So what has ch ch ch changed this week? I have not had such an enjoyable week at work or at training in years... literally. I started a new role at school on Monday and have thoroughly enjoyed it. It's very, very different and has thrown up some new challenges and pressures. But without exception it was a pleasure going to work each day... not that that means it's easy! It was intriguing that as I was so much happier in myself, enjoying my working day and was more relaxed I dealt with some of the crisis' that occurred much more effectively. Literally my relaxed demeanour and attitude towards the kids (I work in a special school with boys with behavioural problems) meant I was better equipped to handle them when they were getting stressed. I hadn't developed any miraculous new skills or abilities and I didn't deal with the problems in with any new fangled strategy. I was me. But a relaxed and calm me.

 

Why talk about work? Well, I adopted much the same attitude in training and approached the sessions with a calm and enjoyment that matched my working week. I learned new things, I noticed gaps in my game and above all the smile could not be wiped from my face. The calm, the relaxed demeanour I am sure all helped. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to spot the benefit of translating this into the ring or cage in a fight. Being calm, focused and relaxed is essential, something few fighters ever really master.

 

Anyway, on the same sort of theme. We videoed some training on my camera, which is something I've meant to do for ages. Watching yourself back and seeing the mistakes, missed opportunities and distinct lack of pace is an eye opener. But obviously seeing a technique flow seamlessly is very rewarding too. It really is a helpful and something I'd highly recommend as a tool for development. A friend watched some of the videos we took and commented on how relaxed I seemed, which is not something I'd ever had associated with myself before. My game is normally pressure based and intense. But... sure enough... on closer viewing I realised that, yes, i was relaxed. Even better than that was the fact that I managed to pull some nice technique out of the bag in areas where I normally apply horrible 'Dad strength' tactics (i.e wrestling).

 

The psychology of sport has always intrigued me and this sort of thing adds to the intrigue further. MMA is an aggressive sport and the calm and relaxed approach sometimes would seem at odds with it. I realise not every week can be like the one I've just had and next week could be a shocker. But I'll keep this week in mind as a benchmark from now on and a point of reference. It doesn't matter to me about my actual performance to be honest... the fact that I enjoyed myself so much is far more important.

 

I mentioned how at school I hadn't employed any new skills or strategies. Well my MMA week was similar. I didn't do anything different necessarily, but my attitude and approach allowed me to do it better... funny how these things work out eh? Roll on Monday!