This is just too hard and takes too long

by James Eke

So you are part of a martial art school or maybe a gym and you are trying, or motivated by your teacher or trainer to get into better shape.

It makes sense. We all want to be healthy and strong. At least we think we do.

The thing is we are too busy. There isn’t enough time. There is too much to do. I’m too weak. I’m too old. I’m just fine how I am.

I totally agree.

Actually no. I don’t. Sorry to burst your bubble of delusion. Your excuses and complaints are weak. You are being weak.

You have one life.

You have one body.

You have huge potential.

Being strong is a choice. So is being weak.

It is so easy to fall victim to that voice in our heads that tells us that we are fine just how we are. We sit in an office all day so why the heck do we need to be stronger, why do we need to be able to do a pushup or a kettlebell swing or get ourselves off the floor without grunting and groaning?

The answer is simple — because if we don’t we will just get weaker.

We don’t have armour, we don’t have cyborg parts, what we have is this body. Believe it or not, the body is both strong and prone to the opposite. If we don’t work at making our body able to do the things that it is capable of it will forget that it can do it. That’s why a pushup is hard for some, getting off the floor is hard, walking, running or anything else is hard. It shouldn’t be though. These are things that we as humans do.

Truth bomb: You are a primate and should be able to do a whole range of things. You should be able to climb. You should be able to crawl. You should be able to roll. You should be able to lift, to throw, to pull, to push, to jump, to bend and a variety of other things.

If you do the martial arts you need to be able to do these things without injury.

Those pushups, those situps, those whatever else? They help you be strong and able to do the training. They help you live your life.

Here is another truth bomb: you are probably going to get a whole lot older. As you get older, guess what, all those things you maybe don’t like doing that your teacher is telling you to get better at, yeah those things, they get harder. You won’t realize it until it happens. Then those stairs that you used to just run up suddenly feel like a mountain. The sprint to catch the bus now feels like less than a jog. Getting off the floor feels like you should have someone helping you. Age will change you, like it or not.

A fitness regimen helps us maintain strength and ability that allows us to live an active life and to hold it together as long as we can.

Take a look at any elderly person who is at the top of their game in something physical like sport of the martial arts. You most likely will find someone who has pushed their body hard in their youth and continue to understand the need for physical fitness.

So, what are you going to do?

You can moan about the workout that you are being told you are going to do in class. You can do half the effort required. You can skip out. You can do whatever you want to do. It is your life.

Or here is the other option. Get stronger. Stop complaining. Be grateful that there are people who believe you have awesomeness inside of you. Do the work. Do extra work. Make yourself into a superhuman.

Being strong is a choice. Being weak is a choice.

Which one are you going to choose?