I read something interesting today that made me think a bit. I love when that happens - as it opens my eyes to new possibilities and often results in a little extra motivation for whatever I'm doing. This little tidbit was all about attitude and how we can easily get caught up in believing things are randomly happening to us, rather than proactively creating the lives we want to live.
I'm a control freak - so when unexpected things happen - it kinda freaks me out. So, I make it my daily mission to control everything I can which might be a bit OCD. But I find that when I'm in charge of my time and my activities, I'm comfortable knowing that things will generally turn out a certain way. Problem is that I can't control every variable in my life and there are going to be those things that affect me whether I want them to or not. That seems a little counterintuitive to living proactively and imposing my will on the world, but it's not. Let me explain...
It could have started anywhere...
It might have started when you watched Rocky, Cinderella Man, or Million Dollar Baby.
Maybe it happened when you were at a UFC, amateur, or professional boxing match or tournament.
Maybe a friend keeps talking about how awesome their boxing club is and the incredible changes taking place in his or her life as the training he or she is doing inspires confidence, builds muscle and burns excess fat.
I don't remember exactly when it happened, but sometime around the age of 29-30, I started noticing more and more people around me blaming their poor performance, injuries, and lack of motivation on their age.
Given the actual age of people I hang around with, it is increasingly common to hear things like "my body doesn't respond like it used to" or "it takes me twice as long to recover as it used to in my twenties."
While all that may be true - I truly believe that you only really get old when you start using age as an excuse.
I turned 40 this year - but I don't consider myself old and I can certainly still out perform people half my age in the gym or ring.
I'm not delusional. I know that at some point my body is going to deteriorate to the point where I'm not going to be able to box (or probably even walk or wipe my own ass for that matter) - but I'll be damned if I'm going to let that happen before it actually happens.
Combat simplifies life real quick.
In that moment - you fight for survival with no time to worry or decisions to mull over - and how you react in a fight says a lot about how you approach your life.
You've probably heard of the fight or flight response - the two instincts that control how you react to a situation you perceive is threatening.
I'd offer there is a third response that doesn't get talked about but is much more dangerous than fighting or running - it's quitting.
You can't run in the boxing ring - there is nowhere to go. You can move around but you'll never get away from your attacker or get a break unless your attacker gives it to you, the bell rings or the referee stops the fight.
With running out of the question - that leaves two options: fight or quit.
- Andrew Carnegie
Imagine you are in the boxing ring. Across from you is your opponent. You're both sizing each other up knowing that when the bell sounds you'll be toe to toe throwing punches.
The bells sounds and you move forward. Suddenly, just as you are ready to attack, twenty of his friends climb into the ring to offer their assistance. You have no where to go. You have to fight.
- Robert Conot
Reading that quote above, do any boxers come to mind? When I first read it, I thought immediately of Floyd Mayweather Jr. I can't think of a recent boxer who has a bigger mouth than he does. While I think a good portion of it is acting to inflate ticket prices and pay per view views, he is extremely vocal (boundless exaggeration).
The thing is that unlike other boxers, Mayweather Jr. accomplishes what he says. He walks the talk. He dissects, disables, and pounds away until his opponents are demolished.
His fights are not terribly exciting for most people looking to watch two people pound each other bloody, but for someone who knows and respects boxing for the strategy it entails, few boxers achieve his level of technical mastery.
Did you honestly think you could stick to your training plan or eat perfectly 100% of the time - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year?
My Situation...
I'm currently sitting in a hotel as I write this. I started a new training cycle just over three weeks ago and have diligently followed my meal plan for the same period of time. However, I am now in this hotel for a week on business. I have no access to cooking facilities or food preparation. I have a very limited fitness facility. I have to attend social functions and eat in restaurants and pubs. How hard do you think it is going to be for me to stick to my meal plan and training program?
Training wise, I have modified my program to suit what I have available - resistance bands I brought with me and the equipment the hotel does have. Although full boxing workouts are going to be on hold until I get back, I know I am going to be able to continue training.
The wide variety of people using Commando Boxing continually amazes me.
Members range in age from less than 10 to older than 80. They are a fairly even split of men and women, although the proportion of women continues to grow. About 65% are brand new to the sport of boxing and looking to see if it is something they want to pursue.
The main reasons people generally give when joining the club fall into three general categories:
Well, whatever your motivations are for being here, I first and foremost applaud you for getting involved in the sport. No words I type are ever going to convey how beneficial boxing can be in your life. It's something you'll have to experience for yourself and thousands already have.
