|
|
|
|
Krispy Kremes and positivity
16 Dec 2008 9:30AM
I went to training with a bit of a bounce in my step tonight. I’ve had an interesting weekend and once again my old friend ‘perspective’ popped his head up. The bounce in my step was largely due to meeting someone who put some of my life experiences in perspective. I often sit and bitch and moan (as you may have noticed in previous posts) about being tired and injured and lethargic and lacking in motivation. I often get wrapped up in my own problems and don’t consider the wider picture or what sort of day other people may have had. I have been very fortunate in my life that nothing too bad has happened to me. Now I’ve had my ups and downs, but the lows are easily put in the shade by some people’s experiences. Likewise the highs. Jens Pulver springs to mind, here is a guy whose Dad stuck a gun in his mouth at about 7 years old then later became a UFC title holder. The contrast between these experiences is vast. Nothing in my life can compare to either extreme. Another example of how wrapped up people can become in their own lives is from my Mum. She was catching the train to work one day and was stood on the train platform, wind and rain whipping down and she thought “I really, really don’t want to go to work today”. At that point she looked at the opposite platform and saw a charity poster of a guy with no legs walking on his hands down a gravel path. Underneath was written “And you think you have a hard time getting to work…” As I say, perspective.
The person (who triggered this line of though) and I had a conversation about life the universe and, well literally everything. One point we debated was about positive and negative experiences. My point in this conversation was that you have to have bad experiences to put the good ones in perspective… or vice versa. There needs to be balance of light and dark in your life. Now before you think I’m going off on some weird philosophical angle this does translate directly to MMA.
Many fighters prepare for a fight on the ‘fight gone wrong’ principle or work under extreme pressure with fresh sparring partners to push their ability to deal with some sort of cardio freak they may end up in the cage with. It’s never pleasant and sometimes hard to get motivated for. I enjoy MMA, but the sessions where I spar 5 minute rounds against a fresh opponent every minute are not very nice at all. Likewise the ‘fight gone wrong’ circuit where I am continually put in disturbing and painful positions and have to battle my way out when exhausted. The idea here is to experience the ‘dark’… the blacker and deeper the dark the better. It makes actually fighting after 6 weeks of it a pleasure… a let off. The ‘lightest’ side of this whole experience being the coveted win. Those dark days building up to a fight are difficult and testing. They test your resolve and your commitment, but the perspective of the ‘light’ at end of the tunnel is what keeps you plodding on through it.
I had a ‘light ‘day today. I enjoyed drilling and sparring, despite the ever present Jiu Jitsu cramping calves. I announced to Pep that I was “ready to rip someone’s face off” and he better get me a fight lined up for the New Year.
I should explain a little of why this person inspired such a reaction. She made me realise that I am incredibly fortunate to be in a position where I can fight, when others may only ever aspire to do so. She also provided a solid gold example of how a positive outlook and exhaustive commitment to what is important can match and eventually outshine any previous bad experiences. If I can apply an ounce of her work ethic in the New Year I’m on to a winner. Training, sparring, injuries, aching limbs, black eyes, sore joints, eating right, making weight… easy. Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.
Oh… and she introduced me to the evils of Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
Dark, very dark.
|
|
|
|