We have some things to talk about

It was the week before Christmas and the dojo was dead. 3 guys chose to come train Kickboxing on Thursday night instead of shopping or getting fat and drunk at a Holiday party. One was an active fighter, one was a 30 something year old guy with lots of time on the mat but no real sparring or competitive experience, and the 3rd was a High School student who has only been training a few months. It was 3 people that pretty much represented all 3 levels of experience you find on a mat.

Small turnout nights are fun because we can do things we can’t do when the mat is packed. This night we decided to pick the contact up a bit. We did some rounds of body boxing with kicks. Of course Fighter guy is watering at the mouth like a Lion who just found a wounded animal. The other 2 were not real excited to get beat up by the Lion but looked forward to killing each other.

Once we got going, everyone had something to learn. Our fighter learned about pace and timing effectively. The other 2 got some deep meaningful stuff from yours truly.

I love training people. Fighters are good to work with and there is a particular joy in it BUT training the average Joe or Jane and getting results with them is what really floats my boat. For anyone who trains professionally or recreationally, I am very serious about the business of training. This is some primal stuff we are dealing with. You lose at checkers, and you may never think of that loss again. You quit while working on a combative art, it can haunt you for the rest of your life and erode your ability to have confidence.

It is crazy how much of your self-worth can be made or destroyed on a mat. We are finding out who we really are when faced with hard training. We will know how strong we are, if we have a quitter or a winner inside, and we will definitely remember whatever it is we find out. I want you to wake up 20 30 40 years from now and smile because one day you found out that you were way stronger then you ever could have imagined. I failed as a teacher if you wake up in a cold sweat wondering if you still are that quitter we allowed you to remain.

I know I can’t answer these questions for lots of people. Many quit before they really ever get started or never push because they know deep down they can’t handle the answers. I will always do what I can to work with you to find your personal truth. That is my job. That is why I do this.

So, back to the 3 amigos, Fighter guy shared how he used to be a quitter but found the champ that he truly is while pushing hard in class. We both expressed the most important things I can ever say to somebody “You will be amazed at how much you can achieve when you stop feeling sorry for yourself.” This hit home for 30 something and we shook High School guy to make sure he wasn’t completely lost in thought about his next Instagram shot. Both got the push factor. Both got that this stuff really does matter. Both walked away feeling better about what they just did and more prepared for the next time.

That is what success is all about. Train, evaluate, adjust, learn, comeback and do it again… So what are you waiting for?! Get in and get to work. We have questions to answer.

Brian Wright