Are you committed?

We all train for different reasons and most of us train in one or more disciplines at Combat Ready. In truth in my younger days when I used to train out of the Edinburgh Judo Club I really only cared about the people who were the committed hardcore ones. It was a tough place to train with very few rules and you really had to be in it to win it. It was all a learning experience for everyone involved. Then as the business grew and we opened the gym I realised that I would always keep the hardcore and I would have to work harder on keeping the other 98 percent of people who want to train whom for them training isn't their life.

In truth you get people who buy all the gear, can talk about the protein shakes they take, how often they train, what the latest fitness craze is, however, that doesn't make them committed. Does it make them any less of person no, it just means they are not part of that very small hardcore group. The hardcore people are the ones in there come rain or shine, coming after a hellish day at work not just cause they want to train but because they said to someone the day before they would train with them. Their diet may not be the best but they excel because of the time they put in and in truth they would probably be good at whatever they did just because of the time they are willing to commit. Its like in the army, not everyone is a warrior but there are those few who stand and can motivate and lead and just keep going no matter what is in front of them.

The gym is made up of people who come for a fun way to get fit, to learn some self defence or to meet other like minded people. My goal as a coach is simply to make sure that you benefit from whatever programme you enter into. I always try and encourage woman to come out of the kickboxing class and into the Krav Maga class so they can learn some more efficient self defence techniques. Similarly I try and persuade the guys in Krav Maga to get into the kickboxing class to get some better footwork and striking skills. If I see someone who wants to get fitter then Im suggesting the kettle bells or caveman classes. Everything at the gym compliments everything else and the more classes you experience the more you will hope to gain. Its a place for everyone to benefit and learn new skills.

Now the most important part of any training programme is commitment. Now if you decide to come along and train then for goodness sake commit to it. If its only training once a week then make sure you go for 8 weeks minimum. Its easy to find excuses not to go and believe me I have heard them all. When you learn a new skill its supposed to challenge you. Nothing is impossible and every time you do it you will get better at it, simply persevere. Imagine if at primary school you just stopped learning as it was too difficult. Well you are an adult now so if its difficult you just keep going. Nothing can be harder than having to learn to read or write. Sometimes people think the classes are too physically demanding, others maybe don't think they are demanding enough. The classes are scaled so you do what you can. If you are a new start then go conservatively. For some the warm up may feel like an exercise class for a few weeks so don't just jack it after a few sessions it will get easier. For those who are there more regularly put more effort into the work out or the pad work. Play with your pace and breathing. Go all out for 20 seconds and then tone it down. Think about the pace of a boxer during a fight. Also, the pad holder can control most of it so you recognise when your partner is struggling and help them out.

The bottom-line is simple, nothing worthwhile comes easy and it will take a bit to learn. Be confident enough to work through it and grow as a person. Give it a chance and there is really no stopping you. I could have stopped long ago when things got hard but if I had I wouldn't be typing this on boxing day running a business. I'd be stuck in a job I hated. We all make sacrifices big and small to get to where we want to get to. Think big, get colossal.

So when the gym reopens, you come in with a fresh perspective. You are going to better yourself and its going to take time but you don't care as you are committed and you realise it isn't an over night thing. There is nobody stopping you except yourself.

Marcus