new students and old teachers.

new students make me thankful for old teachers.

unbelievably thankful.

having the bar set so high. positive stress. proofreading training plans, asking questions, trying to spot weakness and short sightedness. nervous tension. hormonal response. something to prove…

i am so often startled by what people expect of me. from me. from the station. from the work we do.

students often impress me. their willingness. their dedication.

other trainers often depress me. make me ashamed of what has become my profession.

not ashamed, annoyed. annoyed that there are people out there calling themselves “coaches” and “trainers”, people diluting the meaning of these titles, these stations that i have come to respect so much.

i sometimes worry, worry about ending up like them. about being a know-it-all, about “leading” from the side lines. about accepting less. about compromising for the sake of business…

this, however, can be turned into a positive. an incentive to work harder. to work smarter. and nothing shakes those fears away like doing. doing it right.

there has been a group of fighters training at the station for the last month. its hard to explain, seeing someone and knowing what to do to help them. when years of small lessons, seemingly disconnected experiences can lock together and help someone correct an imbalance, break past that barrier. the surprised response from these guys when i remind them that the gym is supplemental. that what we do exists to make them better fighters, and not to forget that. they are fast learners, already feeling different, for them the test comes in the ring. for me, the work is the reward.

new students also make me thankful for old ones. for the hard work and dedication. for the trust and willingness to suffer. for making commonplace a level of effort that is anything but. i am grateful for all of this. for challenging me. for asking questions. for forcing me to grow.

to the teachers, the students, the seekers and the workers.

i thank you.

cass and mary are a wonderful example of strength and the benefits of working with a partner

focus. control. will. all these traits are built, shaped, and strengthened along with the body. this should be undertaken mindfully, and deliberately.