THE RED CORNER
NEWS AND UPDATES FROM THE NORTH STAR ACADEMY OF MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 21st, 2026
Happy Monday team!
Another great week of training in the books! Not much on the event calendar over the coming weeks, with the exception of an awesome guest coach session next Tuesday evening (which I’ll detail below).
In lieu of a drawn out newsletter, I want to share a perspective that’s been extremely helpful for me. I’ve been consistent with my training for almost 22 years (my train-aversary is in October!) so while I may not be on the vanguard of competitive martial arts, I do have a useful perspective on consistency.
So, here goes. We are AWFUL at being honest with ourselves. And, it’s not really our fault. It’s just how we’re built. I’ll give you an example: ever go grocery shopping on an empty stomach? And notice how we make decisions on what to purchase in this state that we’d ordinarily not make if we had just, say, eaten a meal? Our needs and impulses guide our thoughts, and things that seem smart in certain situations seem downright silly in others.
We have similar dynamics in training. There’s that pivotal moment where we finish our work, and get ready to head out to the gym. That’s when those thoughts start coming in. “Maybe I deserve some rest,” or “maybe I should catch up on XYZ show instead.” I get it.
Training is hard. It’s unpleasant in its own way. And in the modern world, there are thousands of activities that are more fun in the moment. However, the trick to maintaining a consistent regiment is to place an extremely high value on your momentum (momentum is the grease between the gears of discipline), and to always focus on how you’ll feel AFTER training.
I’m always happy to have trained. Whether I have “up” days or “down” days, I’m always proud of myself for putting in the work, because I know it has value. I’m usually more relaxed, more at peace, and grateful for the opportunity to move around and have fun. And I’m sure you are too. That’s why we’re in this together.
So, just some thoughts!
We welcome guest coach Kyle Vashkulat into North Star next Tuesday, September 29th, for a workshop focusing on Judo grips and trips. Kyle is a member of the 2012 London Olympics USA Judo team as well as a BJJ brown belt, and he will be sharing his world class (this phrase is tossed around liberally but in this instance it is quite literal) expertise with us.
This workshop replaces our 7:30pm gi class and is open to all students — however, a gi is required! There is no cost to attend this event, either, because you guys rock and deserve only the best 🙂
And, lastly, just a quick reminder that we have made a small adjustment to our BJJ schedule. Wednesday and Friday night BJJ is now “nogi, all levels.”
See you on the mats!
–Coach Jackson
Monday Mindset: Accountability