Back to the Future?

Its time… its time to go back and put myself through unnecessary torture… its time to head back… to the gym.

It was recently pointed out to me by a ‘family member’ ;), that all the good work I had done this year by going to the gym has basically been undone in the past few months. I had gotten a bit side tracked over the past three months, and especially with all the travelling, I just gave up on going to the gym. Now, the love handles are making a slight return, and the shoulder pimples/biceps which had developed have receeded back to where they came from…

I used to be in excellent shape. In fact, I am still in very decent shape, but not in the phenomenal condition I once was. 6 years of my life were dedicated to the martial arts. Furthermore, I am proud to say that I trained at one of the finest schools on the West Coast, where Black Belts were not handed out as party favors. I was a different person back then… unbelievably disciplined, and my life basically revolved around two things… undergrad, and training. Why did I do it? Well, because I loved it… as sadistic as it sounds, there is an indescribable pride which you gain from pounding on someone, and then being able to get up after taking a heavier pounding. Most people think that we do it to be able to show off… to throw some ‘Bruce Lee’ style kicks, when in reality this is not the case at all. The mental strength one develops from training in the martial arts is unparalleled. Only by getting humiliated and being pushed to your physical limits in the dojo did I realize what my actual self worth was. Your ego is destroyed, and you realize the meaning of humility. But believe me, it is not a bad thing… you learn to learn from others, rather than staying in a delusional state, you actually strive to improve yourself, and most importantly, you learn to never give up. By the end, if you have been persistent, you will never feel the need to show off to anyone what you can do, because in your mind, you already know you can do it all. Beyond being able to break a wooden board (which is surprisingly easy to do actually), these were the lessons which I felt were actually the most valuable, which I have tried to use in every corner of my life. After all, what is there to prove to anyone, when you have already proven everything to yourself?

It has been 5 years since I have regularly trained, and I think I have changed as a person, but maybe not necessarily for the better… lets face it, although I like going to the gym because I like feeling fit, there is also that little part of me which has developed which also enjoys the compliments I receive when I look fit. And although there is nothing wrong with that, it shouldn’t be the primary reason I go to the gym. Maybe I need to remind myself of the lessons I learned a few years ago, and go back for the reasons one should be working out. To be strong, to stay healthy, and of course, to have fun. And hopefully, if I have inspired some of you to take up the martial arts on your own, or better yet, give me some company at the SRC gym starting this fall, then all the better!