This week has been a lot lighter than usual training wise, although I’ve still made a point of running as much as I can. Just like boxing in itself it’s always a good stress reliever. Despite having a slack week I’m back on track next week onwards and instead to spend the best part of the week training.

I’ve talked about intention and focus quite a lot of late, and although it’s great to be able to focus on new goals and challenges in the gym and otherwise it’s also good to be able to let off a little steam from time to time. Having mastered the art of plate spinning over time (they don’t always spin that well) some days it’s good to be able to just train and let it all come off.

Sitan gym NYC 

When I manage to switch off the internal chatter (that never ending noise we all get accustomed to) and relax a little more than I usually do things seem to come together and most importantly things seem to flow. Just recently the classes at my current gym have been busy and as such I’ve trained with a lot of beginners who aren’t always as quick as I’d like with pads (we all start from somewhere )so I’ve had to slow my techniques down a little.

It’s made me focus a lot more on getting things right rather than hammering away for a few rounds.  I usually try to build up slowly and into a nice solid rhythm on the pads after a round or so. Despite knocking myself for being too slow when I want to be  I’m actually pretty fast, and when I relax and let it go not only do things take shape I also manage to shift what it was on that was on my mind when I stepped through the door.

When I find myself in “the zone” (but not the comfort zone) I realize that 1. I’m not that bad at Thai and  2, Everything else falls away when I’m training hard. It’s like for 2 hours I can put everything down that needs to be put down and just do what I love doing the most. Some days like the great Kevin Ross would say “I just wanna train.”

At the moment the social me and boxing me are meeting nicely in the middle but I want to make sure I’m at the gym at least 4 times a week next week onwards. I know as soon as I get over the just about acceptable mark of a few sessions a week I’m in the realms of potential to really get somewhere again and I’ll find my session 5.  It’s been good to be back at the gym a few times a week of late but as always I want more.

At the moment it feels like I’m carrying a lot of baggage and I’m usually pretty stressed about one thing or another. Life always has it’s ups and downs and there’s a lot of avenues I put my energy into these days. Not being an island and being only human can suck sometimes, but having never really been into failure  I just keep going. Training is always there for me when I need it the most and I’m pleased after all this time it’s still a constant in my life. I never thought I’d have the drive or conviction to stick with anything this long but you know..

So looking at next week I may get another run in tomorrow morning and I’m back at the gym from Tuesday onwards. Fighting as a realistic option is probably going to be next year and again getting in shape and on point again is going to be a goal to work towards in itself. You can be fit but fighting fight is a different kettle of fish. I’m about 50% there at present. Despite the occasional party and too much beer. Still, I’m having fun in and out the gym. I guess that’s the main thing.

I thought I’d leave you this week with a video from the legend that is Kevin Ross. It’s a video I watched a couple of years back and one that makes me smile. Mainly because when I listen to Kevin talk about fighting it tells me one thing. Never give up and follow your heart.  In the meantime, have a good week, train hard and be the best you can be in everything you do. I’ll see  you on that road.

“Life is” Kevin Ross