Brian McLaughlin – who runs the most successful Muay Thai Program in Poughkeepsie, NY at Precision MMA offers his insight into the essential component for Muay Thai success.
Poughkeepsie Muay thai
Like most things worth doing, Muay Thai training is not easy and does not come without its fair share of sacrifices, hardships and setbacks. The road to muay thai mastery is littered with crucibles that will test the physical and mental fortitude of all who venture down its path. Although most practitioners recognize this reality, few can accurately pinpoint the most difficult part of Muay Thai training.
It is not the flawless execution of an intricate technique, not the development perfect timing or the toughness necessary to absorb punches, kicks, knees and elbows. While all these things offer their own unique challenge there is one task that far supersedes them. What is this incredibly arduous challenge that is responsible for the attrition of so many martial artists?
Showing up.
Over the past decade I’ve seen countless people in my own hometown of Poughkeepsie, NY who possessed blinding speed and dynamic technical execution. Students blessed with seemingly photographic memories for even the most complicated techniques and unique combinations, practitioners with unreal pain tolerance, who could take the hardest of shots without even batting an eye. These individuals, while in the minority, were not outliers. Every year a new crop of these types would filter in and out of every Poughkeepsie academy I attended.
However, a Poughkeepsie muay thai student with stable attendance month in and month out was rare as a shooting star. The hurdle that trips up even the most talented students is simply showing up to class on a regular and consistent basis.
Over the years I’ve looked at world champions from all areas of muay thai and tried to find some commonality which was responsible for their great success. What I found was a huge amount of diversity and disagreement. From techniques and training methods to lifestyles and backgrounds, there is an incredible amount of variation from one champion to another. However, there is one thing they all did and one thing they did NOT do. All of them showed up to train and none of them quit.
The first time I went into the Renzo Gracie academy I saw their team logo written across the wall “Through endurance we shall conquer”. This phrase wasn’t heralding the virtues of cardiovascular training, but rather reminding members that success is reserved for those that stay the course.
The good news is that attendance is well within everyone’s capabilities. Mensa level IQ and Herculean strength are not prerequisites to martial arts success. Consistent dedicated attendance in spite of all life’s twists and turns is the golden ticket. Make martial arts a priority in your life and don’t abandon ship as soon as the water gets choppy. A beautiful island awaits passengers that remain on the voyage.
If you’d like to begin training Muay Thai in Poughkeepsie, NY check out Precision MMA’s 30 Day FREE Trial, to get started call 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.poughkeepsiemuaythai.com
