The other day I started complaining to my wife about how I didn't have the money to get the most out of my training. I can't afford things like Mario Sperry tape sets or seminars, hell I can barely afford to train. I don't have a fancy gym to lift at, only an unfinished basement with a weight pile. I can't afford fancy creatine like Cel Tech. When I have to run, I have to run in the snow. I would love to suppliment my training and buy a BUBBA dummy, but odds are, I won't ever be able to afford to get one. So I'm complaining and I'm saying that I want to get the most out of my training but I wondered if I could ever really reach my potential this way.
Then my wife reminds me. She reminds me of Francis Barrett. An Irish Traveler. A guy like Brad Pitt's character in the movie 'Snatch'-only this guy is real. A guy who was a boxer. He lived in a rusted out old trailer park without electricity or running water and trained in a tin shack. The roof leaked when he it rained (and it rained quite often). He didn't have money for a nice double end bag and a speed bag, he didn't even have a heavybag. No, when Francis trained, he hit an old matress with exposed springs. All of his equiptment was home made.
Francis' trainer was a local barber. He ran a gym that was completely underequipted and understaffed by any standard.
Francis' sparring partners were his brothers and the kids from the neighborhood. They didn't have a ring to practice in, they sparred in the middle of the streets, sometimes in the pouring rain.
Francis went to the Olympics in 1996 representing the country of Ireland. He carried the flag durring the opening celebration. He outpointed his first round opponent by the largest margin ever recorded in an opening round Olympic bout. Francis Barett doesn't have a television to watch tapes on, hell, he doesn't even have the convinience of central heating, a warm shower.
So if he did it- why can't I? Whenver you start feeling like you don't have all the fancy perks, so you can't make it, think of Francis Barett. Overcoming the odds will help make you a man. Fighters are not made only by training "at the best place with the best guys". Champions are the people to dedicate themselves, who believe that in spite of anything they will find a way to win- to be their very best.
There are no excuses, you only get out what you put in and no matter how much you spend on fancy things, what it boils down to is how much you want to succeed.
Ever hear of a Croation fighter who won some pretty spectacular K-1 fights without any sparring partners?
Win in spite of your circumstances and the victory will be that much sweeter.
buddie
-You can see Francis' story on the documentary "Southpaw".
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005KH2W/qid%3D1076261687/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/104-3198644-1995961
Wow. Great post and really inspirational. Thats awesome.
SA
Thanks.
*edited for clairity*
buddie
ttt thats great
My gym doesn't have a cappucino machine and it is really pissing me off.
I'm not really sure how that hurts my argument. The whole point of the thread is to believe you can win no matter what your circumstance is in spite of not having nice things. Barett is only an example of that. I used his story to get my point across.
buddie
Did your wife really remind you of this? If so, you've got a pretty cool lady.
She did. I made her watch that documentary when we were dating. I almost forgot I had it until she brought it up in this conversation. She is a cool lady. She makes sure I get up in the morning for my roadwork and cooks me breakfast for when I get done.
buddie
I rented that documentary at Hollywood Video a couple years back. Recommended.
I agree with you Ilustrimo Master, but you can only control that to a certain extent. People should not make that an excuse not to even try to compete.
buddie
An argument can be made that training in a nice club and having the best of everything can make you spoiled.
Training in shitty conditions can toughen you up and make you more determined.
Baroni said in an interview on MMAWeekly radio that he was going back to NY, getting a shitbox car, eating tuna out of a can, in essence doing old school training.
There's must be a reason why he would do that to himself when he has access to the best facilities.
Great post!!! This place needs more posts like this.
www.massbjj.com
People like Francis who grow up i poor conditions have something you cant get from expensive equipment: Heart. I saw the dosumentary to, good tv.
Hate to spoil, your thread cause you got a good point, but lets not forget francis lost his next fight decisively
I don't think it spoils the point. Look how many outstanding all star fighters we have gotten from the Olympic classes of the 80's and 90's alone. Guys who have trained in America with the best training facilities available who have not won gold.
Floyd Mayweather Jr., Antonio Tarver, Roy Jones Jr.*
Evander Holyfield*, Lawrence Cley Bey, Riddick Bowe,
Fernando Vargas, hell Shane Mosley couldn't even make the team.
and tons and tons of other top guys. The point is, its really something special to even go to the Olympics.
buddie
I'd take heart and desire over training and resources but that's just me.
"Its hard to get up and run at 4:00 AM when you are sleeping in silk pajamas"
buddie
Imagine how good that dude would be if he had some
Cell Tech Creatine...
I'm gonna check out that video...
*Dislaimer*
the video is in english but it is subtitled and you will need to read the subtitles due to heavy accents.
buddie
Just remember in Rocky 4 when Ivan Drago was training in the gym with all of the state of the art equipment and Rocky trained in a barn and ran in the snow
Who wears pajamas?
Good thread BTW!
Thanks guys, I'm going to train now. See you tommorrow.
buddie