Polymath Profile #1: Aleksandr Karelin
This week’s piece is a new pursuit for Becoming Polymathic. Instead of discussing habitual, neurological, philosophical, and psychological concepts, we’re going to profile individuals who’ve embodied the ethos of Becoming Polymathic. That ethos is one of curiosity, discipline, and resourcefulness. The individual who we’ve chosen to profile in this first piece is Aleksandr Karelin.
Aleksandr Karelin — The Wrestler
When the word “polymath” is used, it is typically in reference to a deceased individual. It is also typically in reference to somebody who has centered his or her pursuits around art, philosophy, or science. Karelin defies both these stereotypes.
Born in 1967 in Novosibirsk, Siberia, Aleksandr Karelin started his life pursuing athletics, electing to specialize in Greco-Roman wrestling at age 13. Regarding his athletic career, the rest of his story is history.
By the time he turned 16 and began competing in junior competitions, he was 6’3” and weighed 290 pounds. His size would permanently place him in the Superheavyweight division. After going undefeated for the first three years of his career, he lost his first match to World Champion Igor Rostorotsky in 1986. He wouldn’t lose again until his final match in the 2000 Olympic Final to American Rulan Gardner. His career record was an unimaginable 887–2.
Aleksandr Karelin — The Politician and Scholar
In the latter half of his wrestling career, Karelin began preparing for his post-wrestling life. In 1995 he began working for the Russian Tax Police, eventually achieving the rank of colonel before beginning his career as a representative for his home state of Novosibirsk Oblast in 1999. Since then, he’s been a staple in Russian politics at both the federal and state levels.
In addition to these political ventures, Karelin also had several successful academic pursuits. He defended his PhD about the kinematics of his signature “Karelin Lift” suplex maneuver in 1998. Other academic achievements of his included an undergraduate degree in automotive mechanics and a law degree.
Let’s keep in mind, he didn’t retire from wrestling until 2000. Furthermore, he didn’t lose a single match until then…
Aleksandr Karelin — Becoming a Polymath
As far as CV’s go, Karelin’s is quite impressive. However, what’s even more impressive than his academic, athletic, and political achievements is the attitude underpinning them. This attitude partially stems from growing up in Siberia during the Cold War amongst the backdrop of a bleak economy, geographic isolation, and harsh weather.
Such an environment necessitated resourcefulness. When Karelin was 15, a broken leg sidelined him from wrestling for almost a year. Rather than succumb to disappointment, he took the opportunity to build his mind with the same ferocity as he built his body and wrestling skills.
He became a voracious consumer of Russian literature, music, and philosophy. Furthermore, he continued to train intensely by rowing for hours on the lakes of Novosibirsk because it did not require his legs. When he returned to wrestling, he was able to apply these cultural resources to his training. To understand this application, it’s best to read into the following quote from an interview he did with Sports Illustrated in 1991:
“Wrestling’s like a poem. Everybody’s reciting the same thing, but each thinks about it differently. How each line or each motion should be interpreted is entirely personal. Perhaps nobody will believe this but a wrestler. Sometimes I have dreams of moves nobody’s done before. I awaken and try to master them. Then I go to tournaments and win with that move. Sometimes those dreams are utterly fantastic. Things nobody can do. It was this way with the reverse lift (Karelin Lift).”
The Power of Uncommon Connections
Those of you who’ve read Becoming Polymathic before understand the power of uncommon connections. The above application is a prime example of this power and why Karelin is an individual who embodies the ethos of Becoming Polymathic.
His athletic prowess afforded him the opportunity to be proficient in many sports, which allowed him to pursue the one which interested him the most — Greco-Roman wrestling. The sport’s sophistication, combined with his natural curiosity and learned resourcefulness, drew him towards the arts, which he subsequently leveraged in his wrestling. That same pattern was the blueprint he used to pursue his later academic and political ventures.
Applying Curiosity, Discipline, and Resourcefulness
Although Karelin is not the prototypical polymath (though I wouldn’t tell him that in person), there can be no doubt he embodies the characteristics of one. We can learn a lot from his story and application of the aforementioned principles of curiosity, discipline, and resourcefulness. We can also appreciate the breadth of this polymath category is larger than originally thought.
I hope profiling Karelin demonstrates the importance of embracing the spirit of a polymath before embracing the actions of one. Being proficient in multiple areas is commendable, but that trait alone will not place you amongst Karelin and other individuals who will be profiled in future pieces. That is why in every piece’s closing “be more” precedes “become polymathic” — being more provides the perspective shift necessary to anchor your new pursuits.
As said by Harrington Emerson, “the man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.”
Be More.
Become Polymathic.
Quote of the Week: “As to methods there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.” — Harrington Emerson
