More great advice from our friend, Martin Rooney of Training for Warriors:

Rooney Riddle: There are three warriors standing at the edge of a river. Two of the warriors decide to jump into the water. The question is, “How many warriors are now standing at the edge of the river?”

Many people immediately answer that there is only one warrior left on the riverbank. This, however, is not only the wrong answer, but it gives me a window into the minds of the people with which I work.

The correct answer to my riddle is “three.” Just because you have made a decision does not mean that you have taken any action to do anything about it! All too often men and women “decide” to go on a diet or lose some body fat yet don’t get any thinner. At one time or another in most people’s lives, people also commonly “decide” that it is time to get back into the gym or onto the court or mats, but strangely (and unfortunately) these same people never end up getting there. Did you ever “decide” on your New Year’s resolutions only to break them days later? Have you ever decided this was the year you were going to make more money, or quit a bad habit only to experience little change? What was the missing ingredient to getting what you want? I have discovered that it is simply the “action” that goes along with the decision! Is it really that simple? Yes, it really is.

If you want success, here is a great formula to remember: D-A=0 (Decision minus Action equals Zero)

I first tried out for BBJJ Muy Thai Kickboxing because my husband joined and convinced me how great it was. He definitely brought me to the right place. I wanted to get in shape and I’ve seen very good results so far. I see better  definition throughout my whole body. Best of all I have much better energy all day long.

I would recommend people to come train at the school because it is so much fun. So far I have had such a great training experience. It is a fun and safe environment to train. The whole staff is super nice and always watches to correct your form and push you to train your hardest. Even all the students are so helpful and friendly.

I have noticed some great improvements in my life since I first started training. Physically I am in much better shape.  Most importantly I feel much more determined to achieve my goals in life. Thanks to all the staff at BBJJ. I cant wait to keep on training at the school and improve my skills in Muy Thai Kickboxing and get to black belt.

– Dayala

A great perspective on taking risks in life from Martin Rooney, founder of Training for Warriors.

Training For Warriors was developed not only to deliver physical training, but also to impart my personal philosophy in hopes to strengthen my students’ mental fortitude.  Sometimes, however, my students can become the teacher.

While preaching about the Three Most Important Medicines of TFW (Sleep, Nutrition and Exercise) at the beginning of a session, a student called out in protest, “But what about YOLO?”  Since I was unfamiliar with the abbreviation, I was informed YOLO stands for “You Only Live Once.”  When I heard this in the instigating context he used it, instead of getting frustrated, I got fascinated.  I have that challenging statement to thank for the inspiration to write this entry.

I am not sure when or why YOLO became a good excuse to do bad things.  It seems as though this concept only applies to reckless behavior like eating or drink too much, staying out much later than necessary, wasting hard earned money or doing something that is harmful to the body or mind.  Perhaps the brainchild behind this slogan also created “What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas” and “No Pain, No Gain.”

YOLO is an interesting concept.  In one case, it is an excuse to do something you know you shouldn’t and in another drive you to become more than you ever dreamed.  How could such a statement have two totally different interpretations?  Perhaps the ancient concept of Yin and Yang can offer a modern explanation.  The Yin and Yang demonstrates opposite and contrary aspects of life are interdependent and interconnected.  If you have seen the symbol, you are familiar with the intermingling colors of black and white.  This is to symbolize the duality of life.  There is good and evil, light and dark, and both are necessary to form the whole.   Just like there can be no shadow if there is no light, I couldn’t not develop my interpretation of YOLO if I could not see the opposite side offered by my student.

YOLO, therefore, can be a negative or a positive “risk” for change.  Why not risk to eat as well as you could and get daily exercise?  Why not improve your skills and become one of the best in your industry?  My challenge for you will be to see which direction the concept drives you.  Are you going to have another drink, or perform a random act of kindness.  Are you going to waste your hard earned money on something you don’t need, or invest your time in someone who desperately needs it?  Will you sit on the couch or study the famous landmarks of the world?

By Professor Josh Skyer

We love summer and we love training in the summer: nothing beats a great martial arts class after a hot summer day: stepping into a clean, air-conditioned Dojo, putting on a clean uniform and letting the stress of the dog days disappear. Here are some black belt tips to keep your martial arts training intact during the summer months:

1. DON’T LET THE WARM WEATHER KNOCK YOU OFF TRACK – Progress comes with consistency. It’s tempting to let a day at the beach, or a long weekend distract you from your martial arts goals. Fight it! We talk about self-discipline; what that means for most adults is hitting the mute button on that little voice in your head telling you that it’s okay to skip class.

2. WEAR A CLEAN UNIFORM – This holds true regardless of season. This might mean getting a second or third gi, especially if you’re training more than twice a week. Of course, never wear a gi or thai boxing uniform that hasn’t been washed. This actually might be illegal in some states, and if it isn’t then it should be.

3. DON’T DROWN YOUR TRAINING PARTNER…BRING A TOWEL – Sweat management is a necessity during warmer weather. Bring a small towel to class and use it. Getting caught in a rainstorm on your way to class is not a big deal. Getting caught in a rainstorm while on the bottom of the mount IS!

4. ALWAYS WEAR A T-SHIRT OR RASHGUARD UNDER YOUR GI – It will add an extra sweat-absorbing layer. If you partner taps out because of a triangle you will most likely get a high five or “good job”. If your partner taps out because they are choking on your sweat or your chest hair you will not get a high five.

5. TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR PERSONAL HYGIENE – Take a shower after class, every time. This is common sense for most people, but it bears repeating anyway. A really wise man once said that a good training partner showers after every class, but a great training partner showers before class.

6. HYDRATE – Drink water all day. Start first thing in the morning. Coffee, sports drinks, alcohol and soda all LEECH water from your body. It’s important to hydrate before, during, and after class. Also be extra careful about eating salty foods on training days, which can also draw water from the body.

7. BE A GOODFINDER – Yes, it’s hot out. Yes, there is traffic. Yes, you had to stand up on the train and didn’t get a seat. Yes, your boss is a mean person. Yes, your therapist likes to blame all your problems on your parents. But NO, you don’t have the right to complain in the dojo. Your training hall is supposed to be a positive place, a sanctuary. If you can’t say anything positive,don’t say anything at all. JUST TRAIN. If you don’t feel better after class, we’ll be happy to refund you your misery.

Have a sustainable practice! The martial arts is the best year-round activity there is for fitness, focus and self-improvement. Commit to the process of getting better by following these tips…and by encouraging others to do the

Train hard, commit…and never quit!

A daily dose of motivation.

Motivation

From my perspective, if I earned and accumulated millions of dollars in cash and assets, but destroyed my health, what good would all the money do me?  If I were to go all the way to the top in the profession I have chosen, become recognized as the best in the world at what I do and in the process destroy my relationship with my wife, who is the most important person on earth to me, how happy would I be about my “success”?

Excerpt from Clean Eat Education :: Do You “Self Sabotage”?

Are you a victim? Do you have the best of intentions, but the second you get close to meeting a goal, you sabotage it because it’s easier to give up rather than fail? It’s called “self sabotage” and it’s one of the main reasons most of us fail to meet our fitness and weight loss goals.

Common Self Sabotage Behaviors
1. Blaming others for your shortcomings.
2. Self Doubt.
3. Setting unrealistic expectations and/or goals.
4. Giving up before you get started (or before anyone notices).

Ways to Combat Self Sabotaging Behaviors
1. Tell your goals to a friend you trust.
2. Write it down.
3. Give yourself positive affirmations.
4. Don’t be afraid to fail.

To read more, visit He and She Eat Clean.

Train hard for the first half of the year – Check!
Set clear goals for the second half of the year – Check!
Stay connected to your efforts over the summer break- _______!

Stay focused while on summer break or any vacation. Below are vacation training logs for both jiu-jitsu and muy thai students.
Click on each log to open in a new window and view full-size.

Below is an excerpt from Precision Nutrition’s article “Paleo, vegan, intermittent fasting… what’s the best diet?”:

There are so many diets out there – paleo, plant-based, no-carb, gluten-free – but how can all these different diets actually work?

How can such wildly different nutrition programs all lead to positive results?

They’re not as different as you might think.

Most effective nutrition programs are more similar than different.

When done properly, Paleo diets, plant-based diets, high carb diets, low carb diets, eating small meals frequently, eating larger meals infrequently, etc. all accomplish the following:

 
1. THEY RAISE NUTRITION AWARENESS AND ATTENTION.

2. THEY FOCUS ON FOOD QUALITY.

3. THEY HELP ELIMINATE NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES.

4. THEY HELP CONTROL APPETITE AND FOOD INTAKE.

5. THEY PROMOTE REGULAR EXERCISE.

Different well-designed dietary philosophies – even when they seem oppositional and antagonistic on the surface – can all promote good health, body composition, and longevity.

Which is why …
Choosing a single diet camp makes no sense.
1. THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS ONE, UNIVERSAL “BEST” DIET.

2. MOST POPULAR DIETS ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT IN COMMON.

3. COACHES SHOULD NEVER LOCK INTO A SINGLE PHILOSOPHY.

4. HABIT-BASED COACHING IS BETTER THAN DIET-BASED COACHING ANYWAY.

Read more about Precision Nutrition’s philosophy on dieting here.

Humbled to receive such positive feedback after the first class.

“Dear Professor Skyer, just wanted to thank you for my very first class yesterday,  I loved it! Thankfully,  I’m not as achy as I expected to be. ..yet…hope it doesn’t hit me tomorrow (^_^). I’ve always loved  sports but it’s been ages and I’ve never taken any martial arts, so I’m looking forward to learning,  having fun and getting fit. . all rolled into one.  See you next week!”
Linda