Just recently I got done teaching a Muay Thai sparring class for beginners, and quite often I like to do some Q&A after each session to see what each student was struggling with.
Whether it be a particular technique defensively, or setting up some combination, or just a mindset while sparring or fighting, I like to take this time because I know that when I was learning muay thai there was alot of stuff I didn’t bother asking because I was told “figure it out”.
However, something that I do think happens a lot especially when you’re starting Muay Thai is having your own definition of “good”.
What does it really mean to be good at Muay Thai? The answer is quite subjective if you think about it.
Good for one person may mean they lose 20lbs. Another good for someone else could mean they win all their fights. For some, it may be a sign they are “good” at muay thai when they don’t get sweeped that day. The list goes on.
In general, we often compare ourselves whether we realize it or not to someone else. This goes for any endeavor.
However, the best advice I can give you and the same advice I give to my students is that the only person you should compare yourself to is who you WERE the last time you trained. 9/10 times you’ll find that if you look at things that way, you’ll improve. I’m all for friendly competition and rivarly, but when it becomes the thing you obsess about, it will only frustrate you because here’s a secret…..
There is 100% guarantee someone will be better than you. This happens to the greatest of fighters eventually. Nobody is immune to it. And that’s what makes martial arts so fun! You’re always being challenged and there’s always more to get better at.
I know some people who are very driven by other people’s opinion of them. So much so that they amount what seems to be a high degree of success by worldly standards and once they realize those people don’t care it cripples their self image.
But I invite you to take a moment and step back, and ask yourself, what am I aiming for? Am I trying to be extrinsically motivated, or Intrinsically motivated?
At the end of the day, life is too short to be overly obsessed with perfection. Strive for it, and aim at it, but be unattached to it. Aim for a higher power and make that the purpose of your life. Martial arts is a wonderful tool for developing self mastery not just physically, but also emotionally as well. So the next time you train, manage your expectations, take into account your progress and compare yourself to who you were yesterday.
– Coach Taylor Kelley