Training and temper control

aws

Just wondering whats peoples thoughts on temper control while training/competitive fighting.

I for one find it quite odd, I my self have a bad temper and loose the rag fairly easily. The thing is i play soccer 2-3 times a week, if someone goes in on me with a hard tackle, i see red, i get his number and next time he comes near me with the ball he`s going to be up ended, kicked or elbowed , well some form of retaliation anyway and with interest! This red mist stays with me for the rest of the game,and totally clouds my vision.

This brings me to the next part, iv been training in Muay Thai for 8 months now, and have not lost my temper once, even during heavy sparring, nothing, no red mist to be seen. Even when getting battered, absolutely no rage. Heavy right to the face, bloody nose and nothing but clarity.

I cant really explain why this happens, in any other environment other than the gym i loose my cool at the drop of a hat. When i started MT i wasnt sure how i was going to handle my temper while on the recieving end, I wasnt sure was going to be an advantage being aggressive or a disadvantage by loosing clarity of vision.

Anyone have any thoughts on temper , whether its an advantage / disadvantage or does it even have any relevance?

Sid_Justice

I'll give the benefit of the doubt and presume you're just not a dickhead.

but the only explanation i have is that you perceive the "hard tackle" as being unfair/cheating/against the rules and thus feel it necessary to get your own back on this injustice.

on the other hand, getting a good dig in sparring is much worse physically that a a dodgy tackle (usually) it's fair and square and part of the game and thus, not something that should make you feel angry.

like if someone bad tackled me in a football match, like did me from behind maliciously i'd be annoyed. but if someone tags me in sparring you have to give them the hat tip for getting you.

aws

As some one with a temper i assumed it would carry from a sport like soccer , assuming i see red when someone intentionally tries to hurt me playing soccer and giving the nature of Muay Thai i assumed this anger would carry over, as some one is intentionally trying to hurt me.

It has nothing to do with the rules of either, I just naturally assumed that when I was going to be tagged I would struggle to keep my cool, instead its the total opposite.

I was trying to relay my experience with temper and was asking what other peoples experiences were, presumably im not the only one with a temper.

Some people have a bad temper, does this rage come out in the ring?, or is it surpressed to keep clarity and control.

Its genuine question, and Sid you presumed right.:)

Dave Joyce

Anyone have any thoughts on temper , whether its an advantage / disadvantage or does it even have any relevance?

Advantages, absolutely NONE!! Disadvantages, plenty, pissing off coaches/instructors, fellow team mates, sparring partners and can get you into trouble with authorities (ruling organisations over your sports) and if the trouble goes onto the street then the Gardai/courts.

Some people have a bad temper, does this rage come out in the ring?, or is it surpressed to keep clarity and control.

I think you are confusing temper with aggression which are totally different things.

Boston

Martial arts is one avenue for the venting of aggressive energy in a positive manor. Football is not an avenue for the venting of aggressive energy in a positive manor. You need to watch yourself with MA because the energy can turn very quickly from good to bad, thats why a lot of behaviour which would be common in sports like soccer, would have you kicked out of a dojo. Talking trash to an opponent, failure to respect an opponent, failure to show due care an consideration ect ect. I've encountered a lad who laughed when other people where ipponed. This being unacceptable was made clear to him.

SPEDFED

you know you'll get your arse handed to you if you become petulant in the ring!!

bujinkanjiyu

It's great that the OP's temper isn't affecting his MA training but the fact that he has a temper AND does MA is a little worrying and could cause problems.

In martial arts you're training your body - and sometimes your mind - to react instinctively to aggression - be it "perceived" aggression or not.

So the OP needs to work on this perception of "aggression" on the pitch - and probably off it - before his trained body lashes out one step too severely. He may not want to over-react physcially but he just might do it instinctively.

I think the OP needs to work on personal issues first and foremost to deal with the temper. Talking with mates, fellow footballers, coaches etc will help no doubt. Working through relationship issues... friends, family, partners is what needs to happen because the temper didn't just appear out of nowhere. The "meatheads" will tell him not to bother but it's worth considering.

Now..back to my weekly column.....

fizzynicenice

I can see what OP means. I'm also trainin thai boxing (bout 6 months) and I often wondered how temper control would affect that. (Not that i had much of a temper to start with)
But from my expierience I find getting tagged hard while sparring actually helps to keep me level headed. If I get chinned, I'm gonna try to prevent that from happening again, and becoming angry and letting digs fly is most likely going to achieve the opposite.
IMO anyway.

aws

bujinkanjiyu wrote: »

It's great that the OP's temper isn't affecting his MA training but the fact that he has a temper AND does MA is a little worrying and could cause problems.

In martial arts you're training your body - and sometimes your mind - to react instinctively to aggression - be it "perceived" aggression or not.

So the OP needs to work on this perception of "aggression" on the pitch - and probably off it - before his trained body lashes out one step too severely. He may not want to over-react physcially but he just might do it instinctively.

I think the OP needs to work on personal issues first and foremost to deal with the temper. Talking with mates, fellow footballers, coaches etc will help no doubt. Working through relationship issues... friends, family, partners is what needs to happen because the temper didn't just appear out of nowhere. The "meatheads" will tell him not to bother but it's worth considering.

Now..back to my weekly column.....

No my temper doesnt affect my MA one bit , if anything it makes me more level headed, as the previous poster said, when he gets chinned it makes him more level headed, thats exactly the way it is with me, i get more focused and determined to work or my guard etc..

As regards the football aspect, i wasnt taking about striking anyone or anything like that, I was more on about , following through a bit when its a 50/50 ball and catching a bit of his leg too, or a 50/50 header with a push with the knee in the back, or 50/50 sliding tackle where the ball is one fairly but follow through my man. Iv never even received a yellow card or let alone a red. I may have been told to go handier but never disciplined .

I might not have made that too clear in my first post. I was wondering what was anyone elses experience with this. For me the MT relieves a lot of stress and makes me way more relaxed, the best thing if ever committed to.

Thanks for the replies too