Control del Costo

I keep going in and out of MMA training. What can I do to stay consistent AND have longevity in my training?

Everyone has different motivations for training, so I can't say what will motivate YOU to stay consistent. However…

…I've managed to keep learning and training regularly for 40 years with very few breaks, so I can offer you some things to try. Maybe some of it will “strike a chord” and help you keep consistent, as well.

1.) A realistic training schedule... too much, and you'll burn out or tire of it. Too little, and you'll lose interest or not progress.

I know a group of guys who've trained together consistently for the last 35 years... impressive by

anybody's standards. I believe the reason they've been so consistent is that they only train as a group 1 TIME PER WEEK.

Before you say “that's not enough...” realize that they also train at home, ON THEIR OWN during the week, on

whatever schedule their lives permit.

Very few people would be able to commit to 3 to 5 nights a week at a school for the next 35 years! However, the 1 x week group meeting is a do-able schedule they can handle, working the rest of their training around work, dinner and family life.

2.) Use the principle of “commitment & consistency” on yourself. Research shows that when you PUBLICLY COMMIT to something about yourself...

with whatever you've declared about yourself.

In other words, say things to people close to you like “I train every day...” “I'll never stop training...” “I'm a life- long martial artist...” etc., and you'll feel compelled to live up to what you've said.

3.) Look at training as an INVESTMENT. You've spent a huge amount of time (and money) getting your skills to this point. Why would you ever want to lose what you've worked so hard to get?

4.) Consider teaching... even if it's just a few people in an informal setting. When you have people showing up at the training area expecting you to teach them... you'll be there.

You'll notice that students (of anything, not just MMA) tend to come and go quickly. However, teachers tend to

continue teaching. It creates an identity. It's what they do and who they are.

5.) Recognize that there is NO GOOD REASON TO STOP.

A great motto to pin up on your wall is:

“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces, while regret weighs tons.”

I've either taught, or trained with, hundreds of people over the last 40 years. I've heard a lot of people say they wish they kept up their training. But, I've NEVER heard anyone say they were glad they stopped.

6.) Don't just train at the MMA school... train regularly at home as a daily routine.

You want to make training a part of your daily life, just like brushing your teeth. If you only associate training with

your school, you're likely to quit when the school becomes inconvenient, unaffordable or unenjoyable for whatever reason.

7.) Refuse to miss training sessions for any reason. Habits are hard to build... and easy to break. Once you've developed the habit of training, you need to protect it like your life depends on it.

I'd suggest going to training sessions EVEN if you can't train. In that case, just sit it out and watch or help teach. Just the act of showing up will help keep the habit of training.

How can I have longevity in my MMA training?

First, longevity means you haven't stopped training, so consider what I said in the previous question and answer about motivation.

Probably one of the main things to give you longevity is to AVOID taking long periods off from training. It is SO much easier (physically AND mentally) to keep your strength, skill and health...than it is to try to get it back.

The saying “A swinging gate doesn't rust” is very applicable here. If you want to be able to keep training... keep

training. You won't understand how true this is until you've lost your ability to be athletic, then try to get it back. Each time you stop, you have to “climb that mountain” to get it back... and the next time you stop may be the time when that mountain feels just too high to climb.

Secondly, choose your training partners carefully. Find ones who:

1.) Are extremely conscientious about injury prevention.

2.) Motivate and inspire YOU to keep training 3.) Make you enjoy and feel good about training

Be very protective about your training. If someone makes you feel bad about it, risks your body, or does anything else that's not good for your training and motivation, avoid them like the plague. Most people with longevity already do this.

If you have difficulty finding the right training partners... create them. Offer to teach people who you feel will

ultimately make great long-term training partners for you, then groom them to be exactly what you're looking for.