Day 79: Testing Character and Staying Disciplined

A Slow and Restorative Morning

Today is Sunday, and since it is a holiday, there was no work. I woke up late, which felt great, especially because I made the effort to sleep early the night before. Letting my body rest without an alarm felt rewarding. I started the day with a cold shower to fully wake myself up, followed by a good breakfast with solid nutrition. With my first meal, I took my usual supplements, vitamin D3, K2, and omega three.

The morning was calm and quiet. I spent several hours working on my blog, writing, editing, and organizing ideas. There was no rush and no pressure, just focused work and clarity. Around the afternoon, I had another meal and continued working on the blog. It was a simple and peaceful day, which helped prepare my mind for the hard training later.

Preparing for the Double Session

Later in the afternoon, I started getting ready for the double session planned for the evening, wrestling followed by MMA. I packed all my gear, checked everything carefully, and mentally prepared myself. I forgot to do my breathing exercises at home and only remembered once I was already on the bus. I did them there, focusing on deep breathing and staying relaxed on the way to the gym.

During the bus ride, inspectors came in to check tickets. The process took a long time, and since I was already close to being late, this delay made things worse. When I finally arrived at the gym, I was late, but the coach still allowed me to join. Being late is something I need to improve. Even though I usually prepare early, unexpected situations still happen.

Warm Up and Technical Drills

I joined immediately with shadow wrestling and shadow MMA. There were a lot of sprawls, transitions, shadow boxing, and movement drills. My body warmed up quickly. After that, we continued with general warm up exercises, including jumping drills and mobility work. We then spent time stretching the hands, back, neck, and shoulders.

Once geared up with gloves and shin guards, we began technical drills. There were not many people, and the session was mainly led by experienced students while the coach supervised. One sequence focused on jab, jab, cross, hook, followed by defending a leg grab. Another sequence involved jab, cross, low kick on the left, mid kick on the right, and a high kick on the left. The focus was on balance, timing, and reaction.

Sparring and Mental Control

I trained mostly with one partner who was more experienced. From the beginning, there was tension. During one exchange, he kicked me hard in the face. What surprised me was not the kick itself, but how calm I stayed. I absorbed it and continued. He acted like it was accidental, but his attitude suggested otherwise.

When we moved into light sparring, he continued to go harder than instructed. Even so, I managed the exchanges well. He had good kicks, and I respect that, but once I adapted, he struggled to land cleanly. I adjusted my distance and timing and stayed composed. On the ground, it became clear that he lacked control and patience.

I also trained briefly with another partner who was extremely cautious. Even when I moved very slowly and lightly, he asked me to stop. That pairing did not work, so I waited until others finished and tried again.

Eventually, I sparred again with the first partner. This time, I countered more confidently. I did not use full power, but I clearly showed that I could block his kicks, reach him, and control the exchanges. The coach had warned him more than once to go easy, but he did not listen. After another exchange, he backed off and left the mat. That moment reinforced an important lesson for me. Strength without control and character does not last.

Ground Work and Conditioning

We finished the session with ground work, focusing on closed guard. I trained with three different students. I did well overall, but my technical gaps on the ground were obvious. This confirmed that I need to focus more on jiu jitsu to improve my overall game.

To close the session, the coach had us do planks and push ups. Core work had already been part of the warm up, so by the end, my body was tired, but my mind felt clear and focused.

Recovery and Reflection

On the way home, I stopped to buy quality food. I drank my whey protein shake after training. Before training, I had taken L citrulline and collagen. When I got home, I was extremely hungry. I took a shower first, then enjoyed a proper meal.

Later in the evening, I saw photos from a tournament in my home country. Someone I had sparred with before had won his first professional MMA fight. That surprised me. He is decent, but not exceptional. Seeing that result gave me motivation and perspective. With consistency, discipline, and proper technique, progress is possible.

I know what I have. I have stamina, endurance, and character. I do not back down when I get hit, but I am also not reckless. I know when to counter and when to stop. What I need now is time, consistency, and technical refinement.

Day Seventy Nine Lesson

Today reminded me that growth is not only built through physical effort, but through emotional control, patience, and self awareness. The challenges I faced during training tested my mindset more than my body. Staying calm, respecting my limits, and choosing learning over ego showed me how far I have come and how much further I can go with consistency and discipline.

Day 79 complete. The grind continues, and I am committed to improving one session at a time.

👉 How do you stay mentally composed when training environments become intense or uncomfortable? I would love to hear how you handle those moments.