On Fighting

One of the common ‘first’ questions people ask when you start a new job, meet new people or are desperately searching for a topic of conversation to avoid awkwardness, is ‘What do you like to do in your free time?’

I get to answer that question with ‘Mixed Martial Arts.’ Now, It’s been a long time since I’ve been actively competing, but I still enjoy sparring on a weekly/nightly basis and I can tell you, getting punched is really tremendous fun.

The looks I gain in return to this answer are often more of the awkwardness my co-conversationalist was trying to avoid by asking the question in the first place.

So why do it?

The majority of folks do not understand why one would, often it leaves me sore, bruised and tired. Why not simply…run or lift weights? Perhaps join a social sports league or two.

Quite simply, everything else is boring.

Mixed Martial Arts is often referred to as physical chess. During the stand up portion of fighting, one’s mind is completely consumed with assessing your opponent’s physical, stylistic and technical abilities. Once that assessment is made, you have to counter or employ an offensive strategy that will trump theirs. So if my opponent is talk, lanky and throws a great jab, I, being the shorter of the two (as I often am) have you use head movement and footwork to slip inside of their natural advantage. Then they adjust and then I have to adjust again, on and on it goes.

Brazilian Ju-Jitsu is it’s own type of chess match, but mindset and technical skill mean a lot here. If someone knows more than you, it’s hard to overcome on the ground, but one way is mental toughness and fitness. Regardless, all of these factors (and the transition between standing and the ground, which I’m not even touching on) makes for intellectual challenge.

Beyond any of this, though, is the simple clarity fighting provides. If someone is trying to punch, kick, or submit you….it is really hard to think about anything else. In fact, there is nothing else except that moment. In a cultural context where we Americans are constantly busy, constantly working, constantly distracting ourselves with a thousand silly diversions, being completely present has incredible benefit.

So jump in, the water’s fine, and getting punched hurts a lot less than stubbing your toe. Seriously. Great place to train is Beta Academy in Washington, D.C. (where I currently train) or Evolve Academy in Gaithersburg, MD.