General
Several months ago, at session of a striking class (MMA), I met and trained with a young man. At 16 (he was obviously one of the youngest ones) he seemed filled with something familiar. He had this intensity about fighting. He only trained with my BJJ teacher a few sessions, and had about two classes under the striking teacher. After class, we ended up in a conversation. When I talked to him, he talked about his disdain for many people. In particular, he had some sort of resentment towards the high scool soccer team. He felt they were cocky, and that he loved nothing more than to go running past them during their practices, as if he was somehow displaying some superiority. He didn't sound angry, but he sounded like he was motivated by it. He appeared a by-product of someone who was fueld by the arrogance of others, only to be consumed by that same trait.
I thought about this for a while and wonder just where the line is for each of us--the line between the training that vents anger and the training that fuels it. I have to admit, I've found myself with many negative thoughts in the past, though I've rarely spoken of them outloud (which can be even more dangerous).
While hitting the pads, it's easy to imagine old foes (an old schoolyard bully, the catty girl from high school, a mean co-worker or boss, etc.)--but if we're not careful, it can go too far. Sometimes we need to step back and look at the big picture, before justifying emotions & actions too quickly.
The point is, looking at him felt as if I was glancing at a funhouse mirror. I knew it wasn't how I looked, but I could surely see some of myself in the distortion.
Though we only met once, I've heard of him a few times. He's been leaving messages for my BJJ teacher, asking about tournaments. Apparently, he's been "training" on his own with his friends. The whole thing has my MMA instructors rolling their eyes, knowing his technique is too weak for the kind of MMA matches he wants to be in.
Taekwondo
About three Saturdays ago, our gym had a black belt test. We had about 8 kids and 1 adult advance. It was by far one of the tougher black belt tests we've done. My instructor had his students (including me) test for their black belts in front of the Grandmaster and his main school in the past. However, due to some bad blood, as well as scheduling conflicts, we had our first black belt test at our own dojang. I have to say the whole evet was a huge success. There was no rushing the test whatsoever, and eveyone was sore at the end. I was especially proud of our one adult. She has always trained hard and exceled for a person with her frame. I also had the honor of warming up the class. My instructor and the invited master knew my reputation when it came to my Saturday morning classes (which stress more conditioning) and let me be creative with the whole group. The whole thing has me inspired for my 2nd Dan one day.
BJJ/MMA
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has been going really well. I've become very comfortable on the ground now. It's hard to describe, but everything is starting to click. I've also been able to apply some of the lessons of BJJ into my Taekwondo training, as well as other aspects in life.
Health & Fitness
I've been working on my speed when it comes to running. This isn't necessarily easy for people with flat feet, though I'm happy to say I can run the mile faster than 6:30 and can now clear the 5k in approx. 22:00.
As far as strength training, so of you know I'm making adjustments to my old routines and putting some emphasis on vertical pull exercises (pull-ups & chin-ups).
I'm also planning on creating two workouts for our last two Saturday classes of the year (Dec. 13 & 20). One will be an 8 round accumulator in honor of Chanukah, and another will be a modified 12 round countdown in honor of Christmas. There was a lot of inspiration from many sources, one of which being the accumulator posted by KickChick in the fourms section (thanks again).
Favorite Quote of The Week
"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lessons afterward." - Vernon Law
Favorite Song of The Week
"Jumper" - Third Eye Blind
Tags: Pride Training Ego Health Fitness Exercise
