Golden Support

I just listened to an interview with Emily Siobhom and her mum, after she won her Silver medal in the pool at the Olympics. The interesting thing was listening to her mum say things like 'we worked so hard', 'we put in such a big year', 'we had a touch last six months', etc ... it was a reminder to me that it is very, very easy for us to forget that those who achieve, almost always seem to have a support network who, in many ways, do the 'hard yards' right along-side those who 'get the medals', etc.
If we want to achieve, we need a support network to help get us there. Even in individual sports - it's inevitably a 'team effort'. Family. friends and training partners all work together so that we may be lifted upon their shoulders and get the job done. I say, gold medals to all the parents and friends of those who prevail in the Olympics.   At the risk of coming across as overly 'mushy' - I have been fortunate beyond imagining in having the support of my amazing (and highly talented) wife melissa. She has supported me in every conceivable way for well over twenty years now; and her support has allowed me to live the life I have to date. If I could wish one thing for people, it would be that they find themselves a life partner and marriage like I have ... gold, all the way. (apologies folks!) JBW

Training for Life ...

I have competed in martial arts and in BJJ myself; I have medals in my draw and I have come to an understanding of the value of things (in the larger perspective). For me, the real value that comes from martial arts training is not found in a gold-plated medal or trophy – it is to be found in the struggle to improve, in the improved fitness we acquire through consistent training, in coming to an understanding of what it means to respect others who have walked the path before you, in the strong relationships we make with other positive and like-minded people, in learning how to problem-solve, in learning to deal with frustration in a positive way, in learning how to get up and take another step when you really think you cannot, in coming to an understanding the difference between real loyalty and convenient loyalty, in coming to understand the meaning of commitment, in understanding that trust is gained by making small promises and sticking to them, and so forth.

All of those things are the real benefits to be had from martial arts training; and of course, there is the most fundamental and obvious benefit of all; learning how to defend yourself. It’s no good if you have a great Berimbolo Sweep or reverse Omoplata (BJJ guys ‘n gals will know what I am talking about) but you cannot defend against someone throwing an overhand right that will take your head off. And I know quite a few BJJ instructors who do not understand this most basic idea because they are all and totally focussed on the next best way to gain a point in a competition. As the joke goes ‘Get in my Guard! Please … get in my Guard.’ I train in BJJ for life ... it is a metaphor for life ... a way to live ... a way to understand the world and our place in it. 

JBW

The Adaptive Specialist

Specialists have deep knowledge of their chosen subject but often cannot adapt well to changing conditions.

Generalists are usually better at adapting because they can see the big picture but they often lack ‘deep knowledge’.

The trick is to have a foot in each camp. Cultivating our ability to adapt while at the same time developing deep knowledge or specialized abilities is one way of standing apart from the pack. Even the fire-maker needs to know how to hunt and gather. Wearing one hat does not preclude us from wearing the other. Specialization and adaptation need not be mutually exclusive characteristics.

Social dynamics, political events, popular trends, even natural events have always conspired toward making the world an unpredictable place in which to live. And perhaps now, more than ever before in history – our ability to take on the mantle of the adaptive specialist will determine how well we fare in this thing we call life.

Mixed Martial Arts is an obvious metaphor for this. Those who rely solely on their specialization could be in for a rude awakening in the modern arena. Similarly, those who are shallow generalists, will probably never rise to the top echelon – that position is reserved, in my opinion, for the Adaptive Specialist.

JBW

Working the process

Developing strong and well-understood pathways in our training is vital if we are to replicate our successes, again and again. When we start out in our training, we might taste success with this or that technique - in a somewhat random fashion - but it is only when we begin to consistently replicate those successes that we begin to develop a 'game' of our own. Like anything else in life - success usually breeds success. if we are successful, we are likely to repeat the behaviour that led to that success, again and again - and then of course, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
When something works, we should develop a habit of asking 'why it worked?' - 'what made it work?' - and then we can find ways to improve it, and make it work better. Once we develop a 'successful pathway' - we need to drill it and take ownership of it - so that in the heat of battle, we have a better chance of walking that pathway yet again.
Here I am walking Strikeforce World Champ Gilbert Melendez through a sequence that very much suits his game. Note, we are not 'rushing to the end' - we are working each step of the pathway as if it is the most important step in the process - because ultimately (no pun intended) it is!
JBW

Pressure-testing

Evolution is about pressure-testing. This is how change either gains or loses momentum in nature, in engineering, in business, on the mat .... and in life. In a way, MMA is a martial arts philosophy; and it's sporting face provides opportunity for us to pressure-test new ideas, innovations, strategies and training methods - against a non-compliant, agressive opponent. This pressure-testing in turn, gives rise to more novel training methods, new ways of combining techniques and ever-improving methods of training, conditioning and preparing for combative struggle. In an environment that pressure-tests constantly, there is little room and little solace for those who arn't willing to put it on the line. But there is great potential for growth and improvement. Boxing, kickboxing, wrestling and BJJ are all arts that have evolved through the process of pressure-testing .... not for everyone, I fully agree - but the results are in alignment with the price we pay. Together - we pressure-test - together we evolve. JBW