Not competing, does that make a me lesser man

[jungle-mania]

I just finish fighting a sanshou match 2 weeks ago and I have another in 3 weeks time. I won the last one, but now I am losing the drive to train for my next comp. In fact, I don't feel like fighting. I am pretty confident of winning my next one, but i just don't feel like fighting, feel really burnt out. :(

What do you guys think, does backing out make me a lesser man or the wiser one?

[scotty1]

If you don't want to fight, don't fight.

You've recently won a match, wait until you feel like competing again. It's supposed to be fun. :)

[Ray Pina]

It takes a lot of focus and preparation for one of those matches and a lot of discipline and living right. I fought in April and I'm not fighting again till Sept.

I just enjoyed May, went out a bit, partied a little bit, enjoyed life like a normal young man. Now I'm starting to watch what I eat a bit more (will really start in July) and starting to tight up the ship.

After July 4th, then I'll kick into full gear. It is a pain in the a$$, but think how much you learn and how much better you get from this type of aproach to MA.

[unkokusai]

Originally posted by jungle-mania


What do you guys think, does backing out make me a lesser man or the wiser one?


Lesser

[Akhilleus]

What do you guys think, does backing out make me a lesser man or the wiser one?

I definitely don't think it would make you a lesser man...I would say do what you want to do...you are not guaranteed any amount of time on this earth so I wouldn't spend time doing it if you really don't feel like it...you just fought a few weeks ago so maybe after the next fight you could take a break and then if the flame reignites to start competing, you can always go back...you don't have to decide now whether or not you will ever compete again...

[Pork Chop]

jungle-mania

how much time did you take off after the last fight?
Maybe take off another week, but make sure you train those last 2 weeks.


Akhilleus

This avatar's better than the last one...
the words in your other avatar looked like a pee pee pokin adam in the eye...

[DragonzRage]

geez man, just fight if you want to or skip it if you feel burnt out. Its not like you'd be missing a big opportunity. Smokers and amateur san shou fights occur all the time. There's really no urgency for you to fight again so soon, unless you have it in mind to become a serious competitor (altho if one single match can burn you out then that's probably not a goal that really fits you anyway). Unless you have injuries or have been overtraining, I can't see one amateur match causing someone to burn out. But in the end you just gotta listen to your body. In my experience, being amped up for the fight has counted for a lot. There's been a couple times where I was well trained and physically ready for a fight, but my heart just wasn't in it. As a result, my performance was not as good as it should've been. If you're burnt out, you might end up going into the ring feeling somewhat lackadaisical or lethargic, and that definitely will get you into trouble, especially if the other guy is hyped up and bouncing off the walls anxiously to knock your head off.

[Asia]

Originally posted by jungle-mania
I just finish fighting a sanshou match 2 weeks ago and I have another in 3 weeks time. I won the last one, but now I am losing the drive to train for my next comp. In fact, I don't feel like fighting. I am pretty confident of winning my next one, but i just don't feel like fighting, feel really burnt out. :(

What do you guys think, does backing out make me a lesser man or the wiser one?

At least you fought once. So I won't put you in the lil punk ass ***** category!:D J/k

Sometimes you got to take a break. But I think 5 weeks inbetween matches is long enough not to feel burnt out. But maybe you need to step back and take a look to see if your heart is really in it. It sucks to just go through the motions when you're not feeling it.

[Meat Shake]

Why not give yourself a complete break to feel things through for a week or so? Keep up light workouts to at least keep in shape, but take a good look at what you are doing and if you enjoy it. There is no point in investing time, effort, and money into something that your heart isnt really into.

Maybe you just need a few days break and youll want to be training hard again. Who knows.

[jungle-mania]

thx all for your advice. I am not burnt out from the fight, just burnt out from the discipline of having to train everyday. Not to sound like a whiner with a million excuses on my lists, but working 8 to 6, going for training for 2 to 21/2 hours and gym and getting married a week before the comp really gets to me.

I am taking a slower pace this week to rest and reflect on it. My seniors in my school are telling me not to go as they say my stamina was really bad in the last and it would take more than 3 weeks to get peak stamina. but after waiting for 4 years, it is really disappointing not to go and fight.

You think they are right?

[BM2]

If your heart is not into it you would not be able to perform at your best. The fear of not being able to compete with the same results as your last competion may be putting pressure on you. In other words, you may be scared of losing.
Mentaly focusing can be tough. Just enjoy it.

[David Jamieson]

dude, no one will remember the stuff your started, only the stuff you finished.

all the half measures in yoru life will get washed away with time.

you don't sound like you know what you wanna do with your life! Never mind the fight thing. You sure you wanna get married? Is that the core of this all? The commitment to someone else as a lifelong partner?

hmmmn?

huh?

come on, you've told us this much!

:p

[DragonzRage]

I'd agree with your training mates, jungle. Three weeks time is really not enough to push the level of your training much further. It would pretty much only give you at most a week or little longer to train hard, after which you'd want to start tapering down and just keep relaxed and warmed up for the fight. If stamina is what you're lacking then you should give yourself maybe a month of hitting the road work harder. Once your wind starts getting to where it should be, then you can look for another fight. Stamina is often times just as important as technique in determining the outcome of a fight.

[Meat Shake]

You know... KL may have brought up a very good point. Occasionally the subconcious mind contorts reasons to look like another reason, and confuses stress.
Not just marriage, but job, kids? or anything else that puts a large strain on your life could more be the problem then kung fu actually is...
I know on occasion when I have been training alone for a week or more, Ill start to feel disheartened... But then I get smashed around by kirk and everything is ok.
:)

[red5angel]

if you've committed to the fight then do it, and then take a break. If you're not committed then why not take a break. If you don't want to fight then don't but get out of the martial arts or take an art that doesn't focus on fighting.

[jungle-mania]

Once again, thanks for the advice. To Kung Lek, yes I definitely do want to get married. She is great and I really love her alot. Additionally, she is a nurse, so at least I got someone to nurse me back after my weekly sparring.:D

And yeah, I do have alot on my mind now. Too many things in my life going on.

I will heed you guys on your advice and give this one a miss. Although, extremely grudgingly. :(

[SevenStar]

put yourself on a schedule - fight every few months or so. That gives you time to train, time to be with family, etc. and still fight.

No, not fighting doesn't make you any less of a man, and you HAVE done it before, regardless. IMO, if you have never tested yourself, you may be fooling yourself.

[jungle-mania]

Coincidentally, my senior said the same thing as 7*. Besides after all this tussle about me fighting or not for this coming comp has really made me lose the drive to fight.

Think I am going to kick back for a while and watch Kung Pow again.

[DragonzRage]

Good. Its probably the best decision. Oh, and it doesn't make you less of a man. The fact that you've fought at all makes you more of a martial artist. I've always felt that regardless of style, any MA'ist who has not and never will get in the ring has missed an important part of the journey.

Not to say that everyone has to be a fighter...cuz its just not the right path for everyone. Some become serious competitors, some fight every now and then when they get the itch (me), and some only fight a few times just to test themselves. The important thing is that you have at least SOME extent of experience truly applying your skills under fire.

[SifuAbel]

"Its does not due to dwell on dreams and forget to live."

It seems to me that you've reached that place everyone does after a certain time when you just sit back and ask yourself: "Why am I doing this?", "Whats the point?" "Where is my aim?"
The answers to these questions are very personal and can only be sought by you in your own head.

It doesn't make you less of a man for asking these questions, it only makes you more of a man to answer them. You are getting married and life is calling. You are finally growing up. Life is huge and time is short.

Bottom line, nothing is worth doing if it doesn't have an aim or heart. You are doing this for you and no one else. Even if you put down the gloves and never fought again, it doesn't matter, as long as your path is clear and you are being true to yourself.

You feel that there are other things to do? Do them, you can always return. MA is part of you and no one can take that away from you.

[jungle-mania]

Thanks for the great advice. Although I have deep remorse not fighting the next one, as I do not know when I will fight again. However, the fact that I am not focused now would be detrimental if I went on with it.

I will keep in mind what you guys have wrote. You guys have really shown to be great martial artists with your advices.