Secret Training Philosophy

Secrets

Every advertisement for Martial Arts and Self Defense touts their “Secret Techniques” to make you unbeatable and invincible. I wish that it was that easy in the real world. When was someone unbeatable in the real world? Ali was beat, Tyson was beat and the current crop of professional fighters will all suffer a loss one day. I have lost fights in my life. Nobody is invincible. The funny thing is that many people know the best kept secret already.

The secret is not just one thing, it is made up of several different aspects. Part of the secret is that they know that they can be beaten on any given day. They work as hard as they can to enhance their chances of winning. Professional fighters train up to eight hours a day in the weeks before a fight. They work hard and continue to improve their skills. Oh wait; there is the other part of the secret, hard work. They want it more than the other guy, so they work their tails off in preparation for a contest.

How does this fit in with self defense? The advertisements are a sales gimmick. They want your hard earned money, but cannot deliver on their claims. I do not believe that any martial art is the total answer, including Shen Chuan. I have never seen the one technique that will win every time. I do think that every system has something to offer, whether what to do or what not to do in life. I think that part of the real answer is realizing that you are responsible for your own safety. Knowing this you need to work hard at what you are doing, be it martial arts, exercise or your job. If you want to survive a fight for your safety, you have to work hard to make it happen. That does not mean you have to spend your whole life training and working out. You just have to work hard when you have the time to train. It is better to train thirty minutes a day at full blast than to do nothing.

I believe that hard work is the most underrated “secret” out there. In today’s world, everyone wants the quick and easy solution. Nobody wants to put forth the effort required to advance or improve in any aspect of their lives. They look at life as if they were owed everything with little output from their own efforts. I see it often in my martial arts classes as well as the classes that I take to improve my skills and chances. I often have people come to the school and leave after a few classes, because it takes some effort on their part to improve. I have seen people come to a Brazilian Ju-Jitsu class and walk out after realizing they would not be Gracie level after one class. It takes sweat and effort to become good at anything, but many people are not willing to make the effort. I recently earned my 5th degree black belt, it was not given to me just for showing up. I am happy to have earned it, but I am proud of what it symbolizes, years of hard work, years of sweat and toil to learn as much as I could.

I apologize if this is more of a rant on a soapbox then a real essay. I believe in hard work to get anywhere in life. I believe that you are responsible for your safety, not anyone else. I also believe that I am responsible for my own failures and accomplishments. It all comes down to the ability to work hard to reach your goals and desires. I have a long way to go as I have not met mine yet, so hopefully we can take the journey together.