On training, smoking, poontang, and mental toughness

[Machete]

*one of my old recovered articles*

What is it with smoking and girls that takes the conditioning toll on us average, untalented athletes? They say smoking fu**s the lungs and sex fu**s the knees. To some degree, that is probably true, but in my opinion there lies a deeper psychological connection. Most people who fu** around with girls know deep down inside that they are not supposed to be doing that. Most people who smoke claim that they want to stop. But they keep it up. They don't stop. It's a vice.

They know it's bad for them, but they refuse to cease the habit. Because quitting would become an inconvenience for them. They do not want that. THEY CANT HELP IT. They have to have one more stick, one last lay.

They lack the mental toughness to make it happen.

A person who can't stop himself from doing things on impulse, rather than doing what he should be doing? What's to stop him from abandoning the gameplan when he gets hurt? What's to stop him from curling up into a ball, or going all Roberto Duran when things don't go his way? What's to stop him from stopping at 60% intensity in training, convincing himself he's too tired? What's to stop him from screwing up his diet, or not making weight? (i.e. Dawn Boyd from Oxygen's Fight Girls) NOTHING. Because he doesn't want to be inconvenienced.

Mental toughness is doing something when you don't have to. It is always easier to quit halfway. When every muscle is burning in Lactic Acid, telling you to stop NOW, when your gasping Lungs and Heart are telling you to slow down for fu**'s sake, when your aching legs are screaming at you to skip the 6 am roadwork and just stay in bed, what's to stop you from ignoring your mind's nagging you to "GET THE fu** OFF YOUR ASS, YOU PUSS*?" Mental toughness. Even your mind itself may play tricks on you. "You can do it tomorrow." or "You don't need to push harder. You're ahead of everyone else." fu** everyone else. Mental toughness is doing something when you don't have to. Because most of the time, we all know what's right. We just lack the balls to do it. And it's not entirely our fault. Some of us are just born with pussies. It's not like we had the choice.

Mental toughness. It's strange how it goes by completely different names. Competitors and commentators and fight fans call it by that overused cliche pop-culture term: "Heart." Although 90% of them do not know **** about heart, it always becomes a topic of discussion and critique. Nonetheless, it's all the same; Heart, Mental toughness, Balls. It's how far you would go. It's how much you would give up. It's how bad you want it.

Like the body, the mind must also be constantly trained and put under stress. How do we do this? Mental resistance training. Always do what's right. Because the right choice is almost always the hard choice. Do it even if the choice will be unpopular. Yes, it means you'll become a total tool and a square. But mental toughness isn't about being cool. It's about how bad you want it.

Wake up early, do the dishes, help out with the laundry, pay your taxes and bills on time, spend time with the relatives, eat your vegetables, sit up straight, don't play ball in the house, stay in school.

Cuddle your wife, talk about her day, listen to her nagging, change the toilet paper when it runs low, flush the toilet and leave the seat down, don't pee in the shower.

It simply means constantly challenging yourself; setting new goals every day that will eventually lead to fulfillment of your long-term goals. Don't just jump from one goal to another. Develop new skills. Run one more mile. Cut 10 seconds of your 100 Burpee time. Do more pullups. Read more fu**ing History Books. Anything.

Strive for excellence in everything you do, every single day. Make the right choice. Grow some balls.

Excuses make us terrible citizens.

[burungkol]

still is a great article! too bad, the comments are all gone. but if i remember correctly, it boils down to one word. discipline.

[businessdoctor]

But beyond mental toughness and discipline, I guess nicotine addiction would have to be considered.

And regarding sex before an athletic event, well, most studies seem to disprove the myth.
1. Medicine.Net
2. Electronic Journal on Human Sexuality

Even an episode of Sports Science tackled this and went against the common belief.

[Machete]

Well, nobody died from cold turkeying from cigarettes. I don't see why not.

And also, that IS an old-time myth. But the point is if your coach says no, you don't go around finding studies proving why your coach is wrong, you do what he says. Or you can get yourself another coach who cares about your feelings and what you think. If there isn't a match coming up, by all means, but when you're competing, you don't have time to waste chasing tail. It's more the distraction rather than the physiological effects. Kind of like lifting weights.

[businessdoctor]

You're right. Nobody died of quitting cold turkey. Though many people just can't due to the inherent addictive nature of nicotine. Seeing dozens of debilitated patients with emphysema and other Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease due to cigarette smoking, it still amuses me how come some still have the urge to smoke despite their condition.

And about sex before a game, if the coach says no, he's after your winning streak, just do it. If it happens that your coach uses the findings of the medical community, good for you. If your coach doesn't, he is STILL YOUR COACH! Do as he says!

Sad fact though, in the field of Sports Medicine (although the Philippine's concept of Sports Medicine is lagging way behind in terms or research and funding), the doctors medical advice is often taken at a recommendatory level and comes only behind a coach's advice (based on personal experience).

Bottom line: Do what your coach says!

In any case, apologies for seeming to trivialize the topic. This (martial arts) isn't my arena, and indeed, the article is a good read. I'm just an avid by-stander amongst those who do these things with full dedication and with all their heart. As a Sports Medicine Physician, I have nothing but respect for all athletes.

[Machete]

You're right. Nobody died of quitting cold turkey. Though many people just can't due to the inherent addictive nature of nicotine. Seeing dozens of debilitated patients with emphysema and other Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease due to cigarette smoking, it still amuses me how come some still have the urge to smoke despite their condition.

And about sex before a game, if the coach says no, he's after your winning streak, just do it. If it happens that your coach uses the findings of the medical community, good for you. If your coach doesn't, he is STILL YOUR COACH! Do as he says!

Sad fact though, in the field of Sports Medicine (although the Philippine's concept of Sports Medicine is lagging way behind in terms or research and funding), the doctors medical advice is often taken at a recommendatory level and comes only behind a coach's advice (based on personal experience).

Bottom line: Do what your coach says!

In any case, apologies for seeming to trivialize the topic. This (martial arts) isn't my arena, and indeed, the article is a good read. I'm just an avid by-stander amongst those who do these things with full dedication and with all their heart. As a Sports Medicine Physician, I have nothing but respect for all athletes.

Oh, don't apologize, doc. We enjoy a free, open discussion here, and different views are encouraged (provided they are not narrow-minded ignorant views bashing on a team or a fighter or something). And I will admit that I am not the most avid follower of what I just preached, as our instructors, particularly in boxing, are on the conservative side. It was mostly aimed at people who exhaust all their energy channeling their creative minds to make up excuses on why they suck at life (and complain about it), trying to look for shortcuts instead of doing it the old-fashioned way: with a little elbow grease and a little attitude.