Skip to main content

The Spiritual Edge

Manny Pacquiao aka "Pac-Man" is one of my all-time favorite pro boxers, both inside and outside the ring.  It is well-known that he is a devout Christian.  Many other top combat sports competitors, such as MMA star Cris Cyborg, attribute much of their success to their faith.  I believe that having a connection to a higher power is gives an athlete a spiritual edge and is beneficial to success as a competitor in Boxing or MMA.  

Lately, I have been meditating on a Bible verse that imparts great advice for athletes who want to be their very best.  1 Corinthians 9:26 says "So I do not run without a goal.  I fight like a boxer who is hitting something - not just the air."  What the Apostle Paul was saying with these sports analogies was that he approached his mission as a Preacher of the Gospel with a clear purpose.  He also had discipline.  The Apostle did not let anything distract him from his mission.  Success in the ring or octagon requires purpose and discipline.  

A fighter with an upcoming bout that goes to the gym and half trains or just goes through the motions, is not preparing themselves with purpose.  On the other hand, the purposeful fighter knows the strengths and weaknesses of his opponent and works hard to prepare to succeed against that particular opponent.  Back in the old days, boxers would forego sex when they were training for a fight.  They did not want any distractions during training camp.  This took discipline, but they understood that to be a champion you had to exercise discipline and self-control. 

Apostle Paul went on to write two-thirds of the New Testament of the Bible and become one of the most influential Christian leaders in history.  This would not have been possible without him living his life with purpose and exercising discipline.  So I encourage all combat sports competitors, no matter your faith or religion, to take a page from the Apostle Paul and exercise discipline in your pursuit of greatness and re-dedicate yourself to training with purpose.   






Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Physics of Power for Combat Sports Participants

Introduction A basic understanding of physics can lead to an improvement in athletic performance.  One concept from physics that is especially relevant to boxers and other combat sports participants is "power."  The colloquial term for power in the context of sports is "explosiveness."  Power is defined as the rate at which work is done.  For example, if you watch Mike Tyson's boxing matches from early in his career you will see explosiveness or power in action.  The ability to quickly apply enough force to knock someone out before they knew what hit them is "power." In physics, power is expressed in watts.  For example, the power used for walking is about 280 watts.  The power used for playing basketball is about 800 watts.  The power used for sprinting is about 2,415 watts.  The power used for boxing or MMA would probably rank somewhere between 800 and 2,415 watts.   The Work Component of Power In physics, work is define...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to Make Boxing a Safer Sport

Oleksandr Gvozdyk knocking out Adonis Stevenson  I enjoyed watching the boxing match this past weekend between Adonis Stevenson and Oleksandr Gvozdyk.  Unfortunately, my enjoyment quickly turned to sadness when I found out that Stevenson suffered severe brain trauma from the fight and is now is now lying in a hospital bed in critical condition.  Stevenson's nickname in the ring is "Superman."  But even Superman had his kryptonite.  The one thing that could take away his superpowers.  For boxers, brain damage is kryptonite. I received my first pair of boxing gloves when I was about 12 years old.  My stepfather actually bought me two pairs.  I could not wait to put them on and convince one of my cousins to box with me.  We went all out.  No headgear, no mouthpiece, and no cup.  If I knew then what I know now, I would have been much more careful.  Now I am a boxing trainer and I never let my boxers go all out in sparring...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why Do Boxers Jump Rope?

No doubt you have seen video of boxers jumping rope.  The flashy and mesmerizing moves.  It is not all for show.  Jumping rope is one of the best ways to improve your footwork for fighting; whether in boxing, kick-boxing, or MMA.  It helps your rhythm, balance, coordination, and endurance.  The exercise strengthens your calf muscles.  Jumping rope is great for a warm up exercise before you engage in more strenuous work in the gym. The basics - rotate your wrists, not your arms and try to just clear the rope with your hops, and look straight ahead and not at your feet.  Now grab a rope and start skipping!
Post a Comment
Read more