The thing I love about wrestlers and grapplers is the concept of “embracing the grind.” In other words, wrestling and grappling can be so damn hard, so punishing, so bruising, that you almost can’t elevate your game unless you embrace it and just forget about how rough it can be. Your success is determined by how much more you are willing to put up with than your opponent. The ones who begin to enjoy the physical challenge and grind of practice/class start to become the ones who are most successful.

Sure, to many, this sounds extreme. But behind that rough description is a story of love and giving yourself the opportunity to flourish in something extremely difficult.

Changing your body and health are the same, and on a more humble, manageable scale. Which is why I believe for some people, it's a harder change. This is mostly because people don’t take it as seriously as the wrestler or grappler: they aren’t aware of the physical consequence.

Wrestling’s consequence is easy. You get pinned, you get worked, your body hurts, you’re miserable, and not improving. You NEED to get better. Maybe that sounds familiar... 

When it comes to health or humble performance goals, you may not immediately realize the consequences.

You may have no social consequences, because all your friends and family members are equally unhealthy. You also may not realize that the extra 10lbs you are unhappy with now isn’t a problem in your performance today, but in 5 years, you just fought an unnecessary daily +10lbs battle with gravity and will be feeling the consequences of it in your joints. Walks with your kids may not be as easy, workouts are harder, sports you enjoyed partaking in don’t happen as much- or worse, you were forced into early “retirement.”

You have to take a long term look at your diet and lifestyle to understand the consequences and how to fix it. 

Once you establish the consequences, you have one end of the spectrum. I don’t like to coach from a place of negatives, though. Fixating on the negative robs you of creativity in planning and execution. It is ultimately a waste of energy and a low-level mindset. Let’s talk about the other end of the spectrum: growth.

Growth

The other end is possibility; limitless growth and happiness that you can find in improving your situation.

In wrestling or grappling, this could take many forms: the obvious is winning. But maybe you’re a great training partner and not necessarily a high achieving medalist/winner. Those great training partners have opportunities to work with Olympians and other high achievers in their preparation for competition. That work may open up doors to coaching if you’re a good communicator. Or maybe it’s with some position we can’t even fathom. It may involve you even becoming a future member of a world champion's team, or Master’s class champion. It starts with the work though, and not sitting out of class because your ego wouldn’t let you come to class only to get beaten up a little that day: or worse, you have a (food) hangover.

No, you have to love the process and the greater vision.

The same is true of improving health markers in your life. You see that little changes like the extra two workouts per week are making: you feel a little stronger, and less out of breath while training. Imagine if 2 workouts changed this, what the possibilities are a few years from now are by simply attacking 2 workouts per week. What progress you'll have, what weight you’ll lose! 

The other secret here is that those 2 workouts will turn into 4, and a beginner’s mindset will develop as you spend a few extra hours a week reading articles on exercise, or pursuing a sport more deeply. This newfound hobby will take you to places you didn’t think of previously. Things I cannot predict.

All because you said to yourself, I have these two workouts in the bag- let’s keep this going.

You have to get out of your own way and show up though. You have to believe that you’re worth the effort and can achieve great things by simply putting one foot out in front of the other. Throwing out the junk food, stocking the fridge with quality meats, vegetables and fruits, and scheduling gym time are all shrines and overtures to you and displays of your confidence in yourself. It's you taking control and molding your world.

Without even realizing it, you’ve begun to embrace the grind. 

Be well, be strong,

Mark