Boiling Water, Frogs, and Life.

Boiling water, frogs, and life... What on earth could this have to do with my martial arts training? Let me start by reminding you of the story or telling it to you for the first time. The thing is if you put a frog in boiling water it will immediately jump out because of the heat, the pain, and his body's life defense mechanisms will kick in and get him to safety, but if you put the frog in warm water and gradually increase the heat then he will not realize he's being cooked until it is too late. When we really know how much pain, hurt, injury, and stress things cause us then we naturally tend to avoid them... But life doesn't always hit us with the knockout punch immediately.... Some things just creep up on us.

Ok, so how does this help you? Well that first cigarette doesn't kill you but if you could see the the damage it does and the expense it creates then you would never light up the first one. That first beer may not do you that much harm but ten years and 20lbs later it becomes much more difficult to put it down. Sitting on the sofa watching television and eating junk doesn't hurt you the first time but the cycle of self destruction that this and these other habits create is tremendous. Not only do the people who are in these cycles get hurt but they hurt their loved ones as well and often their children are sucked into the same cycle... So you have created a culture where people are destined to self destruct by repeating the examples that have been set for them.

Come on Chris give me some good news! All this stuff is depressing me! Well folks the good news is that we are here to help. We can teach you new habits, a new life style, and do it in a caring and nuturing enviroment that kicks your butt in the nicest of ways. Gym memberships are good they don't offer the same kind of enviroment, I'm going to teach you self defense, work you out, and make you reevaluate what in heck you are doing with your life.

If you are already training with us then keep up the good work and really give me 100% every time you are on the mat. This will boost your progress to new levels, practice daily, you eat, sleep, drink, go to the bathroom, and hopefully brush your teeth and shower daily. Well practice is at least as important as any of these other things you do.... MAKE IT A DAILY HABIT! Twenty years from now you will still be thanking me, the fitness you will achieve, the discipline you will cultivate, and the focus you will learn will be so valuable that you won't have enough money to pay me what it is really worth.

Put down the Twinkies and get busy...

Peace

Chris Holmes-Master Teacher