Frustrating times....

When I'm thinking about what to write here it sometimes seems that all I talk about it how tough it is to find time to train, how injuries stop me training, how things get in the way - moaning basically.  Don't misunderstand, I don't think that I've got things bad, there are guys and gals out there fitting training and competing in wherever they can, the net's full of tales of getting up at 5am to train, or slotting training in around work and life as a single parent.

I guess that what makes the topic of frustration really pertinent to this blog is that trying to be a husband, father, employee, son, student, etc. whilst trying to improve one's chances of being able to fight in 12 - 18 months and not be a complete embarassment...... well, it shows that this really is a young, single man's game.  Now, I'm not saying that I wish I didn't have the responsibilities of being a father, a partner, having a relatively senior job and living parents.  No, what I'm saying is that in the scheme of things, family and the security of a good job are more important than training.  

I love training and there's no doubt that it really supports good mental health, but my kids won't be young forever and time spent with them is incalcuably precious.  I'm reminded of a recent conversation with a a chap at the gym.  He was telling me how his ex-partner won't let him see his kids and that training was a way of relieving the stress and anger that that causes him.  Taken in light of this guy's situation I'll take parent's evenings, school functions and being Dad's Taxi Service any day of the week.

So, what prompted this post?  Following a two-week lay off due to the gym being closed plus a shitty week at work I was really in need of getting to training at Leicester Shoot - there's only so much you can do at home on your own right?  I planned meticulously around family commitments, squared it with my boss to finish work a bit earlier and.......traffic, traffic, traffic.....thwarted every mile of the way!  I work about 30 miles from the gym (I live about 40 from work) so there's plenty of potential to get caught in a snarl up.  After an hour and a half in the car I gave up and arrived home in a stinker (though I really was trying not to take it out on anyone else).

This reminded my of something Jim Wendler said in an interview:

Why would you sacrifice this one life that you have for just training? Everybody has their
own set of gifts, and those things can develop or change over time. But if you're always on
Blast mode in the gym, everything else just gets thrown to the side. Sometimes, you need to
step back and take notice of other things; especially the people who've helped you the most,
and matter the most.
Wherever you are, that's where you should be. So if you're at work, be at work. If you're at
home, be at home. If you're with your buddy, be there for him. In other words, don't constantly be thinking about training when you're at the park
with your kid: If you have a bad day at the gym, don't take it out on your wife or your kid.
They didn't have anything to do with it. It's a fucking squat.

Seems like pretty sage advice, and not a little Zen either(!) but that's for another post.  I guess what I've learnt is that if I'm to achieve my goal I've got to make it happen, just not at the expense of everything else that's going on.  I've got a loving family that I need and that needs me, and they understand that I need to train in order to be who I, and they, need me to be.  It's a long haul not a sprint, and life won't end just because I can't get to a training session.

Okay, got it out of my system.  Finally, I wanted to link to some videos of the Leicester Shoot boys in action at a recent amateur event.  Lukasz in particular did a great job.  Trained with him a few times and he's a nice guy and a beast.  

Until next time.....