Inspiration

Here is a video from Mixed Martial Arts organization called Pride FC which hosted some of the greatest fights of all time but sadly no longer exist. I swear I watch this at least twice a day as it is very dramatic and to me at least, inspirational. These men are tough as nails and have an ungodly amount of heart, courage, and willpower. They are the true gladiators of our time. The song is "Furious Angels" by Rob Dougan.

Boondock - Furious Angels - MMA highlights (PRIDE FC)
Uploaded by scarab3099

Swing and a Miss

I strapped on my headgear then put on my boxing gloves. The sun was setting and the air was crisp with a cool ocean breeze rolling in from the coast. Then came the adrenaline. It's just a subtle surge at first. You start to tremble a little and your breaths become shorter and quicker. A little fire starts in the center of your chest. I concentrate on controlling that fire and proper breathing as I start the round timer. A twisted little smirk makes its way across my face. Life is good.

A few weeks ago my training partner twisted his ankle while we were sparring in a submission wrestling match. He wasn't sure if it would be OK for today but he let that warrior spirit take control and gave it a shot. He came out strong, more aggressive than usual, so instead of predictably backing up and staying on the outside with my superior reach I stepped forward with a quick, but weak right-straight that glanced off one of his gloves then followed through with a rare overhand-left that hit right on the money. I am right handed so the overhand-left felt awkward to throw but I knew he wouldn't be expecting it and it hit solid.

He had just bought a new headgear and that was the first good hit he took in it so he paused to let me know it felt good and we continued on. Only about a minute more of brief exchanges and he had to stop due to the pain in his ankle; it obviously wasn't fully healed yet. He said it felt fine just walking around but when he would punch it would act up. We decided to call it a day as it was almost dark anyways.

Today was both disappointing and re-assuring for me. I was obviously disappointed that we only got one round of boxing in and it would be at least another week before we could get in another one. I was re-assured though that after not sparring for a few weeks I did OK and I am excited for the next time, whenever that may be. The sunset as our backdrop was beautiful which has made me come to realize that I definitely prefer to fight outside rather than inside. The fresh air, the open sky, a cool breeze. I hope never to take training too seriously and spend all my days inside a cramped, musky gym. I have a spirit for nature and adventure so to keep my passion for fighting fresh and exciting I think it might be wise keep that spirit satisfied.

Also does anyone know what my headgear says. I got it from a place that sells all kinds of imported Muay Thai gear from Thailand. It was highly recommended from a friend and has become one of my favorite pieces of equipment but I forgot to ask what it means or what it says.

Why do I fight? Why should you?

The answer is simple: To form a bond between the body and mind. A bond that will make you both physically and mentally stronger and more aware. We spend so much of our lives focusing on one or the other that it's easy to lose touch with who we really are...what we really are.

Think of all the time you spend on the phone, the computer, watching television, etc...All of these activities are almost completely mental, therefore no bond between the body and mind occurs. Now think of when you get up and go to the gym and mindlessly pump out reps on an exercise machine or blankly run for miles on a treadmill. These activities are all physical with little to no brain power required to execute.

"But when I'm running on the treadmill I watch the T.V. doesn't that count as both?" Hah, indeed you are using both your body to run and your mind to analyze what you are watching on the T.V. screen but you are using them both almost completely independent of each other. No bond occurs there either. So where does this elusive bond between body and mind occur?

That's where martial arts come into play. Any martial arts, including all combat sports if you don't consider them martial arts (personally, I do). This can be anything from Western Boxing to Kung Fu, from Freestyle Wrestling to Jujutsu. The reason this bond forms during a Martial Arts bout is because you must use both the body and mind in unison to triumph over your opponents body and mind. A failure to use one or the other to its fullest extent will put you at a major disadvantage. Think of it as a physical chess match. In any Martial Arts bout, if both competitors have similar athletic attributes and experience, the one who fight smarter will always win. Vice-versa if both competitors are of similar intelligence and experience, the more athletic one will always win. This is why when training in Martial Arts of any kind it is important to keep both your body and your mind at their sharpest. Doing so will also be highly beneficial to your daily life outside of whatever Martial Arts you are practicing. You should notice definite increases in your overall health, confidence, and self esteem. Think of it as a pleasant side effect.

The importance of bringing your body and mind together stems from awareness. Awareness of what you, as a human being, are capable of. Awareness of how much you can take. Awareness of who you are. Just like a painter may be very emotional and aggressive with his brush strokes, a martial artist may fight with emotion and display a very aggressive style.

This is why I fight. I played the guitar for a few years, took a bunch of art classes in high school, but nothing would motivate me to keep both my mind and body in tip-top condition. I also found myself trying too hard to write music or paint a picture but for me fighting seems to just come naturally. It puts me in a semi do-or-die situation where I must act and re-act as quickly as physically and mentally possible or I will immediately feel the consequences(like a swift knee to the face). This is also why I choose MMA as my Martial Art of choice. The rules (or lack thereof) allow for complete expression of what kind of figher (and person) I am and the freedom to display all of the techniques I have learned from Martial Arts all over the world.

So which Martial Art is right for you? Let me assure you that there is a Martial Art out there for everyone and not all Martial Arts require you to train 8 hours a day or take a swift knee to the face (in fact most of them don't). Martial Arts such as Jujutsu which place heavy emphasis on technique are great for people who, even at their best, aren't very physically imposing. On the other side of the spectrum Greco-Roman Wrestling which places heavy emphasis on physical strength and conditioning and abides by a strict rule set and point-based scoring system are great for the natural athlete that prefers a structured, no non-sense approach to martial arts.

Whatever you decide on let me put a heavy emphasis on sparring! After a few training sessions don't be afraid to get in on the action. At first you may get your arse kicked a few times but don't give up! Let that motivate you to train harder and learn more! Don't Be discouraged when you lose. View this as just another learning opportunity. When you win always be humble and respectful to your opponent and appreciative towards your coaches and teammates. These are qualities both your friends and enemies will come to respect and admire.

I hope this has motived you to become aware of how far you can take your body and mind. Martial Arts have dramatically improved my lifestyle and since I started I have completely revised my diet for the better and am motived to exercise and/or train every day. I look better, feel better, and am aware and satisfied with what kind of person I have become.