As you may know, I made a trip over to Portland, Oregon this weekend to meet my first Taekwondo instructor from 1978. I must say, I was a little nervous. It had been 29 years since he has last seen me. I was only 5 years old at the time we moved away and came to Boise.
I didn’t train while I was there, but I sure wish I could’ve. Timing didn’t allow it. Instead, Rachel and I enjoyed listening to stories from long ago. For instance, in 1980, my old Grand Master, Hong Sik Kim, insisted that Master Bettencourt move to Boise to open a Kim’s Taekwondo school. I had known this, but didn’t know some of the details that went along with it.
First, let me explain something about native Koreans. Their culture is based strongly on hierarchy. The hierarchy exists in practically every industry, be it- politics, airline pilots, schooling, or martial arts. In the United States, we have the same hierarchy, just not taken to the same extreme. For instance, a person lower on the hierarchy tree does not question the person above. In addition to that, there is strict seating order at a table, as well as in the car, and even criteria for who enters a building first. In the United States, we follow many of the same criteria to be polite. In Korea, it’s to establish pecking order.
WhenGrand Master Kim decided that there should be a Taekwondo school in Boise, he chose Master Bettencourt to run it. Grand Master Kim took Master Bettencourt on a trip to Boise to show him where the new school would be. Master Bettencourt thought the trip was to see Boise and to decide if this were a place he would want to live and operate a martial art school in.
Well, upon arriving to Boise, Grand Master Kim was excited to show Master Bettencourt the half page phonebook ad he had already placed… with Master Bettencourt’s picture! I could only imagine the look on Master Bettencourt’s face at that very moment. Master Bettencourt enjoyed Oregon and Washington and was used to the environment, and felt uneasy about making the decision to pack up and start a new life and business in another state.
While contemplating the decision on the way back to Oregon, a loud bang happened under the hood of Grand Master Kim’s car. Immediately, Master Bettencourt knew a push rod must’ve blown in the engine. He asked Grand Master Kim when the last time he checked the oil. Grand Master Kim responded, “Oil?”
Whether it was the chain of events, or his intuition, Master Bettencourt decided, at that moment, he would not move to Boise to open a school. Instead, it was my father that started a Kim’s Taekwondo, but not out of the pressure of Grand Master Kim, but rather because he took a job at Morrison Knudsen, coincidently, just after Master Bettencourt decided to stay in Oregon.
Two years later, my father took a different job in Saudi Arabia. At that point, his students were then turned over to Master David Knife who came over to Boise in 1982, of course, under Grand Master Kim’s gentle recommendation.
“So what now?” some people have asked? Master Bettencourt and I decided that there are many things that we can share with each other to help ourselves and our students grow. We discussed many things relating to both the curriculum as well as the business aspect of our Taekwondo schools.
We also discussed doing seminars for each other. In fact, I am going to be getting him some dates to have him come to Boise to put on a special workshop for all of our students. It would mean the world to me to have all of you attend! I will keep you posted.
Respectfully,
Master Richardson
Chief Master Instructor
The Academy of World Taekwondo
www.FreeKarateLesson.com
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Reconnecting With My First Master
I was so excited the entire way to Taekwondo school. I was going to do my first Taekwondo class with my dad in Longview, Washington. It was 1978.
I remember the day vividly. When we got to the Taekwondo school, I received my dobok (uniform) from Mr. Bettencourt, now Master Bettencourt. His first name is Steve. I went into the cramped changing room with a few other students, giants actually (adults).
I was so embarrased to change in front of them, that I put my uniform on completely over my clothes. I came out with about 5 inches of blue jean material sticking out below my dobok.
I'll admit, I didn't think anyone would notice, but everyone did. It was okay, because nothing was going to hinder this day. I remember my attention being quickly drawn to a group of students huddled in the corner. After I made my way over there, and peering through the legs of the other students, I saw a young gentleman, probably 19 or 20, being rooted on as he cranked out endless fingertip pushups. When he finished, the students applauded him. I asked my dad why he was doing all those pushups and he told me that he was preparing for his Black Belt test. I was hooked!
It was my first exposure, that I can remember, to perseverance. The will and the discipline this gentleman had to get all these pushups done touched me. It was my first Black Belt lesson as a white belt.
Two days ago, I spoke to Master Bettencourt on the phone and we chuckled about that first day in class over 31 years ago. Although it's been 29 years since I've seen Master Bettencourt, he still remembers me, my mom and dad, and two sisters.
I must say, I am really looking forward to this trip!
Respectfully,
Master Richardson
www.FreeKarateLesson.com
I remember the day vividly. When we got to the Taekwondo school, I received my dobok (uniform) from Mr. Bettencourt, now Master Bettencourt. His first name is Steve. I went into the cramped changing room with a few other students, giants actually (adults).
I was so embarrased to change in front of them, that I put my uniform on completely over my clothes. I came out with about 5 inches of blue jean material sticking out below my dobok.
I'll admit, I didn't think anyone would notice, but everyone did. It was okay, because nothing was going to hinder this day. I remember my attention being quickly drawn to a group of students huddled in the corner. After I made my way over there, and peering through the legs of the other students, I saw a young gentleman, probably 19 or 20, being rooted on as he cranked out endless fingertip pushups. When he finished, the students applauded him. I asked my dad why he was doing all those pushups and he told me that he was preparing for his Black Belt test. I was hooked!
It was my first exposure, that I can remember, to perseverance. The will and the discipline this gentleman had to get all these pushups done touched me. It was my first Black Belt lesson as a white belt.
Two days ago, I spoke to Master Bettencourt on the phone and we chuckled about that first day in class over 31 years ago. Although it's been 29 years since I've seen Master Bettencourt, he still remembers me, my mom and dad, and two sisters.
I must say, I am really looking forward to this trip!
Respectfully,
Master Richardson
www.FreeKarateLesson.com
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
1,000 Pushups in a Day
Today, I pledged that I would do 1,000 pushups. A few people have asked why? Of course, I responded with, "why not?"
I'll have to admit, I became inspired to do this by a little girl in Isaac's kindergarten class. Yesterday, I was volunteering in his class and I noticed this girl would quietly get out of her chair and do 10 pushups. She did this about every 2 minutes at every single station. She didn't do it for attention nor did she disrupt anyone at the same time.
I asked her why she was doing them, of course shy as all get out, she just shrugged her shoulders. I thought to myself after that, "what an opportunity to challenge my self discipline." Besides, if a kindergartener can do it, I can too!
So here my little self discipline project...
1,000 pushups in 12 hours. I remembered an old statement, "How do you eat an elephant?" Answer- "One bite at a time." So, my plan is to do 50 pushups every 30 minutes. Now that I'm halfway through the day, I can see that I set my sights a little too low. It's funny how daunting tasks suddenly become small once you decide to take them on!
Stay tuned for when I do 2,000 in a day!
Respectfully,
Duncan Richardson
I'll have to admit, I became inspired to do this by a little girl in Isaac's kindergarten class. Yesterday, I was volunteering in his class and I noticed this girl would quietly get out of her chair and do 10 pushups. She did this about every 2 minutes at every single station. She didn't do it for attention nor did she disrupt anyone at the same time.
I asked her why she was doing them, of course shy as all get out, she just shrugged her shoulders. I thought to myself after that, "what an opportunity to challenge my self discipline." Besides, if a kindergartener can do it, I can too!
So here my little self discipline project...
1,000 pushups in 12 hours. I remembered an old statement, "How do you eat an elephant?" Answer- "One bite at a time." So, my plan is to do 50 pushups every 30 minutes. Now that I'm halfway through the day, I can see that I set my sights a little too low. It's funny how daunting tasks suddenly become small once you decide to take them on!
Stay tuned for when I do 2,000 in a day!
Respectfully,
Duncan Richardson
B.E.A.T. Down Defense
B.E.A.T. Down Defense
It's early in the morning...
You stop at the grocery store to pick up treats for a Birthday party later that day.
Suddenly, the painful groan of a man laying beside his car calls your attention. He appears handicap as he lay helplessly trying to reach his cane which is under the car.
You look around, and see there is nobody to help. You make the decision to help the man as he painfully reaches for his cane. You help.***
Ted Bundy was convicted of murdering over 30 women, and later confessed to over 100 moments before he was executed. Playing the role of a handicap man was one of Ted Bundy's many roles to lure women.
There are many stories like this in history that bring frustration to me. It frustrates me that these people
exist in our society. It frustrates me when a woman is attacked by a man like this, and they don't always
have the skills to give them a B.E.A.T. Down Defense.
B- Beware. The first rule of self defense is to always be aware of your surroundings. Never take anything for granted, and approach unusual situations with caution.
E- Empowered. It's time to become empowered and know that you are strong and that you can possess the knowledge to take somebody down twice your size. The moment you realize this, is the moment an assailant chooses not to mess with you.
A- Attack. If the moment comes that you must fight for your life, then you will not just defend yourself, but you will attack with a storm of thunderous punches, kicks, and elbow strikes. Getting attacked by a swarm of killer bees would be more favored by your assailant.
T- Take off! When your first opportunity arises to get away, you will take it! Whether you are winning or losing the battle, your goal is to break free and get to safety in order to win the war.
The Academy of World Taekwondo will be providing a 2 hour B.E.A.T Down Defense workshop to teach women the physical & mental skills of self defense described above.
Here are some FAQ's
Q. What will be covered in the program?
A. Participants will spend a portion of the class learning about:
1. The criminal mind and how they choose their victims
2. How to remove yourself as a potential target for these criminals
3. Simple tips to stay safe while you and your family sleeps
4. How to implement B.E.A.T. (Beware, Empower, Attack, Take Off)
The other portion of the program will teach students:
1. Verbal defense and non-violent techniques for low risk situations
2. Techniques for: Striking, joint submission or breaking, and leveraging someone much larger than you
3. Scenario defense- Pinned Against a Wall, Pinned on the Ground, Attacked in Your Car, Grabbed Unexpectedly
Q. Is this appropriate for all ages?
A. No. This program is specifically designed for adult women and teenagers. Keep in mind, the attacks and motives for criminals vary for men and children targets.
Q. What do I wear?
A. Comfortable clothes (exercise attire). We are going to move around and sweat! B.E.A.T. Down Defense is more than just self defense techniques, it's also about building strength and endurance to dominate any situation from a sleazy, no good- attacker!
You can get more information here: BEAT Down Defense
When: Monday, Apr 27th
Where: AWT-EAGLE
Time: 5:45 to 7:45 pm
Cost: $25
Who: Students & Friends of AWT (13 yrs +)
Enrollment Limited to 30
When: Wednesday, Apr 29th
Where: AWT-BOISE
Time: 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Cost: $25
Who: Students & Friends of AWT (13 yrs +)
Enrollment Limited to 20
It's early in the morning...
You stop at the grocery store to pick up treats for a Birthday party later that day.
Suddenly, the painful groan of a man laying beside his car calls your attention. He appears handicap as he lay helplessly trying to reach his cane which is under the car.
You look around, and see there is nobody to help. You make the decision to help the man as he painfully reaches for his cane. You help.***
Ted Bundy was convicted of murdering over 30 women, and later confessed to over 100 moments before he was executed. Playing the role of a handicap man was one of Ted Bundy's many roles to lure women.
There are many stories like this in history that bring frustration to me. It frustrates me that these people
exist in our society. It frustrates me when a woman is attacked by a man like this, and they don't always
have the skills to give them a B.E.A.T. Down Defense.
B- Beware. The first rule of self defense is to always be aware of your surroundings. Never take anything for granted, and approach unusual situations with caution.
E- Empowered. It's time to become empowered and know that you are strong and that you can possess the knowledge to take somebody down twice your size. The moment you realize this, is the moment an assailant chooses not to mess with you.
A- Attack. If the moment comes that you must fight for your life, then you will not just defend yourself, but you will attack with a storm of thunderous punches, kicks, and elbow strikes. Getting attacked by a swarm of killer bees would be more favored by your assailant.
T- Take off! When your first opportunity arises to get away, you will take it! Whether you are winning or losing the battle, your goal is to break free and get to safety in order to win the war.
The Academy of World Taekwondo will be providing a 2 hour B.E.A.T Down Defense workshop to teach women the physical & mental skills of self defense described above.
Here are some FAQ's
Q. What will be covered in the program?
A. Participants will spend a portion of the class learning about:
1. The criminal mind and how they choose their victims
2. How to remove yourself as a potential target for these criminals
3. Simple tips to stay safe while you and your family sleeps
4. How to implement B.E.A.T. (Beware, Empower, Attack, Take Off)
The other portion of the program will teach students:
1. Verbal defense and non-violent techniques for low risk situations
2. Techniques for: Striking, joint submission or breaking, and leveraging someone much larger than you
3. Scenario defense- Pinned Against a Wall, Pinned on the Ground, Attacked in Your Car, Grabbed Unexpectedly
Q. Is this appropriate for all ages?
A. No. This program is specifically designed for adult women and teenagers. Keep in mind, the attacks and motives for criminals vary for men and children targets.
Q. What do I wear?
A. Comfortable clothes (exercise attire). We are going to move around and sweat! B.E.A.T. Down Defense is more than just self defense techniques, it's also about building strength and endurance to dominate any situation from a sleazy, no good- attacker!
You can get more information here: BEAT Down Defense
When: Monday, Apr 27th
Where: AWT-EAGLE
Time: 5:45 to 7:45 pm
Cost: $25
Who: Students & Friends of AWT (13 yrs +)
Enrollment Limited to 30
When: Wednesday, Apr 29th
Where: AWT-BOISE
Time: 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Cost: $25
Who: Students & Friends of AWT (13 yrs +)
Enrollment Limited to 20
Friday, March 27, 2009
1 Fat Burning Tip I Bet You've Never Heard Of
Dear Friend,
I have a fat loss tip that I bet you've never heard of, but first, let me explain a couple things. We've all heard that having a Lean and Strong body comes from exercise and good nutrition. Let me remind everyone, there are many items to the equation. It's not JUST exercise and good nutrition. If you've followed me, or have done our Ultimate Body Challenge (UBC), then you also know that I am a proponent for revving up your system... getting your metabolism working for you and not against you.
Having a metabolism that is rippin' and roarin' is like owning cash flowing rental property- your money works for you. A faster metabolism will be working for you to ensure food doesn't have a chance to get stored as fat, but rather gets burned up.
There is still another piece to the puzzle though. Let's say we get our metabolism just smoking, does that mean no matter how much we eat, we'll burn it off? The answer is a resounding no. Have you heard of "Calories IN, versus Calories OUT?"
In our Taekwondo class, I was explaining this concept to two of our teenage students before class. Yes, I preach good nutrition in all of our programs;). I explained it like this- How often do your parents fill up their car with gas? (Answer- Once a week.) So, 4 times a month? (Right.) So, that's probably 15 gallons of gas a week, or 60 gallons a month, right? (Right.) Why not just stuff the car with gas and fill it up with 60 gallons once a month? (Uhhh, because the gas will not fit in the tank all at once)
Aren't our bodies very similar to a car? What happens when we put too much gas (food) in our tank (stomach)? If we overflow our tank, guess what happens? The food gets stored as fat. A car is designed for only so much gas, just like our body is designed for so much food.
A car also has a built in mechanism to let the driver know when it's full and empty. Well, a body has one too. The problem with our body's mechanism is that it has a difficult time sensing when you slightly over-eat. Do you have unwanted body fat? Did you get this unwanted body fat overnight? Or, was it a slow accumulation over the course of 5 years, 10 years, or 20 years? Slightly over-eating mulitplied by the number of meals you have in a day, times several years equals that slow accumulation of unwanted body fat.
The answer is Cholecystokinin (CCK). CCK is your body's overflow mechanism. CCK is a hormone that is released in the presence of proteins and fats. This is why people can devour an entire pizza or large bowl of pasta when they are starving. It's pratically all carbs (undesirable carbs, too). The CCK hormone was never released, or it took too long.
The key is to include a healthy source of fats with every meal. In the UBC program, we advise students to eat some nuts or other source of "good" fats with every meal. Again, this ensures that we don't overflow our tanks when eating, and also gives us that satisfied feeling.
I hope you benefited from one of our UBC's strategic eating principles.
The last Ultimate Body Challenge Before Summer begins this Monday. To learn more about this program, visit-
The Last Ultimate Body Challenge Before Summer
Respectfully,
Duncan Richardson
Chief Master Instructor
The Academy of World Taekwondo
Ph: 208.381.0587
http://www.FreeKarateLesson.com/weight-loss.html
P.S. If you want to ask some questions right now about the UBC, call Kendal at 559-1424.
I have a fat loss tip that I bet you've never heard of, but first, let me explain a couple things. We've all heard that having a Lean and Strong body comes from exercise and good nutrition. Let me remind everyone, there are many items to the equation. It's not JUST exercise and good nutrition. If you've followed me, or have done our Ultimate Body Challenge (UBC), then you also know that I am a proponent for revving up your system... getting your metabolism working for you and not against you.
Having a metabolism that is rippin' and roarin' is like owning cash flowing rental property- your money works for you. A faster metabolism will be working for you to ensure food doesn't have a chance to get stored as fat, but rather gets burned up.
There is still another piece to the puzzle though. Let's say we get our metabolism just smoking, does that mean no matter how much we eat, we'll burn it off? The answer is a resounding no. Have you heard of "Calories IN, versus Calories OUT?"
In our Taekwondo class, I was explaining this concept to two of our teenage students before class. Yes, I preach good nutrition in all of our programs;). I explained it like this- How often do your parents fill up their car with gas? (Answer- Once a week.) So, 4 times a month? (Right.) So, that's probably 15 gallons of gas a week, or 60 gallons a month, right? (Right.) Why not just stuff the car with gas and fill it up with 60 gallons once a month? (Uhhh, because the gas will not fit in the tank all at once)
Aren't our bodies very similar to a car? What happens when we put too much gas (food) in our tank (stomach)? If we overflow our tank, guess what happens? The food gets stored as fat. A car is designed for only so much gas, just like our body is designed for so much food.
A car also has a built in mechanism to let the driver know when it's full and empty. Well, a body has one too. The problem with our body's mechanism is that it has a difficult time sensing when you slightly over-eat. Do you have unwanted body fat? Did you get this unwanted body fat overnight? Or, was it a slow accumulation over the course of 5 years, 10 years, or 20 years? Slightly over-eating mulitplied by the number of meals you have in a day, times several years equals that slow accumulation of unwanted body fat.
The answer is Cholecystokinin (CCK). CCK is your body's overflow mechanism. CCK is a hormone that is released in the presence of proteins and fats. This is why people can devour an entire pizza or large bowl of pasta when they are starving. It's pratically all carbs (undesirable carbs, too). The CCK hormone was never released, or it took too long.
The key is to include a healthy source of fats with every meal. In the UBC program, we advise students to eat some nuts or other source of "good" fats with every meal. Again, this ensures that we don't overflow our tanks when eating, and also gives us that satisfied feeling.
I hope you benefited from one of our UBC's strategic eating principles.
The last Ultimate Body Challenge Before Summer begins this Monday. To learn more about this program, visit-
The Last Ultimate Body Challenge Before Summer
Respectfully,
Duncan Richardson
Chief Master Instructor
The Academy of World Taekwondo
Ph: 208.381.0587
http://www.FreeKarateLesson.com/weight-loss.html
P.S. If you want to ask some questions right now about the UBC, call Kendal at 559-1424.
Friday, March 20, 2009
8 Students Can't Seem to Find 60 Pounds of Fat
60 Pounds of Fat, Lost, Gone, Shedded Away- Family and Friends are Stunned
During our 6 am session, I did body compositions for 8 students. Collectively, they lost 60 pounds of fat. Keep in mind, these are not Biggest Loser contestants. These are everyday individuals like you and I. Unlike the Biggest Loser whose contestants start at around 400 pounds, our students range from 240 pounds down to 115 pounds.
The exciting part is, we just begun our final testing. I'm just so excited from the results so far. Here are some comments that have been made about the program over the past 10 weeks.:
"I have so much more energy..."
"I feel great and motivated..."
"I've gone shopping in my own closet..."
"Duncan, you owe me money for new pants, since they all don't fit anymore..."
"My [censored] life has improved..."(told to Rachel)
"The UBC has helped my running program..."
"My inner thighs don't touch anymore!"
"I have more patience with my children..."
"It feels sooooo good doing something for myself for once."
Alright, now it's time to relax, do some spring skiing, yard clean up, garage clean up, bike riding, or whatever, because we're back at it in 1 week. A good majority of our UBC students are saying, "I'm not quitting now..." They're ramping up for summer! This next UBC will start March 30th and will end right when school get's out.
FYI- This is the last Ultimate Body Challenge until the fall. If you want to super charge your body, chisel those arms and abs, and roast off that extra luggage in the midsection and rear end, this is it!
Visit http://www.FreeKarateLesson.com/weight-loss.html to get the whole scoop on the UBC. I hope to see hear from you soon because the last UBC is filling up.
Respectfully,
Duncan Richardson
Chief Master Instructor
The Academy of World Taekwondo
Ph: 208.381.0587
http://www.FreeKarateLesson.com
During our 6 am session, I did body compositions for 8 students. Collectively, they lost 60 pounds of fat. Keep in mind, these are not Biggest Loser contestants. These are everyday individuals like you and I. Unlike the Biggest Loser whose contestants start at around 400 pounds, our students range from 240 pounds down to 115 pounds.
The exciting part is, we just begun our final testing. I'm just so excited from the results so far. Here are some comments that have been made about the program over the past 10 weeks.:
"I have so much more energy..."
"I feel great and motivated..."
"I've gone shopping in my own closet..."
"Duncan, you owe me money for new pants, since they all don't fit anymore..."
"My [censored] life has improved..."(told to Rachel)
"The UBC has helped my running program..."
"My inner thighs don't touch anymore!"
"I have more patience with my children..."
"It feels sooooo good doing something for myself for once."
Alright, now it's time to relax, do some spring skiing, yard clean up, garage clean up, bike riding, or whatever, because we're back at it in 1 week. A good majority of our UBC students are saying, "I'm not quitting now..." They're ramping up for summer! This next UBC will start March 30th and will end right when school get's out.
FYI- This is the last Ultimate Body Challenge until the fall. If you want to super charge your body, chisel those arms and abs, and roast off that extra luggage in the midsection and rear end, this is it!
Visit http://www.FreeKarateLesson.com/weight-loss.html to get the whole scoop on the UBC. I hope to see hear from you soon because the last UBC is filling up.
Respectfully,
Duncan Richardson
Chief Master Instructor
The Academy of World Taekwondo
Ph: 208.381.0587
http://www.FreeKarateLesson.com
Friday, March 13, 2009
A Speech for YPO/EO Boxing Event
Yesterday was the big Boxing event for the two organizations YPO & EO. This event involved having 8 fighters, who trained diligently for 4 weeks, fight in a real boxing match. The participants are not boxers, but trained to be one for a night.
Of course, YPO & EO is not in the business of putting on boxing matches. Their purpose is rather to help their members become better in business as well as with their family. The night was meant to be symbolic of their fighting spirit to achieve their goals- whether in business, with their family, or personally.
Aside from training four of the fighters, I also gave a presentation to help shed light on the educational component of the event. Since the event was a private function, I have provided my speech for everyone to read. Enjoy!
********YPO/EO Boxing Event Speech**********
I would like to open with a story about a boxer from Kampala, Uganda named Bashir Ramathan. Bashir trains in a musky gym where the weak aren’t welcome. It’s a gym for hard core fighters and that’s it.
Bashir lives the classic life of a boxer. He dresses old school, with a tank top, and shorts over his sweat pants. He wakes up and runs the dusty, rock strewn roads of Kampala. It’s just like the old Rocky movies- people stop what they’re doing when Bashir passes by. They all cheer him on and chant for him.
He hits the boxing gym everyday for several hours working the bag, hitting the mitts, and sparring. His opponents are usually apprehensive to go toe to toe with him, because they never see his razor sharp hook coming. Bashir is pretty intense when he spars. His coach says that he fights completely with his mind, using all of his senses. You see, Bashir is blind.
His success as a boxer comes from hearing his opponents feet shuffling and smelling their sweat and feeling their body heat.
Bashir, maybe blind, but the thing he doesn’t lack is vision. He is passionate about boxing and works harder than everyone else, not because he wants to be a champion, but because he has to. His perseverance, drive, and motivation is what makes him succeed.
Cleveland and I were brought in to train 8 fighters to compete in a real boxing match. The event is meant to be fun, but more importantly it’s to symbolize your current position in business or with your family in a down economy.
Believe me… the correlation between a boxers regiment and your life is impeccably similar.
First of all… who here believes with a 100% certainty that there is something you can do in the next 4 weeks to make your business life, your family life, and your personal life… worse?
Okay, how many of you believe there is something you can do in the next 4 weeks to make your business life, your family life, and your personal life… better?
How many of you believe that the choice is yours?
Over the past 4 weeks, Cleveland and I have been training 8 fighters to jab, cross, slip, dip, catch, and perry. We taught them to be offensive, but yet evasive. We taught them how to roll with the punches, recover, and bounce back 100%.
For 8 training sessions, they sweated, they bled, they fatigued themselves to total muscle failure. They sparred with each other, they encouraged each other. They all took some hard shots, and learned some hard lessons about boxing. They each returned to the next session, sometimes with black eyes.
They pushed themselves to the limit, and when they got there, they pushed themselves a little bit further. In their minds, failure is not an option.
Most importantly these 8 fighters have already dominated their toughest opponent… themselves.
If you’ve ever boxed, or competed in martial arts, or even wrestled it’s a completely different world and it’s night and day to team sports. You see, the moment you enter the ring, you are essentially alone. Alone with one person who is trying to dominate you and a referee who can care less about you.
Until you experience that intense sensation of realizing that your success and failure is completely in your hands and no one else’s, do you come to recognize your true inner strength.
It’s this inner strength we are bringing out of these 8 fighters that Steve Marlo & Pete McDonald wanted to showcase for everyone.
Right now, our businesses have changed. Construction is down, consumer spending is down, and sales in practically every industry is down. What if we fought for our business the same way these 8 fighters prepared for this fight? Or fought for a healthy, happy family? What if we exercised the same focus with our kids that these fighters practiced in their training.
Earlier, I asked, is there something you can do in the next 4 weeks to change your business life, your family life, and your personal life. You said, “yes.” Right now, the economy has taken an unexpected toll on many areas of our life.
Do you know what the strategy is called in boxing to deal with an unexpected blow? To roll with the punch. This means you simply roll your body in the direction of the punch to lessen it’s blow.
Today is new economy from yesterday. It’s a new fight, and it’s an opponent many of us didn’t prepare for. Now that we are all in this fight, we must “Come Out Fighting” and quickly learn “To Roll With Punches” if we are going to “Go The Distance.”
If you find your business “On The Ropes”, you “Bob & Weave” and re-strategize. Everyday, we’re “Saved by the Bell.” It’s that precious time between rounds when you recuperate, and you come home to those beautiful children, and you kiss your lovely spouse.
It’s the only way true fighters “Go The Distance.”
*************************
Respectfully,
Duncan Richardson
Of course, YPO & EO is not in the business of putting on boxing matches. Their purpose is rather to help their members become better in business as well as with their family. The night was meant to be symbolic of their fighting spirit to achieve their goals- whether in business, with their family, or personally.
Aside from training four of the fighters, I also gave a presentation to help shed light on the educational component of the event. Since the event was a private function, I have provided my speech for everyone to read. Enjoy!
********YPO/EO Boxing Event Speech**********
I would like to open with a story about a boxer from Kampala, Uganda named Bashir Ramathan. Bashir trains in a musky gym where the weak aren’t welcome. It’s a gym for hard core fighters and that’s it.
Bashir lives the classic life of a boxer. He dresses old school, with a tank top, and shorts over his sweat pants. He wakes up and runs the dusty, rock strewn roads of Kampala. It’s just like the old Rocky movies- people stop what they’re doing when Bashir passes by. They all cheer him on and chant for him.
He hits the boxing gym everyday for several hours working the bag, hitting the mitts, and sparring. His opponents are usually apprehensive to go toe to toe with him, because they never see his razor sharp hook coming. Bashir is pretty intense when he spars. His coach says that he fights completely with his mind, using all of his senses. You see, Bashir is blind.
His success as a boxer comes from hearing his opponents feet shuffling and smelling their sweat and feeling their body heat.
Bashir, maybe blind, but the thing he doesn’t lack is vision. He is passionate about boxing and works harder than everyone else, not because he wants to be a champion, but because he has to. His perseverance, drive, and motivation is what makes him succeed.
Cleveland and I were brought in to train 8 fighters to compete in a real boxing match. The event is meant to be fun, but more importantly it’s to symbolize your current position in business or with your family in a down economy.
Believe me… the correlation between a boxers regiment and your life is impeccably similar.
First of all… who here believes with a 100% certainty that there is something you can do in the next 4 weeks to make your business life, your family life, and your personal life… worse?
Okay, how many of you believe there is something you can do in the next 4 weeks to make your business life, your family life, and your personal life… better?
How many of you believe that the choice is yours?
Over the past 4 weeks, Cleveland and I have been training 8 fighters to jab, cross, slip, dip, catch, and perry. We taught them to be offensive, but yet evasive. We taught them how to roll with the punches, recover, and bounce back 100%.
For 8 training sessions, they sweated, they bled, they fatigued themselves to total muscle failure. They sparred with each other, they encouraged each other. They all took some hard shots, and learned some hard lessons about boxing. They each returned to the next session, sometimes with black eyes.
They pushed themselves to the limit, and when they got there, they pushed themselves a little bit further. In their minds, failure is not an option.
Most importantly these 8 fighters have already dominated their toughest opponent… themselves.
If you’ve ever boxed, or competed in martial arts, or even wrestled it’s a completely different world and it’s night and day to team sports. You see, the moment you enter the ring, you are essentially alone. Alone with one person who is trying to dominate you and a referee who can care less about you.
Until you experience that intense sensation of realizing that your success and failure is completely in your hands and no one else’s, do you come to recognize your true inner strength.
It’s this inner strength we are bringing out of these 8 fighters that Steve Marlo & Pete McDonald wanted to showcase for everyone.
Right now, our businesses have changed. Construction is down, consumer spending is down, and sales in practically every industry is down. What if we fought for our business the same way these 8 fighters prepared for this fight? Or fought for a healthy, happy family? What if we exercised the same focus with our kids that these fighters practiced in their training.
Earlier, I asked, is there something you can do in the next 4 weeks to change your business life, your family life, and your personal life. You said, “yes.” Right now, the economy has taken an unexpected toll on many areas of our life.
Do you know what the strategy is called in boxing to deal with an unexpected blow? To roll with the punch. This means you simply roll your body in the direction of the punch to lessen it’s blow.
Today is new economy from yesterday. It’s a new fight, and it’s an opponent many of us didn’t prepare for. Now that we are all in this fight, we must “Come Out Fighting” and quickly learn “To Roll With Punches” if we are going to “Go The Distance.”
If you find your business “On The Ropes”, you “Bob & Weave” and re-strategize. Everyday, we’re “Saved by the Bell.” It’s that precious time between rounds when you recuperate, and you come home to those beautiful children, and you kiss your lovely spouse.
It’s the only way true fighters “Go The Distance.”
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Respectfully,
Duncan Richardson
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