The Deeper Side of Fighting

So, as some of you may know I'm a professional fighter, from boxing, to Mixed Martial Arts. What I want to talk about is the spiritual side of fighting, the side everyone doesn't see. When you see two fighters in the ring or cage fighting most people see brutality, they see the combat side of the sport, even serious fans heck most fighters. What a lot of people fail to realize is that there is much deeper side to the sport and a much deeper aspect to being a fighter then just what you see on the screen or live at an event.



This is a picture of me, I know, I'm a narcissist, but really. What you see in this picture is 2 battle hardened warriors fully expressing themselves in a form of combat known as Mixed Martial Arts. In the picture what you see is one man winning a fight and another man losing. What you don't see happens in the here in the gym.....

During a fight we experience INTENSE levels of clarity and of focus. It requires mental agility and planning and strategy that is like chess. Bhuddist spend their entire lives trying to find this level of focus. I wish everyone could be a fighter.



Now here in the gym is were the fight really happens, this is where the blood sweat and tears happens everyday. Here in the gym is where the real story is. Here is where I come everyday.. here is where I have to day in and day out overcome my own fears, my self its where i come out of my comfort zone everyday. In this place i find out who i am. I spar with opponents who know my style, who get the best of me more then 50% of the time. This is where i learn to dig deep into my soul where i learn how to overcome my insecurities and overcome my limitations and mental blocks. The gym is where we fighters meditate. The gym is relentless, physically and spiritually exhausting.

I know... this sounds glorified i get it. Its not really that deep, alls it is, is a workout thats it stop being such a whiner. Honestly though there is more to it then that. You really learn who you are. When you step foot in the ring everyday you learn what your limits are and how deep you can go and what your willing to do. Literally every single sparring should be pushing your limits before a fight.

In order to be a REAL fighter you need to commit to the sport 100% with your heart and with your soul. This is why you hear stories of fighters losing their minds such as Rampage Jackson during the Newport Beach event in California. The pressure is immense. Losing a fight can really break your spirit especially after 10+ years of training. It can take a man and turn them into a broken lost soul in an instant. Often we hear about fighters who go off the rails and we are left wondering why as laymens, what happened to this man who was once so great. We often hear about fighters who can't or won't quit, like Bernard Hopkins who recently fought at 47 years old. What is this, what is this about? Its a struggle deep down inside that is unrelated to anything. Its impossible to fathom the internal struggle experienced during the decades of training and running and managing your diet and sleep patterns, managing your relationships which tend to be short and non existant. Its a long and lonely road and it is only traveled by the deepest and most brave souls. It pains me to watch someone lose a fight, its hard for me to watch someone take a beating, i can feel the spiritual break that happens in a champion when they lose, i can see it in their eyes.

This story touches me personally as i have been spiritually broken in the past. So broken it has taken me years to recover.

In conclusion, i hope some of you will read this and understand that there is more to it then just 2 brutal animals beating the crap out of each other for a paycheck, or for entertainment.

Enjoy ATS.

reply to post by onequestion


There's more to every book than it's cover, be it people or even sports.

Awesome tale dude.

Its a warrior spirit !

I have it and you have it and I also respect you with out knowing you because we have the spirit in common.

I really struggle to watch non contact sports but do also understand that these sports also take a high level of skill to compete at the highest level. I was always trained hard to fight easy.

People that do not know me would maybe judge me to have violent tendencies but this could not be further from the truth. I am a gentle soul that would never be violent to another human unless In sport or though self defense.

God help you if you did try to attack me ☺

We are Spartans !

What color shorts are you?

You obviously take this very seriously. My hat is off to anyone in this day and age who take their profession seriously. I've seen the movie "The Wrestler" with Mickey Rourke. That's the closest I've come to realizing what men in this type of sport are about as I've never personally known a fighter, nor have I ever been to a match.

All that being said, a lot of people will argue that since your personal training is so physically intense, that that amount of time should be enough to release all the anger, frustration and other negative vibes you have that keep you from being spiritually content. There are people who, no matter how you rationalize it, will never understand the actual NEED for so much violence. I'm one of those people.

I fully understand what it feels like to be broken. What that means to me is that I took the steps needed to put myself out there to where someone COULD break me. Meaning that so many people today keep everything about themselves shut in or shut down, because they don't want to take the risk of being hurt, or worse, broken. These people don't understand how liberating it can be to challenge themselves into rising back up from being down. Those extremes, and those actions, add to a life, whereas people who just go about their daily lives extending themselves physically or emotionally to make more money.........those people aren't really living. They're just there. Taking up space.

But sorry, I will never understand the need for physical violence, breaking yourself physically, in order to heal your spirit. If it works for you, that's great. Personally, I have other methods.

reply to post by onequestion


Thanks for giving us an insight into the spirituality of fighting. During the short time that I trained in shaolin kung fu, I often wondered why we were required to push our body to its limits and beyond. Now I fully understand why our body must undergo as rigourous a training as our mind.

good post

ive trained over 30 years in various martial arts and it isnt about fighting...of course one learns skills but it more about understanding oneself. all of us gravate to something, why do painters paint? why do singers sing? ect ect ect

no, physical competition is not for everyone..not even me. i competed back in my youth but didnt really like so i chose to not do it. but i still trained, and helped those who wanted to compete. there is so much more in the competion and training...glad there are others out there that understand

Awesome philosophy. I totally subscribe to your meditation methods and have also been a participant in the warrior arts. Judo and Kung-Fu as a pre-teen then boxing as an adult.

However with every contest there is a winner and a loser, and unfortunately for me
I LOST THEM ALL.

there was a joke going around about me which said a local aspirin company wanted to sponsor me, but they wanted to put their logo on the sole of my boots where they could get more coverage. LOL.

but that never got me down. I'm still up for it when the need arises. But at 43 I may have to start using more diplomatic solutions.

ANYWAY your philosophy is a way of life and no doubt brings about much kinship with fellow MMA brothers and sisters.

Maybe if I had won a fight I may still be in the way of life.

Some people have it, some people don't.

Good luck with your next bout and keep us updated.

reply to post by judus


Warrior spirit for sure!

I have red shorts on.

reply to post by Trubeeleever

ANYWAY your philosophy is a way of life and no doubt brings about much kinship with fellow MMA brothers and sisters.

Maybe if I had won a fight I may still be in the way of life.

Thanks and yes it does!

Im sure you did fine even if you didnt win, cant win em all. You show heart by even attempting, anyone who even attempts deserves respect no matter what the outcome is.

reply to post by onequestion


Hi there..

I have never heard of Mixed Martial Arts before.. My dad studied some of the Martial Arts for decades and he has taught me a thing or too. Although what he always said to me was this;

"You are not trying to purposefully hurt your opponent. You are just using his own energy against himself. It is like a dance..."

I am ignorant of this Mixed Martial Arts you speak of. However purely from your picture it looks very much like boxing. A sport I do not quite understand myself..

I can completely understand the training side. Even of boxing. I can understand the spiritual side of that. But punching each other in the head seems truly bizarre from my perspective..

S/F for you though.. Interesting thread and I hope you can forgive mine ignorance on the topic...!

When I was a teenager I joined the Universal Kempo Karate Schools Association (UKKSA). It helped me get through some tough times. I made it to Green belt rank and even taught a beginner class at my high school. It kept bullies off my back.

Spiritual principles and discipline are a big part of Kempo and we were taught to prevent fights not seek them out. Awareness of surroundings is the first principle. If a fight couldn't be avoided then escape or control first, destroy only as a last resort.

reply to post by BlueMule


Good points Blue.

I big part i left out of the Op was the aspect of yourself, yourself as the biggest opponent its not about winning the fight its about overcoming yourself and what said is a big part of that.

During a fight we experience INTENSE levels of clarity and of focus. It requires mental agility and planning and strategy that is like chess. Bhuddist spend their entire lives trying to find this level of focus. I wish everyone could be a fighter.

I'm not the same kind of fighter as you are OP but I can clearly understand this mode of thinking, the transformation of the mind during training process and the psychology leading up to the "big fight".

You fight in the ring against one opponent at a time, in a well lit venue, the crowd going crazy and a good referee who can stop it if things get out of hand.

Philosophically and metaphysically ---- the physical fighter is picking his battles. What if you couldn't pick the time, place or other properties of your fighting scenario? Different kinds of clarity are involved... different kinds of focus are required.

My fight scenario: three opponents at once, with the lights turned down, without an audience.... and the possibility that the referee has been paid off. Plus, if you don't show up for the fight you will be hunted down captured and imprisoned for not showing up.

Philosophically and metaphysically ---- Although my fight was not about a physical match of strength, or agility, it was about technique, which does require intensive training. If I had not trained for the techniques my opponents were using they would have easily disqualified me... but I was (and I am) a fighter, so yes clarity and focus were critical.

reply to post by SayonaraJupiter


Wow, whatever types of fights your having sound crazy. Apart of the competition is working within the set of rules, this actually enhances the challenge.

reply to post by SayonaraJupiter


Wow, whatever types of fights your having sound crazy. Apart of the competition is working within the set of rules, this actually enhances the challenge.

reply to post by onequestion


I took Kenpo when I was twenty one. Two of my friends and I.
We spared under this sinseis direction for that first month. And at the end
of the month our sinsei had a talk with us. He told my to friends they
had a lot of potential that needed direction. And that he could help
them become good fighters. I thought I was being assed out for
some reason.

But then he addressed me and said," Randy, if you want to stay and learn
all the katas and become a black belt. Get your hands and feet registered.
And become intimate with the art. I would be honored to have you in my
class. But if you're here to learn how to fight ? I can't show you anything you
haven't already perfected.

My friends couldn't agree more. That was 1978. And people to this day
don't see it coming. I call the veins that run down my arms bolts.

You might kick my ass. ha ha ha.

I'm just glad you started thias thread so I could tell thast story.
SnF

reply to post by randyvs

I'm just glad you started this thread so I could tell that story.

Lol.

Everyone has their own experience. Its a good thing. Its really hard to find a good trainer.

reply to post by onequestion


No doubt professional fighting must need mental focus to win.
I am unsure what the point of fighting is for you , what it is about fighting others that makes it deeper than just physically harming others).
What is the point?
In a school yard kids fight (and we don't think they should) what makes your fighting different from a school yard brawl?
This is for money and prestige, in a school yard it just for prestige(ego).

I am confused why is adult fighting for money being celebrated here on ATS but at the very same time we don't want kids smacking each others brains out?

reply to post by BDBinc


Its massively different. For one we both trained professionals. The difference is when you get ready for a fight most of the fighting takes place deep within you. Its mostly you fighting yourself. Its about overcoming odds and digging deep.

reply to post by onequestion


He could have just strung me along for the money.
But I admired him for being straight up with me. So
finances dictating. I had to put my family up front
and leave with the confidence added to that natural
killer instinct. But we didn't have the cage back then
or things might have went a little different.

I could a been a contender!

Good to see a different thread like this
and I always read your posts.