Have You Thanked Your Training Partners Lately?
It’s easy to take people for granted. And the terrible truth is that, the more reliable a person is, the easier it is to take them for granted.
The problem is so bad that we’ve had to create national holidays just to remind us to stop being jerks to good ol’ mom and dad and show some appreciation for all they’ve done.
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The same problem comes up when we train. It’s easy to forget the people who make it possible. For you to even get out the door, there’s a spouse or significant other who stays home to take care of the kids. And there’s probably a hot meal waiting for you when you get home, although you’re too tired and beat up to remember to show any gratitude for it.
But you can now. So, go on and do it. I’ll wait…and call your parents while you’re at it.
Did it? Good. Don’t you feel better now?
A great way to keep that good feeling flowing would be to also thank your training partners next time you hit the dojo.
It can’t be said enough that we depend on—heck, we need—our training partners to get better.
You might have heard that BJJ Fanatics Star Michael Musumeci has won his third Worlds Gold in a row. And his sister Tammi Musumeci won Gold at the Worlds, as well. Is it any surprise that—in a 2017 interview—Michael credits his success to having his sister as a “consistent” and reliable training partner?
That interview says a lot about what’s really important in Jiu Jitsu. He doesn’t give credit to a sponsor or a diet supplement. He doesn’t talk about how essential a certain brand of tape is. He doesn’t even mention a coach.
What counts most is having a training partner who will help him work through a new move, who will patiently allow him to repeat that technique over and over again, and who will help him troubleshoot problems.
That’s what’s important—that and stuffed animals. (Seriously, listen to the interview! Stuffed animals played a role in Mikey’s success!)
Hopefully, you’re lucky enough to have the same kind of “consistent” training partners as Mikey and Tammi have in each other. For you, maybe it’s the brown belt who always starts a roll by asking what you’d like to work on? Or the purple belt who will stop in the middle of a roll and help you make that small adjustment that becomes a game-changer? Or it could be someone on the same level as you who cheerfully drills a move over and over until it becomes as natural as eating breakfast? Maybe it’s just someone who encourages you when you have a rough day on the mats?
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Whichever the case, it’s important that we not take them for granted. Obviously, you should thank them for their help. (You’re not a jerk, are you?) But give them credit, too. When you show off that small adjustment to someone else, don’t act like it’s your invention. Give credit to the training partner who showed it to you. And when you’re rolling with those awesome partners, don’t let the roll become all about you. Ask them what they want to work on, too. That way, they have a chance to keep getting better. Besides, the better they get, the better they’ll make you!
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