Pulling Punches
On the surface it may seem like boxing and yoga have little in common, but can you honestly say you don’t spend a lot of time in your mind having a knock down drag out fight with your thoughts? “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” While your not getting punched in the face in yoga, Mike Tyson’s words create a symbol for how you show up in the face of adversity on the mat and in life.
Boxers train their minds to be present, calm and centered. They must have a focused mind before entering the ring. If a boxer is preoccupied by external factors and enters a fight with a distracted mind, he is prone to making critical mistakes. When the mind is steady and focused, a boxer is sharper and more alert. Yoga trains the minds to stay present and focused using poses, physical sensation and breath. On our mat a steady and focused mind means movement from shape to shape with greater ease, off our mat to ride the vicissitudes of life with more equanimity.
If a boxer is focused on the last punch they took, they’re not going to see the one that’s coming. If a yogi is focused on the pose before they’re not going to be engaged in the one they are in. Guiding the mind back to the moment is a constant challenge. The inner struggle is real. If the mind is distracted, it’s easy to go in a million different directions yet get nowhere at all.
Focusing the mind takes commitment and dedication. The inner struggle is a common theme in boxing and yoga because both force a person to look deep inside of themselves to discover who they really are. In the ring, on the mat and in life you are faced with many challenges. Some will test the limits of your strength, willpower and determination. Undoubtedly, there will be moments that will scare you. According to the late, great Cus D’amato, the difference between being a hero and a coward, is the hero always chooses to face his fears head-on. “The hero and the coward both feel the same thing. But the hero uses his fear, projects it onto his opponent, while the coward runs. It’s the same thing, fear, but it’s what you do with it that matters.” When you face your fears, its only then you have the chance to conquer them.
It may not always be easy, but as Floyd Mayweather Jr. said, “The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory.” The quote serves as a reminder that the greatest victories are often achieved through the most trying of battles.
I love these words from Bruce Lee, “I fear not the man who practices 10,000 kicks 1 time but the man who practices 1 kick 10,000 times.” He reminds us that most victories are won in the mind with discipline, patience and practice. Mindset is key. If you don’t learn to control your mind it will control you and an undisciplined mind is much like a knockout punch.
No matter what opponent you face in life, whether it’s a person, a problem, or a yoga pose; move forward knowing as Mike Tyson once said, “You never lose until you actually give up.” You won’t improve at something if you’re not working at it. Yoga reinforces this each time you get on your mat. You must show your opponent you will never back down, even if your opponent is your thoughts. The only way to destroy doubt, even if it’s your own, is to keep showing up for yourself.