So I’ve found the time to sit down and write again.  That’s a good thing. Last week was also a good week of training. I’d like to think that this week is going to be better. I think I actually managed to spend the best part of the week training last week. After all this time when I’m not at the gym I still feel like there’s something I’m missing out on so all time there is well spent.

When it comes to me and fighting I’m happy to play things by ear at present. On reflection I’ve achieved quite a lot. Critics like fighters come and go, so irrelevant of what people think of me as a boxer I’m proud of how much I’ve achieved and won’t ever stop saying thanks to what’s above for being given the opportunities I have had to prove myself.

It’s not that I’ve lost interest in the competitive element of the art its just at the moment I have a lot I do in my spare time so prefer to think it’s there if I want it, not it’s something I must do. And speaking of fighting the next one should still be around July.

The passion and the fire isn’t going to fade any time soon,  and I’m still pretty much convinced that I’m going to be training when I’m 60. That includes the running, some days I hate it but I know it’s good for me. Kind of like Marmite. 

Training as always has consisted  of the usual drills and sparring. Rather than focusing on one particular area I’ve been focusing on improving everything in general. I’ve adopted the ‘everything needs to be better’ attitude for a long time now and I usually find it pays off. There’s lots of different areas to focus on with Thai and although it’s important to focus on a particular area that needs work looking to make overall progression is just as important.

In fact, Just recently the repetition of training was getting to me and I wondered if I needed to have a little time out. It didn’t take me long to realize I’d been caught in one of those ‘hills and valleys peaks and troughs’ type moments.

The despondency had set in big time and rather than the usual enjoyment from training a growing sense of monotony had taken over followed by a ‘do I have to?’ that more often than not leads to thoughts of trips to the pub instead of trips to the gym.

Luckily it’s somewhere I have been before. In  fact, it’s somewhere over the years I’ve been on more than one occasion and I know that whenever that feeling sets in I’m usually making progress that at points only others can see. At least it seems that way. The trick is to push through the negatives and keep moving forward.

Some days it’s a lot easier said than done. I think the trick is to keep setting goals. No matter how small or irrelevant they seem in the grand scheme of things there is always something you can work on, and there is always something you can work towards. Just don’t make it a ‘thing.’

Although I’ve not been training as much as I’d like to some weeks I think the most important thing is that I’m still training. I always find that I find the time. Training is indeed what you make it and I’m still as big on self investment as I always have been. I find that when I’ve got a lot to deal with it also gives me some focus, balance and helps me stay grounded when I need to the most.

In my experience, martial arts aren’t always about the physical techniques your taught week in and week out and in general give a lot back whether that be self confidence, dealing with fear, helping deal with confrontation or just keeping fit. I’m a firm believer that they are always an activity that helps build character and genuinely mould you into a better person.

They’ve helped me make a lot of personal changes anyway. Besides it’s good to have a constant in your life. A positive vocation. So for now, I guess that’s kind of as up to date as it gets. Oh yeah that cross training thing is taking shape, so at some point I may let you know how I’m getting on with that but in the mean time I’ll keep on training and keep doing my best to put my all into my everything I do. Even on my lazy days. Have a good week, train hard, and  as always I’ll see you on that road.