Your Enemy Is Training...

[Shatteredzen]

I would take issue with your comment about police officers and military 'not having the dedication' to train, there's a lot gets in the way of not being able to train as much as you'd like. Long shifts, deployments, injuries, not much time off, trying to have a home life while working isn't conducive to training 'in your own time'. Shift working often means your own time is at hours when martial arts classes and gyms simply aren't open. Yes, there's gyms for the use of the military on camps but military training and duties often mean that doing your own training isn't always possible.

Lack of training isn't often the problem with pro MMA fighters, lack of tactical nous and preparation can be though.

Implying these people are lazy is in itself lazy, a little understanding of these jobs help before criticising them.

I learned the bulk of my martial arts while serving active duty in the Marine Corps. I was a cop after I finished my enlistment. Training is a matter of priorities, if you want to learn you find time. Most people wont put in more than minimum effort into what they do and even those who might be willing to go above and beyond to gain a title arent necessarily willing to exhert themselves greatly over time.

 

[Shatteredzen]

The better version of you is training.

I like this one

 

[ShortBridge]

The better version of you is training.

Possibly. Or perhaps the better version of me is more involved in the community, coaching youth sports and working with at risk youth and historically disadvantaged segments of the population...and training.

 

[angelariz]

I know some may vehemently disagree with this, but let's have some (respectful) fun.

We've all seen some version of this mantra a thousand times: 'While you sit on the couch, your enemy is training '.

I have to say, this notion is such a pet peeve of mine. It gets used as a marketing tool, or people use it to try and motivate themselves or others... but how many enemies do you actually have? (and as a follow up, WHY?)

Now, I get that there are times that it is quite applicable (active duty military in a war zone for instance). Where I find it somewhat silly is seeing it posted in some gym that costs over $100/month just to get through the door (meaning you're probably living fairly comfortably if you can afford to be there).

If you are routinely rubbing elbows with people who want to hurt you; perhaps larger scale lifestyle and environment changes are in order.
If that isn't the case for you... who do you really think it is that's out to get you?
While I could wax on at length about prevention tactics (best way to not get hit by the bad guy, is to not be anywhere around when the punch gets thrown); reality tells me that you're not likely to be attacked by an elite mma fighter (who are generally really great, peaceful people).

That leaves your most likely assailant to be someone drunk or high on the street or some neanderthal with no temper control (rarely do you see that paired with high level training... it obviously exists, but I believe they are in the minority as most reputable schools weed those losers out asap).

All that to say, in most cases I don't believe your enemy is actually training... but YOU ARE. Any training with resistance has some value. Even if you're studying something a little more on the esoteric side; it's still more than this 'enemy' is doing. So I say just keep going.

The enemy is not like in the movies.

Yeah, and they only show who was here first. My screenshot captures who the one with the chip on their shoulder is!

There is always an enemy. If you live on this earth you know there are thieves, robbers, and obnoxious people in every town and city.

 

[Hanshi]

Funny, but when I first read the thread title I thought it meant that "training" itself was the enemy. I know I've felt that way from time to time, viewing it as something of a chore. As far as I know I don't have any "personal" enemies; I've always got along quite well with most people. But if I DO have an enemy and he IS training then he hasn't the time to spare for coming after me.

 

[Tez3]

I learned the bulk of my martial arts while serving active duty in the Marine Corps. I was a cop after I finished my enlistment. Training is a matter of priorities, if you want to learn you find time. Most people wont put in more than minimum effort into what they do and even those who might be willing to go above and beyond to gain a title arent necessarily willing to exhert themselves greatly over time.

Really? You choose to denigrate people because you feel the need to be superior to them. Most sane, well rounded people balance their lives, what you call minimum effort is for others is actually taking care of their families while giving their best effort to their work and other priorities.
Training may be an obsession for you but remember it's not how often you train it's the quality of that training. Better an honest hours training doing good work than hours faffing around with incorrect technique and claiming it's dedication.

 

[Shatteredzen]

Really? You choose to denigrate people because you feel the need to be superior to them. Most sane, well rounded people balance their lives, what you call minimum effort is for others is actually taking care of their families while giving their best effort to their work and other priorities.
Training may be an obsession for you but remember it's not how often you train it's the quality of that training. Better an honest hours training doing good work than hours faffing around with incorrect technique and claiming it's dedication.

Really? Whose being denigrated by that statement exactly? Every department has fat cops and in shape ones, every unit in the military has its motivated enlistees and the guys who spend most weekends restricted to the barracks. There's a huge difference between the guy who PT's a few hours a week and makes a BJJ class once or twice a week and the one who chooses to sit at home and do nothing. I've always put more time in than the minimum, out of personal choice, because that's my priority, but I'm not talking about the disparity between those hours and "an honest hour" put in by some guy with a family, I'm talking about the guy who puts in no hours, because he is more common.

 

[Steve]

Really? Whose being denigrated by that statement exactly? Every department has fat cops and in shape ones, every unit in the military has its motivated enlistees and the guys who spend most weekends restricted to the barracks. There's a huge difference between the guy who PT's a few hours a week and makes a BJJ class once or twice a week and the one who chooses to sit at home and do nothing. I've always put more time in than the minimum, out of personal choice, because that's my priority, but I'm not talking about the disparity between those hours and "an honest hour" put in by some guy with a family, I'm talking about the guy who puts in no hours, because he is more common.

To be clear, someone who trains 4 days a week will certainly perform better than someone who trains 2 days per week, if all other things are equal. So, I don't disagree with the point you're trying to make.

But the comment that it's just an unwillingness to exert oneself is a little judgy. I may misunderstand Tez's comment, but I think there's a fundamental difference between someone who shirks their professional responsibilities, such as a fat cop or an unmotivated marine, and someone who can't train aikido or BJJ 5 days a week because he or she actually has professional and personal commitments. Think of it like this. For some people, BJJ is the donut that a cop might eat when he should be training.

 

[Shatteredzen]

To be clear, someone who trains 4 days a week will certainly perform better than someone who trains 2 days per week, if all other things are equal. So, I don't disagree with the point you're trying to make.

But the comment that it's just an unwillingness to exert oneself is a little judgy. I may misunderstand Tez's comment, but I think there's a fundamental difference between someone who shirks their professional responsibilities, such as a fat cop or an unmotivated marine, and someone who can't train aikido or BJJ 5 days a week because he or she actually has professional and personal commitments. Think of it like this. For some people, BJJ is the donut that a cop might eat when he should be training.

Absolutely, there's nothing wrong with putting in less than "the max" when you have other commitments. If you are in a profession of arms however, you probably should be maintaining a certain baseline. I've never chided anyone for spending time with their family or taking care of responsibilities, on the other hand I have relentlessly teased friends to put down the video games or the beer to come train.

 

[Tez3]

Your 'relentless teasing' could be taken as bullying or boorish behaviour. I can tell you now you wouldn't be doing it to British military, you'd be told to eff off in short sharp jerky movements. We train hard and like to relax with a pint. Standards are set high and surpassed, training is hard, specialised and done with the usual British military insults towards it and each other.
With military people as well as police remember we need downtime, a time to chat, have a laugh and relax for our mental health. Endless pushing to go training could give you the opposite effect to the one you intended.
If you think you are among the 'common' people you've joined the wrong mob.

 

[Shatteredzen]

Your 'relentless teasing' could be taken as bullying or boorish behaviour. I can tell you now you wouldn't be doing it to British military, you'd be told to eff off in short sharp jerky movements. We train hard and like to relax with a pint. Standards are set high and surpassed, training is hard, specialised and done with the usual British military insults towards it and each other.
With military people as well as police remember we need downtime, a time to chat, have a laugh and relax for our mental health. Endless pushing to go training could give you the opposite effect to the one you intended.
If you think you are among the 'common' people you've joined the wrong mob.

Haven't met many US Marines have you? Bullying and boorish behavior is kinda our thing.

 

[Steve]

Absolutely, there's nothing wrong with putting in less than "the max" when you have other commitments. If you are in a profession of arms however, you probably should be maintaining a certain baseline. I've never chided anyone for spending time with their family or taking care of responsibilities, on the other hand I have relentlessly teased friends to put down the video games or the beer to come train.

I often ask my friends to hold my beer.

Haven't met many US Marines have you? Bullying and boorish behavior is kinda our thing.

Marines stand for Muscles Are Required; Intelligence Not Essential, Sir.

 

[Shatteredzen]

I often ask my friends to hold my beer.

Marines stand for Muscles Are Required; Intelligence Not Essential, Sir.

This is fair. We actually have an inside joke about how many Marines can be in a group before everyone succumbs to the group stupidity. Critical mass seems to be four, the size of our smallest fighting unit, the fireteam. Once you have 4 Marines in one place you are guaranteed to get stupid behavior or a fight.

 

[Tez3]

Haven't met many US Marines have you? Bullying and boorish behavior is kinda our thing.

I've met a few, have you met any proper Marines? By that I mean Royal Marine Commandos, have you met any Paras or any British military? They would be disgusted to be thought of as a bully even in jest.
During the last war, American soldiers were issued with instructions on how to work with the British forces, good advice look it up.

 

[Tez3]

This is fair. We actually have an inside joke about how many Marines can be in a group before everyone succumbs to the group stupidity. Critical mass seems to be four, the size of our smallest fighting unit, the fireteam. Once you have 4 Marines in one place you are guaranteed to get stupid behavior or a fight.

Our RMs are trained to work on their own if necessary, as they say, being a Bootneck is a state of mind, no place for stupidity. It's hard to get in and the training is harder, you aren't shouted at to train you're expected to be able to have the self discipline and will to push yourself. If you need to be told what to do all the time then you're simply no use. It's worked well since 1664

 

[dvcochran]

To be clear, someone who trains 4 days a week will certainly perform better than someone who trains 2 days per week, if all other things are equal. So, I don't disagree with the point you're trying to make.

But the comment that it's just an unwillingness to exert oneself is a little judgy. I may misunderstand Tez's comment, but I think there's a fundamental difference between someone who shirks their professional responsibilities, such as a fat cop or an unmotivated marine, and someone who can't train aikido or BJJ 5 days a week because he or she actually has professional and personal commitments. Think of it like this. For some people, BJJ is the donut that a cop might eat when he should be training.

Not trying to derail the thread. But the fat cop is a bad and a negatively charge example right now.
I was really fast (4.4 speed) in my LEO years. I worked alongside heavy people who could nearly keep up with me in pressure situations. I also worked with lightweights that could do the same but performed poorly during in service training.
Yes there were officers who were not that mobile but that was due to age as much as anything.

I hope this ties to the comment about willingness. Stressors can work for you or against you I believe. Mental ‘power’ in this context is very real and very powerful.

 

[Graywalker]

View attachment 26695

Let's remember we're here for fun and not drive everyone else away with constant bickering.

Oh you guys are way to late, and in perfect company, in driving people away with constant bickering. I believe that is what martialtalks main theme really is.

Driving away people with constant bickering that is.

 

[dvcochran]

Oh you guys are way to late, and in perfect company, in driving people away with constant bickering. I believe that is what martialtalks main theme really is.

Driving away people with constant bickering that is.

To be clear though; that is what some of the forums are for, like the last poster forum.
I do not ever remember this happening in a style specific forum, jack wagons aside.
This site is as diverse as possible when it comes to martial arts. It also offer forums for casual conversation so a person has to know where/when/what they are responding to.
It can be a double edged sword sometimes.

 

[Graywalker]

To be clear though; that is what some of the forums are for, like the last poster forum.
I do not ever remember this happening in a style specific forum, jack wagons aside.
This site is as diverse as possible when it comes to martial arts. It also offer forums for casual conversation so a person has to know where/when/what they are responding to.
It can be a double edged sword sometimes.

Diverse bickering, is still bickering...and is what runs a majority of people off. Keyboard warring, is getting old, in all categories.

It is simply not productive.

 

[Tez3]

Diverse bickering, is still bickering...and is what runs a majority of people off. Keyboard warring, is getting old, in all categories.

It is simply not productive.

One person's bickering is another's discussion. Often when people complain about bickering what they actually mean is they don't like being disagreed with.