Mind over Body

Last night I watched the Sihing class run through the sequence of timed kicks and punches that is part of the black belt grading. It was strange to be on the sidelines but it was a great learning experience. Sifu Brinker talked after class about how it's more of a mental struggle than a physical one to get through something grueling, and so it is. I read about a man, and "ultramarathoner" who said that usually when our brains are telling us we can't do anymore that we are actually physically capable of giving another 50%. Many marathon runners are older than you might think-with age we learn to have the mental fortitude it takes to accomplish these great physical challenges. I remember practicing my timed horse stance with bean bags for the grading, my legs were burning and shaking, the sweat dripped down my face- I couldn't hold it another second... so I stood up. If I had really held that horse stance to my physical limit I would have fallen down, not stood up. Learning to use the power of my mind to push myself physically was the most powerful tool I gained during that training time. I can't say I don't still give in to my body's demands when I'm working out, but it's gotten better.

I remember being in Sihing class after doing the timed kicks and feeling like there was absolutely no way, EVER, that I would be in good enough shape to grade for black belt and succeed. As Sifu Brinker said- that was 16 minutes out of your 12 hour grading. Preparing physically is very important,but it's the mental part of these workouts that will serve you even better. Always push yourself and your mind will get stronger as well as your body.