psychologist, inhis book Frames of Mind: The |
| and in the 4x100relay-opened the door for | | | | Theory of Multiple |
| women and girls in previously all-male track and | | | | Intelligences, humans do not have just mental |
| field events. Graceful, fast and slender,the Italian | | | | intelligence-the ability for thinking and learning-but |
| press called her La Gazzella-the gazelle. | | | | emotional,physical and spiritual intelligences. |
| "Gazelle" would not have been young Wilma's | | | | We have the potential for being fit, for seeing |
| nickname,however. Born in segregated Clarksville, | | | | ourselvesthrough others' eyes, for the journey |
| Tennessee, on June | | | | toward contentment andenlightenment. I add |
| 23, 1940, the twentieth of twenty-two children, | | | | moral intelligence to Gardner's list:a level of |
| she weighedjust four-and-a-half pounds. Her | | | | intelligence that enables not only to |
| parents were hardworkingbut quite poor. | | | | understandanother's pain but the desire for |
| Wilma's mother nursed her sickly child through the | | | | justice, too. |
| measles,chicken pox, double pneumonia and | | | | I call these our Five Vital IQs: Physical, Emotional, |
| scarlet fever. When | | | | Mental, Moral, and Spiritual Intelligences. |
| Wilma's left foot and leg drew up and turned in, | | | | Wilma Rudolph, like so many of our Olympic and |
| thediagnosis of polio seemed final. Doctors gave | | | | professionalathletes, was a Physical IQ genius. |
| the littlegirl no hope of ever walking without | | | | Physical Intelligencesrests on six qualities. The |
| braces or crutches, ifat all. | | | | foundation is Sense and Center. |
| But her mother didn't accept the doctors' opinions. | | | | On this foundation are four pillars: Strength, |
| Twice a week for two years she drove Wilma | | | | Flexibility, |
| the fifty milesto Nashville for treatment at | | | | Grace and Bearing. |
| Meharry Hospital, part of Fisk | | | | Sensation is the language of the body; a language |
| University, a black college. | | | | many ofus have ignored for most of our lives. To |
| The doctors showed Mrs. Rudolph how to | | | | feel thesensations of our bodies is to actually |
| exercise Wilma'smuscles, and she in turn taught | | | | experienceourselves; raw, life coursing through us, |
| the therapies to Wilma'sbrothers and sisters. | | | | present in ourmost immediate sense. |
| Every day Wilma got those exercises,done with | | | | Centering is a key element of all the martial arts, |
| love and the conviction that she would be | | | | from |
| healthyand whole. | | | | Aikido, Tai Chi, to Tae Kwan Do. This simple, yet |
| By age eight Wilma was not only walkingwithout | | | | profound,practice asks us to drop into our center |
| crutches and braces, but playing basketball in | | | | of gravity. The |
| thebackyard. | | | | Asian traditions call this part of the body, about |
| Wilma joined her junior-high basketball team, but | | | | twoinches below the navel, the tan 'tien in China |
| the coachdidn't put her in a single game. By her | | | | or the harain Japan. |
| sophomore year inhigh school Wilma started as | | | | Strength relies on "Calisthenics" which comes from |
| guard. Her performance caughtthe attention of Ed | | | | the |
| Temple, coach of the Tennessee State | | | | Greek words kallos for beauty and thenos for |
| University Tigerbells, who offered her a full | | | | strength. |
| scholarshipwhen she graduated. | | | | These healthful exercises are designed to create |
| Besides guiding the basketball team to a | | | | musclefitness, which includes muscular strength, |
| championship Wilmaalso excelled at track and field, | | | | gracefulness, andphysical well being. |
| earning a spot in the 1956 | | | | Flexibility represents much more than just |
| Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, where the | | | | stretching themuscles or connective tissues. Good |
| sixteen-year-oldbrought home a bronze medal in | | | | stretching affectsthree different parts of our |
| the 4x4 relay. | | | | bodies: the nerves, the musclefibers and the |
| But it was her outstanding accomplishments in | | | | connective tissues. |
| Rome thatbrought Rudolph fame and influence. | | | | Grace is often simply called balance, conscious |
| When her hometown of Clarksville wanted to | | | | movement,or skillful movement. It's ease and |
| have a parade inher honor, Rudolph insisted that | | | | suppleness of movementand bearing." |
| the celebration be open towhites and blacks, not | | | | Bearing is the stance and posture of the body in |
| just one or the other as wascustomary; the | | | | space. Itis the natural alignment of the skeleton. |
| parade and dinner following were the | | | | Balance is theinterplay of gravity and our bones, |
| firstintegrated events in Clarksville. | | | | and a reflection of ouroverall sense of wholeness |
| Rudolph returned to Tennessee State and earned | | | | and ease. |
| her B.A. ineducation in 1963. | | | | By tending these six simple qualities you can begin |
| She was a lifelong advocate of racial and gender | | | | to peakyour Physical Intelligence. By peaking this |
| equality. | | | | vital IQ youcreate energy in our body, and our |
| Rudolph's successful pursuit of her athletic goals, | | | | lives, that we can thenuse to grow and develop |
| coupledwith her mother's fierce determination, | | | | our other IQs. The body is thefoundation for each |
| serve as atestament to the body's capacity for | | | | of the other Intelligences. |
| greatness when thepower ofphysical energy is in | | | | If tending her Physical Intelligence--exercises done |
| harmony with one's emotional andspiritual centers. | | | | everyday with love and conviction--can turn |
| Such alignment allows not only health and | | | | Wilma Rudolph, a girldiagnosed as a cripple into a |
| well-being but theknowledge that we can count on | | | | gold medalist, think what theycan do for you. |
