When you commit to do something you should simply do it. It is so easy to fall short of a commitment. Quitting is always easy to do but hard to live with.
Sparring is the crucible for Martial Artists. You can hack it or you can’t. It defines your level of understanding of self and of your art. When I run sparring it tends to be for an hour at a time. If you get a round or 2 off in that time you are lucky. Can you keep going tired and beat up? Can you find that groove where everything falls away and you just work?
I have had every kind of person come through for sparring. My favorite is the mouth, you know the that guy, the one who talks the big game but always gets hurt and has to sit out or just quits when it isn’t going his way. In time the shit talk or the person goes away. Either way we who are training are happy.
The most important thing to do is finish. Don’t stop unless you are truly hurt. Finish those rounds and keep trying no matter how bad your lungs burn, shoulders ache, and/or legs feel like rubber. You won’t hate your self after and your team will respect you more. Everyone has been the Bear and everyone has been eaten by the Bear at one time or another. Knowing that we all have been there is what brings a team together. Throw up if you have to, scream if you need to, do what ever….. trust me, we have seen it all. Just get through it.
Sparring becomes more of an exercise in dealing with adversity then anything. When you spar for more then a round or 2 you will be confronted with fatigue. This is where the learning is done. This is where you find out what you are made of and how far you can push yourself and your opponent. When the hard times come, and they will, the late rounds are the ones that will inspire you, empower you to hang tough and get the job done. This is not just about fighting, this is about being able to live strong.
If you talk tough you better be tough. You think you are strong, come spar and find out if you truly are.
Brian Wright
Real Elite