IT TAKES A VILLAGE

WEEK OF 6/22/26

 

The paradox of combat sports is that it is intensely both a team and and individual sport.

Individually, you must go out there and compete alone.  No tag team partner to jump in when things go south.  Just you and the training you’ve brought into the ring.

But it’s also a team effort — that training can’t be done alone.  You need training partners, coaches, supplemental services, supportive partners.  The list goes on and on.  It truly takes a village.

As martial artists, we often just focus on those things that deliver the immediate ROI: the workouts, the training, the studying.  But building a supportive network around you is just as important, even if it feels like a “waste of time” in the moment.

We can strengthen muscles and improve reaction time.  And we can also strengthen social networks and improve the resources at our disposal, too.  Both are necessary.  Both create opportunities for advancement and success.

Take a holistic view of your training, and understand that often the effort you put into others comes back to you with interest.