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Training
by Ura-Nage, Team IronLife.com Staff Writer
Lack of training can make you go crazy. Its one of those things you don’t fully appreciate till the madness sets in. It’s very easy to have excuses as why not to train. Take me for example. I just spent two years with the same coach, training as hard as I could. The relationship went sour, and I decided to take a break. I needed a break at first, I’m sure. I had the flu for two weeks after, and most likely that was my body telling me not to be stupid and take it easy. So, I did. But, for way to long.
In this game, it’s easy to become disheartened. You look at kids coming up and they are starting them young now, there are ten year olds out there who have heel hooked more people then I have. I look at myself in the mirror, and it’s a scary proposition to consider fighting. There are tons of men out there bigger, started younger, and probably more naturally inclined then yours truly. I’m not sure if you can relate, but at times it feels like the only thing I have going for me is my own determination.
So, when I fuck up and get lazy, become careless and don’t train for a while, the negativity starts. You read about fighters today, and maybe I’m the only one who feels this way, but the so-called bad ones are still usually in fantastic shape and built like gorillas. You got to be crazy to want to fight them. It’s odd, but something inside me wants to. I’m no pro, or even an accomplished amateur. I’m just a guy who lives martial arts as best as he can, and is slowly realizing the level of commitment it takes to be good, much less great. It’s astonishing. Its very easy to just give up when all that sets in.
But then you’d be lying to yourself. And, as a fighter/martial artist that’s the worst thing that you can do. You see, its dawned on me that a fight is one of the last truly honest things we have in this world. There’s no lies, no twisting of words or hiding behind politically correct bullshit. There’s just you, me, and the truth. Perhaps that is why so many young men are drawn to fighting. At this stage in our lives, it’s a little scary. I won’t lie, it’s a frightening prospect to not have sense of direction and security that you are used to as a kid. So, I’ve come to realize we’re really fortunate to be able to fight. To be able to partake in this one true thing, that’s special.
If we bring that aspect of truth from fighting into our own personal lives, I think we become better.
When you realize something like this, you also realize that circumstances are largely yours to create. All the self proclaimed critics and experts really know shit at the end of the day, at least compared to what you know about yourself. Because that’s what its all about isn’t it? Knowing yourself and becoming greater by pushing yourself to and past whatever limits you find? At the end of the day, when I get my head straight and start thinking that way I really don’t come back to my earlier thoughts of age, size, and “what if?” I’d much rather train. We’re here now, and our effort in this moment will bring us forward as fighters. All the rest of it is just window dressing, an illusion.
So, where was I? I started this off worrying about not training, and now I’m spewing out some esoteric beatnik drawl. I’d be better off training, but some times you need to vent. What these past weeks of leaving my old coach and not training have taught me is that the worst thing you can do is say “what if?” and not push yourself forward. I feel strange writing this, who am I to say it? After all, I’m just some unproven kid. But, I got to say it. Forget about winning and losing and all that, just give of yourself as best as you can in your training. Forget all the baggage you’ve got for whatever reason, and build yourself up. All these tests have taught me that in the end, you really know yourself better then anyone else and that’s what’s going to determine how far you go as a fighter and a man.
* Article by Ura-Nage, Team IronLife.com Staff Writer.
* Back to This Issue's Frontpage
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