On M.M.A. #1

When I tell people who know that my hobby is boxing, jiujitsu, and mixed martial arts for the first time, they tend to think that I am joking. When I tell people that don’t know me that same thing, they tend to think that a, for the lack of a better word, “bro.” I can see, at least at first glance, how it does not match my personality. Even now, I have little in common with those I train with… conversations that I have about fighting with others who are interested in the sport are generally shallow and redundant… Nonetheless, I love it. And like with any other desire, I have attempted to understand why.

Nostalgia:

Power Rangers. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Surf Ninjas. 3 Ninjas. Bruce Lee Movies. John Wayne movies. The list goes on. Whether it was my karate obsessed uncle or my peers who shared the interest, fighting has always seemed “cool.”

Self-Defense:

From kindergarten to seventh grade, I was always getting in fights. In my private school (St. Phillips), my light complexion and disinterest in baseball was the vast minority. In public school (Washington Elementary), I thought I had enough “street cred” to talk down to people. In actuality, I had zero ability, and was generally acting in a way lashing out against my low confidence level. Thanks to my older sisters, I had developed a high tolerance for pain, and thanks to my scrawny physique, I was either constantly forced to, or otherwise felt the need to, prove myself…

To be continued...