•Friday, October 09, 2009
Running is going to take a back seat for awhile. I've been training in Muay Thai for a few months now, and the more I train, the more I love it. I'm trying to find ways to fit more classes into my schedule, and next month I'm planning on picking up Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as well. Right now, I'm only going 3 times a week for an hour or two, sometimes staying late or getting to class early. However, next week I can start taking women's classes in addition to the regular Muay Thai classes. It'll completely eat up any free time I thought I had, but I'm actually ok with it. Not just ok, I'm beyond excited to be doing this. Actually, I feel blessed that I have as much time as I can to be doing this, and to be working someone so accomplished as Marcelo Siqueira, the owner and head instructor of the school.
This is a totally new area for me to be exploring. No one in my family is athletic, much less a fighter. At first, I was just planning on taking Muay Thai to get in shape (I'm already down to 135 - lighter than I've been since college), but after a few months of classes, I really want more from it.
This could, in part, be because it seems as though Marcelo has taken an interest in me. He's pushing me to start BJJ, and when he's teaching the class, if there's an odd man out, he'll work on technique with me. I haven't seen him do this with anyone else, unless that person is a beginner. At first I was confused, I thought that he was only working with me because I sucked so bad. But Sean does BJJ at the same school, and has been there for about a year now, and he knows Marcelo better than I do. He told me three things:
-Unlike other instructors who don't give up on any student, Marcelo only specifically works with students who he feels has potential. He doesn't have a lot of pity.
-Marcelo doesn't push everyone to come to more classes or to take on an extra sport. He's always telling me I should come to more classes and to start taking BJJ.
-My technique isn't amazing. I am not wonder girl, one of those people who steps into the sport and picks up everything perfectly and swiftly. But, that doesn't matter, because what I have is game and heart. You can teach technique, you can teach style, but you can't teach heart.
Of course this made my head swell up to the size of a watermelon. Does Marcelo really think I have potential? I've never, by any means, been considered an athlete, but then again, I've never had the drive to do anything like I have for Muay Thai, not even running a marathon. Running a marthon was about proving something to myself, but with Muay Thai, I want to fight. If I was just doing this to prove something to myself, I could be proud that I'm really the only girl in that school who takes Muay Thai and fights with the guys. Or that after a few months or years, I could be confident knowing that I could defend myself if something ever happened to me. But I want to get in the cage and show that my hard work and focus has paid off. It's not just beating someone up or winning a match. It's about getting in there and showing your game.
And, unlike running, when I felt like I was 'tough enough' to cut corners, cut workouts, sneak a cigarette in here or there - I know I can't do that with Muay Thai. I don't want to sacrifice the opportunity I have here.
So my schedule is going to be insane. When I'm not working, I'll be at the gym.
**I had to take note, because although at times I feel like I'm on the top of the world, I have bad days at the gym, usually after sparing(and usually only if I feel like I've run out of steam). I included the link below to remind myself that I'm not the only one who feels that way, and to remember to leave all my personal shit outside the gym. Self doubt, anxieties, fear, and exhaustion - all that gets left outside the ring.**
http://www.fightergirls.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=3548
This is a totally new area for me to be exploring. No one in my family is athletic, much less a fighter. At first, I was just planning on taking Muay Thai to get in shape (I'm already down to 135 - lighter than I've been since college), but after a few months of classes, I really want more from it.
This could, in part, be because it seems as though Marcelo has taken an interest in me. He's pushing me to start BJJ, and when he's teaching the class, if there's an odd man out, he'll work on technique with me. I haven't seen him do this with anyone else, unless that person is a beginner. At first I was confused, I thought that he was only working with me because I sucked so bad. But Sean does BJJ at the same school, and has been there for about a year now, and he knows Marcelo better than I do. He told me three things:
-Unlike other instructors who don't give up on any student, Marcelo only specifically works with students who he feels has potential. He doesn't have a lot of pity.
-Marcelo doesn't push everyone to come to more classes or to take on an extra sport. He's always telling me I should come to more classes and to start taking BJJ.
-My technique isn't amazing. I am not wonder girl, one of those people who steps into the sport and picks up everything perfectly and swiftly. But, that doesn't matter, because what I have is game and heart. You can teach technique, you can teach style, but you can't teach heart.
Of course this made my head swell up to the size of a watermelon. Does Marcelo really think I have potential? I've never, by any means, been considered an athlete, but then again, I've never had the drive to do anything like I have for Muay Thai, not even running a marathon. Running a marthon was about proving something to myself, but with Muay Thai, I want to fight. If I was just doing this to prove something to myself, I could be proud that I'm really the only girl in that school who takes Muay Thai and fights with the guys. Or that after a few months or years, I could be confident knowing that I could defend myself if something ever happened to me. But I want to get in the cage and show that my hard work and focus has paid off. It's not just beating someone up or winning a match. It's about getting in there and showing your game.
And, unlike running, when I felt like I was 'tough enough' to cut corners, cut workouts, sneak a cigarette in here or there - I know I can't do that with Muay Thai. I don't want to sacrifice the opportunity I have here.
So my schedule is going to be insane. When I'm not working, I'll be at the gym.
**I had to take note, because although at times I feel like I'm on the top of the world, I have bad days at the gym, usually after sparing(and usually only if I feel like I've run out of steam). I included the link below to remind myself that I'm not the only one who feels that way, and to remember to leave all my personal shit outside the gym. Self doubt, anxieties, fear, and exhaustion - all that gets left outside the ring.**
http://www.fightergirls.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=3548
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