Give me 110%
You always hear that. Is that possible. Yes it is. I found out from running that you can run further on race day than you train. Marathoners run regular runs of 10, 12 or 15 miles to train for a 26 mile race. A marathoner will track their miles and increase the weekly amounts and try to get in an ever longer, long run every week. You can’t run a marathon if you only do 1 mile runs. I once heard an interview of a marathoner on race day and she said, I’m a waitress and I’m running around all day so I figured I could run 26 miles. I wonder how many miles before she collapsed. Maybe 5.
Same thing if you won’t kiai, you just can’t. If you only give half effort then you may have 10 percent more. That’s all. You need to focus on training. You need to put your brain on the shelf outside the door and getting into the process. You need to give 110 percent or somewhere near that. Leave it on the mat.
Once when I was teaching Cardio Karate a new student asked me after class if we had a higher level class. I was in the best shape of my life, not one ounce of fat, teaching 5 days a week. I had a circular puddle of sweat around me. She hadn’t broken a sweat. When I would look back at her she looked like she was barely moving her arms and look like she was doing a doggy paddle in a pool, certainly not punching. I said no I don’t have a higher level class but it will get harder as you learn to more into it and learn to do the techniques right. She didn’t seem to understand. She wanted me to give her a harder class when she was still at 10 or 20 percent.
Another Karate Instructor said he was accused of having favorites. He said your darn right I do. I like to teach the ones that try. Hmmm? In other words if you give 100 percent, you coach or instructor will give you more attention. Then by giving 100 percent you may receive more as a result. I told him when I went to class, I would leave drenched. I would sometimes jog or bike to class. I would ask questions after class and get extra attention. I was the first one asked if I wanted to take over the school when my instructor moved away. I said who do you think was my instructors favorite was. He said, You!
Back to the 110 percent. The point is if you never did it you can’t go to the level of someone that busts his tail when you need to. You will not be able to go there.
I can tell those who actively participate and I can tell those that want to or don’t want to be there. I can tell those who practice extra and mostly I can tell those who can win. Those who give their all in class, that’s who!
I give way more than 110 percent to my students. If I could force feed them I would. Leave it on the mats guys!
