Lately I feel like a fire’s been lit under me in my training. Somehow through sheer persistence, perseverance, and being too dumb to quit, I feel like I’ve broken through to a new level. And this level is more difficult than the one before. New levels always are.
Sometimes I think people have the impression that if you keep training in something long enough, like martial arts or strength training, then it somehow gets easier as you get better. I don’t think this is true. At least it’s not true for those who continue to push themselves to break limits.
The problem is that people get comfortable where they are. They feel like getting a certain PR in lifting is enough, so now I can relax or getting a black belt is enough so now I can relax, rest on my laurels, allow my past accomplishments to speak for themselves.
No.
If you’re not moving forward, you are getting worse.
There’s really no point of stagnation.
You are not training for a belt or a personal record or even for a specific goal. You are training for life.
Don’t allow yourself to get too comfortable. Keep moving forward. Keep training. Keep pushing. Life is a process of transforming yourself to always be better than you were. The old self gets destroyed in the fire of adversity, but that’s ok. That’s how it’s done. The training is the means. Going through the intensity of hard training is tempering your body like fire tempers a sword. You must destroy the old what you are for what you can become.
“So if you got the guts mister, yeah if you’ve got the balls If you think it’s your time, then step to the line, and bring on your wrecking ball.” – Bruce SpringsteenDon’t be afraid to push yourself. Don’t be afraid to allow yourself to suffer a little bit in your training. This is more than just physical transformation. It involves mental toughness and spiritual strength. Remember, God comforts the disturbed and disturbs the comfortable. If that’s the case, then doesn’t it make sense to disturb yourself a little bit?
Question for discussion – how are you pushing yourself in your training today? Drop me a comment below!
Learn how to BECOME MORE <<====
7 Comments
Joy
May 31, 2012I love your blogs Jon-they’re not too long, full of fluff, and you get to the point. I’ve been pushing/ being pushed since age 10, when my Dad wrapped my hands and took me to his boxing gym on the Navy Base. “Be careful, she might like this too much- you don’t want to see her get hurt do you?” Said one of the coaches within earshot during a sparring lesson. My Dad would just smile. Started fighting at 15. Later enlisted the USMC and learned to use some different “weapons”. Married and divorced a pro fighter a year and a half ago, and essentially left a life of comfort and stability. Still traveling and trying to find a home and a place of purpose- maybe it’s not Portland, Seattle, LA, or Vegas. It’s not CrossFit, UFC, or even another Hybrid program- something else that I create and that evovles for my athletes.
Jon
May 31, 2012Awesome, Joy – thank you for sharing!
Alex
May 31, 2012Another great post, Jon.
Physically, I am trying to add longer distance running to my typical routines. Mentally, i am trying to work to graft various techniques together for my own memorization and positional recognition. Also the ongoing battle of not succumbing to the temptation of ice cream…. well not too much anyway.
Jon
May 31, 2012Thanks for the comment, Alex. I recently started adding running back into my training as well. How far are you typically running?
Dave
May 31, 2012Jon, Great post. Your words have a way of breaking through to Kim and I that inspires us to push ourselves a little harder in training and your teaching methods let our brains absorb the information properly to where were constantly going, “ah ha!” We were just talking about how you have that effect on her and I the other day. Thanks, See you on the mat- Dave and Kim
Greg
May 31, 2012I want to hear about your new discoveries!
greg
Davy Reijnders
December 19, 2015Pushing myself in my training today many times implies not pushing myself in my training today – at least not in the way it usually might be interpreted: acknowledging that my body seems to need some rest, is not 20 years young any more, and allowing for sufficiënt rest to be able to push my next training further in a prudent way. For me it’s much more difficult not to train, especially to accept that mentally, then to push myself to train.
Any recognition?
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