Читать книгу The Fighter Within. Everyone Has A Fight-Insights into the Minds and Souls of True Champions онлайн

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We regrouped again, but this time he was really putting some pressure on me in side mount, which meant that while I was on my back, he was situated sideways with his chest on mine, pinning me down. It was definitely not where I wanted to be. With a grunt, he had the Kimura on me, a shoulder lock that can shred the deltoid muscles if one does not tap. My reaction was to straighten my arm straight above my head; little did I know, it was one of the better escape methods to get out of the Kimura lock. With an explosive thrust of my hips, I jolted him into the air and scrambled, taking his back and submitting him once more. He was livid at this point. He stood up and left for the change room. I looked at the clock and noticed there were two minutes left to go, so I took a break before the next partner came up. That day really left an impression on me. This sport takes humility, self-control, honor, and a willingness to evolve and overcome obstacles to truly reach one’s potential.

As the weeks went by, I got used to getting choked and tapped out, but worst of all hit, and hit hard. I dreaded sparring sessions, as I would enter the cage with many training partners ranging from novices to pros. Some guys were lenient toward my lack of knowledge, while others saw a great opportunity to use me as a punching bag. I would get bloody noses regularly, but never black eyes for some reason. I quickly learned that the toughest opponents were small, quick guys who seemed to have a never-ending gas tank. Guys over 200 pounds were better to face off with, as they were slower and I seemed to find rest opportunities in the rounds, giving me time to better formulate my attacks.