When I started martial arts 20 years ago, I was a lanky, uncoordinated mess—about 6’2″ and 165 pounds soaking wet. I hadn’t played sports beyond the bare minimum in PE, and to top it off, I had borderline-high blood pressure.

In short: I had nothing going for me.

So when someone tells me,

“I’d love to train, but I’m out of shape,”
it hits a nerve.

Right. Because I started off in peak condition?

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💥 You Will Be Uncomfortable

About ten years in, I realized I was drifting into “married blob” territory. My grandma even said,

“Looks like marriage is being good to you,”
which is family code for “you’re getting fat.”

So I joined a gym. I started lifting.

My then-wife wanted to join me, so we trained together. At least for a while.

But certain exercises—deadlifts, squats, dips—she found uncomfortable.
And when she didn’t see results, she was surprised.

Go figure.

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🧱 Discomfort Is the Cost of Growth

Martial arts are no different. You will be uncomfortable. You’ll struggle. You’ll fail. You’ll want to quit.

But here’s the thing:
If you want something of value, you have to give something up.
Time. Energy. Sweat. Ego.

Discomfort is the toll you pay for transformation.

Whether it’s the weight room or the dojo, it’s not about starting strong—
It’s about showing up anyway.