4 Lessons I learned from a martial arts hall of fame instructor
I've been studying boxing with the guy for about 1.5 years. I can list his other credentials but don't want to dox the guy. I did a trial lesson at his school and about 1 year later I signed up for paid lessons.
1) Stretching really matters when you get older.
You need to build your strength/muscle mass when you're young. My instructor had this image on the wall:
Walking around in hunched shoulders doesn't look attractive.
2) Perfect practice makes perfect
Time spent doing the wrong technique was counterproductive. It can extend to self improvement in general.
I remember one time he said during his career if he wasn't happy with his jab he would work on it for the day. Imagine spending 2 hours just jabbing a heavy bag.
He would correct you if you were wrong and sometimes I didn't agree with him. Before I signed up one of my former instructors suggested raising your shoulder when you jab so it offers protection.
3) If you want to have a career as a professional boxer you need to be a genetic freak AND be dedicated
The guy is over 40 and he's in very good shape. I think he can bench at least 300 and if he ever took off his shirt there would be a 6 pack.
He expected his students to take the class seriously and having been to some shitty boxing gyms I appreciated that for the most part. He also had boxing viewing events every now and then.
This can extend to self improvement. All the best keep showing up everyday for years -if not decades- while the losers quit after the first signs of trouble.
4) In self defense situations his advice is to run
This is someone who has been in more fights than most people ever will get involved in in their life. Boxing and martial arts by extension is all a sport with rules. In a street fight there could be multiple assailants and weapons. I had another martial arts instructor who loved to shoot guns and could severely hurt anybody with whatever he has on hand. In his words "I'm the biggest pussy ever."