How to use Martial Arts to beat depression

Thank you so much to [High Risk] Bipolar Cat  as she will be featuring me on her blog. Also, thank you for taking the time to read it.

You may be asking yourself: what does beating people up have to do with depression?

This is a good question. But before we get to the solution, please let me explain my situation.

I was born in Jamaica and live there until I was about 7 years old.

My family moved around quite a bit when was young, but we settled in South Florida as I entered middle school.

I cannot say, for certain, if this influenced my  anger and depression, but it does explain why I keep people at a distance.

I was taught, in my Jamaican culture that a man is supposed to be “tough”.

I soon learned that you had to be even tougher growing up as a black boy in the United States.

I confused this “tough guy” mentality with anger. So, instead of dealing with my emotions, I are suppressed them until they finally exploded.

During my outbursts, I “saw red” as they would say. It is hard to describe that “feeling” in words.

It was like you have tunnel vision to the thing that triggered you and nothing else matters.

Subsequent to these outbursts, I would fall into days of depression.

I think many of us have negative thoughts sometimes, something along the lines of “nobody likes me” or “I make everyone around me miserable.”

These thoughts overwhelm you, and it feels like you are sinking into a deep, inescapable hole.

It seems impossible to get out of the hole. Everyone seems far away. You get the feeling that nothing or nobody can help.

Quite often, I would turn to alcohol as a way to relieve the feelings. However,  alcohol only made things worse.

The alcohol would increase the frequency of my outbursts.

For 28 years of my life, I lived with this anger.

At the request of my girlfriend, now my wife of 7 years, I spoke with a psychologist.  he informed me that anger is a form of depression that I finally understood what was happening to me.

What an eye opener!

We also came to the conclusion that the only thing that consistently helped me with my depression was and still is martial arts.

Martial arts allowed me me to vent my frustrations in a positive way.

As long as I followed the rules in the gym, I could punch and kick as much and as hard as wanted.

I give thanks to my instructors, who guided me on my martial arts journey.

I went on to train and compete in several Muay Thai and MMA fights under the Sityodtong Muay Thai Academy.  I also competed in several Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitions.

I believe that these fights helped me live a healthier lifestyle and focus on a particular goal (i.e. winning the fight).

Martial arts has given me the strength and perseverance to meet any challenge and overcome any obstacle. It has indeed made me a stronger person.

Martial arts also gives you a community of like-minded people that have the same goals.

The people you meet in the gym can become your family and support system.

If you find the right martial arts school, you know you can always go back, and your family will be there to support you.

I am now a coach and Muay Thai instructor.

My main goal is to spread the positive impact that martial arts can have on people’s lives.

Thank you again for taking the time to read this blog.

If you are curious about how martial arts can help you, please continue to follow my blog at fightingiseasy.wordpress.com.

Brand New Muay Thai class

I am excited to announce I am teaching a brand new Muay Thai class on a Thursday nights at 830 pm at the Woodside Boxing Academy located at 41-25 58th St.
Woodside, NY, 11377.
We will be training on Thursday nights at 830 pm.

The class is for all ages and levels.
If you are in New York, stop by and give it a try!

Fighter Friday

I came across a cool quote to get you through your Friday.

Have a great weekend and keep fighting!

 

Father’s Day Special

ATTENTION

We need your help. Please share this message.

If someone signs up and mentions your name, you will get a free session!

This limited time offer ends on 6/20/17.

Father’s Day is quickly approaching!

Have you got dad that gift yet?

If you procrastinate, like me, then probably not.

Well, forget those boring ties, and dad sweaters.

Why not let dad relieve stress with some kickboxing lessons.

Plus he”ll get to hit stuff and what guy doesn’t like that? 💪🏽🥊

Our special includes 3 private Muay Thai sessions for $120.

Our online training special includes:

One month online exercise plan for 50% off!

Text 718-813-3744 or Email info@fightingiseasy.com for more info about our services.

Benefits if Martial Arts

Here are a few reasons why I do what I do.

Martial Arts increases your mind, body and spirit.

It promotes good health and nutrition, while giving you the means to defend yourself.

Technique of the Month_Elbows

Muay Thai is known as the “Art of 8 Limbs”.
It is known as the “Art of 8 Limbs” because we use our 8 limbs (i.e. arms , legs, knees and Elbows) as weapons to attack our opponent.
Today, I will break down the Muay Thai slashing elbow or “Sok ti” in the Thai language.
The slashing elbow is a short range weapon.
By short range, I mean we have to be close to our opponent to utilize it.
For a better picture think:
Using an axe (short range).
vs
Swinging a baseball bat (long range).
Throwing elbows can be dangerous and maybe for good reason.
Elbows are meant to draw blood or strike precisely to cause instantaneous knockouts!
In a professional Muay Thai fight, elbows can end a fight in an instant. That is what makes them so exciting.
Quick note:
In practice, we do not spar with elbows until after years of practice. Once a student is considered “advanced”, elbows can be used in practice. Even then, we usually use elbow pads for protection.
So, back to the slashing elbow.
The slashing elbow is executed quickly and efficiently.
While being on the receiving end may not be all smiles, throwing them can be fun.
You can ask any of my students that have done padwork with me.
Here is the breakdown of the the video shown above.
1. I make sure I am at the right distance to throw the elbow.
2. I bring my elbow up by my ear.
3. I chop it down to the pad and bring my hand back to my head.
There you have it.
That is all I have for now on the Muay Thai elbow.

If you are interested in learning more about my programs, please check out my webstore.
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Martial Arts for Self Defense?

One of my many joys in both life is spreading knowledge about martial arts.

There are many myths and mistruths out there.

One, in particular, is the idea that if an individual practices martial arts, it automatically makes them invincible.

The idea that a martial artist can take out 20 guys at a time or catch bullets with their teeth is not always true. Although maybe so for Ip Man.

Another misconception is that a martial arts expert, be they a black belt or Pro MMA fighter, is adept at teaching self-defense.

Well, it may be true that martial artists may be well versed in the way of combat and most of us can intelligently defend ourselves (and don’t back down from a fight).

It is not true that we can teach you in an hour (or less) how to defend against every possible scenario that could occur in the street, nor are we trained to do so.

There is specific training that is required for self -defense and many scenarios that could occur including guns, knives, thugs, the size of Brock Lesner, attacking you.

Each scenario is different and requires you to react in different ways. There are self-defense experts who have trained these scenarios for several years. These are the individuals I would look to learn how to defend yourself.

In closing, I will leave you with this conversation I had with my Trainer years ago, specifically regarding Muay Thai.

Me: Can Muay Thai be used for self-defense purposes?

Trainer: Yes…and No. While some techniques can be used to defend yourself, Muay Thai cannot be deemed as “Self-Defense”. Muay Thai is a combat sport in which two individuals agree to engage in a fight. In self-defense, at least one person does not want to engage. The goal (for the person not wanting to engage) is to escape the situation unharmed.

Me: Oh, that makes sense.

That’s it for today. Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you know anyone that is interested in martial arts or fitness, please direct them to my blog, where all my articles can be found.

-John

What is that you do, Muay Thai?

Check out this true story:

So, as I walk around the gym in my Thai shorts, a fellow gym member approaches me and he asks…

“So what is it you do again, a lotta kicks right”?
Followed by.

“Ouch that must hurt, your shins must be made of steel.”

I answer: Well, they’re not steel, but they are all banged up.”

Then, I attempt to explain that we do not just pointlessly kick each other in the shins.

So, to clear up a couple misconceptions, I will answer a few more questions that I get on a regular basis:

*Do you kick trees or steel posts?

I’ve been training 12 years and I only kick pads, bags and people. Although, there are some crazier than I that will kick just about anything.

*Don’t I need to be in shape before I start training Muay Thai?

No. You start training to get in shape, then Muay Thai keeps you in shape. Plus cardio. Always cardio but you can do both.

*Do I have to fight?

Only if you want. There are plenty of people who train just to stay in shape. There are also people who never thought they could fight, then they surprise themselves and step up to the challenge. It’s completely up to you.

So, let me round back to the first question.

*So, it’s just a lotta kicks right?

Muay Thai is the Art of 8 limbs. We have 8 weapons. Punches, kicks, elbows and knees. And of course, the clinch or neck wrestling. I could cover several issues on the clinch.

If you have any questions about Muay Thai, fighting or fitness, feel free to email anytime. It would be my pleasure to respond.

And now my question to you…

If you have not tried Muay Thai, what are you waiting for?

A General Misconception About Fighting Part II

Allow me to lead into this blog with this awesome quote from Bruce Lee. I thought it quite fitting, plus Bruce is the MAN!

So, if you have not read “A General Misconception about Fighting Part 1”, what are you waiting for? It will be worth the read.

If you are not so inclined, here is a recap.

• There is a big misconception out there that fighting is just two guys beating each other to a pulp.

• For some people, myself included,  fighting involves training and competing in martial arts such as Muay Thai, mixed martial arts (MMA), Kung Fu, BJJ, boxing….the list goes on.

You see, fighters have a passion for what they do. It is similar to a painter or an artist. The ring is our canvas, the mat is our drawing board. And the competition…

Well, the competition is a fighter’s outlet. It is our self-expression.

My belief is that fighting, in the right form, keeps a person physically and mentally healthy. It allows them to be in harmony with themselves and those around them.

I know this to be true because I have experienced the change myself.

Through the art of fighting, I have experienced many positive changes in my life. Fighting has taught me that no matter how hard things get or how much pain you’re in, never give up; keep pushing forward. You can control your own destiny.

Fighting has pushed me in ways I would have never imagined.  It has taken me to my limits and beyond, both mentally and physically.

I believe fighting can have a positive impact on people’s lives. It is the reason I continue to spread my message.

But how did this idea come about anyway?

The idea came during a time that I was fighting through some of my own demons. I was at a low point and close to giving up.

But then it hit me as I was bummed and sitting on the train on my commute home from work:. “Life is Hard. Fighting is Easy.” So simple, so true.

Sometimes, inspiration comes to you at your lowest points. I now realize that the mind works best when put in tough situations.

But, why is Fighting Easy?

Fighting is Easy is a bold statement,   I know.  But let’s take a look at LIFE.

Life poses many challenges.  Poor health, poverty, taxes, jobs, traffic, people (getting on your nerves…).  The list goes on. Many of these things we can’t control.

They are irritating, infuriating, they drive people to alcohol, drugs, overeating and violence, which I consider different from fighting.

On a side note, most fighters avoid these vices because he (or she) knows it will not help towards their ultimate goal.

 

Now, Fighting, as I see it, is something that you can control. When you face off with your opponent, all those life troubles fade away.

You know all you have to do is fight. That’s it. It’s simple. You control what happens (in the ring) and it ends in victory or defeat.

My last point, before I wrap this up, is that people fight everyday without even realizing it.

When you see a political debate on TV, it is nothing more than a fight with words. In business, there is a continuous fight to stay ahead of the competition.

People fight depression, disease and other physical and mental illnesses.

In history, the people who have fought the hardest for what they believe are the people we respect the most. Martin Luther King. Jr., comes to mind.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading. So, then let me end with this.

If you are dedicated to what you believe in, you will fight for it and this fight becomes easy. In the end, we are all Fighters. End.

Sorry for the wait!

Hey folks,

I apologize for the wait on “A General Misconception about Fighting” Part 2. Don’t worry I am still working on it.  In the meantime, I wanted to share this awesome quote that keeps me motivated!  I hope it helps you too!

In other news, Professional MMA is legal in the state of New York as of today!  Its about time! Lol