The Importance 
of Continuing Training during Rough Times
Many times we hear the phrase, “What goes around comes around,” or, “If you work hard enough, you’ll see the fruits of your labor.” Unfortunately, sometimes life doesn’t turn out to be what we expect despite working hard trying, to move up the ladder of success. Instead, problems multiply, your debts increase and you may not have anyone to turn to for help. In the meantime, you’re also trying to hold on to what you love best, what makes you come alive and give you not only meaning to your life but also much-needed sanity.
For those of us who practice any form of martial arts or Krav Maga, the hours we spend training hard, sparring with willing partners, and actually seeing real results, there is no greater compensation in life. At the same time when we face economic hardships and are forced to work long hours away from the mat, it can be very frustrating because you are fighting on two fronts. First, you’re trying to keep your head above water by meeting deadlines, paying your bills, combatting the natural stress of a job and secondly you’re trying to also give all you got to your training despite not being able to dedicate more time to what you really love.
So, what do you do? Do you “rationalize” and quit because you don’t have enough time or your budget is stretched to the limit? Or do you find ways to deal with new challenges and continue training despite all the obstacles? If you are a true believer, passionate about your training because you have discovered that it’s possibly the only thing that gives your life a sense of well-being and stability, then the only thing you understand is that you cannot give up.
There will be times in our lives, however, that we may be financially challenged because of rising costs of living and perhaps our salaries not compensating enough. When this happens you create a list of priorities and eliminate costs you can do away with in order to accommodate what you love most: training hard in Krav Maga or whatever martial arts discipline you choose. It may come down to deciding between having cable TV or continuing your training. Even though none of us want to have to make these kinds of tough decisions, it does makes us reflect on what is most important in our lives. In the end, we learn that training gives us more satisfaction. You’ve spent a long time, more than a year training and in the process meeting new people who have become your friends and part of your family. You have created a bond with the partners you practice or spar with and to leave this behind creates a huge void in your life.
Hard times happen to all of us and sometimes it all comes to you at the same time: loss of job, break up with a spouse or lover and so on. Training is that space you have away from all that torments you. And training is what precisely gives you the strength and the courage to face all the challenges life throws at you. Without this buffer zone or space, life’s problems simply sweep you away making you feel miserable.
So whenever the thought of quitting comes to mind, just think about the following:
- Does training give me a sense of well-being and satisfaction?
- Am I seeing real results from training?
- Have I set goals, like achieving a certain level?
- Do I feel part of a community or family that is supportive?
If your answer to any of these is yes, then you are not likely to quit. Instead, you face your challenges head-on and find solutions so that no matter what, you’re always able to accommodate training into your life. After finishing your training sessions, you’re dripping with sweat, your adrenaline is high and your endorphinsare kicking. This “high”, this priceless sense of personal satisfaction is reason enough to never quit.