03/06/2021
This image is to remind me of one of the hardest fights of my life. Despite taking recommended precautions of masking, washing hands, and avoiding groups, COVID made its way to my family. We don’t know the source. Fortunately, symptoms for my wife and sons were mild, but the virus definitely wanted to take me. We rolled light for seven days at home before heading to the hospital, where the gloves came off. The second night there, as the nurses stood by trying to figure out how to keep me out of ICU, I pulled one inch past the vile, hairy beast. I spent the next three days beating it to the mat, taking back my lungs, my body, my mind.
It took all my training in focus, breathing, sparring, endurance, pain management, and willpower to come out the other side intact, and I thank anyone that has ever spent a day on any of it with me for helping me prepare.
There were two aspects of martial arts training that were particularly helpful in the most punishing moments of this ordeal.
Breath Control
When learning to use the body as a unified whole in any discipline, breath must always be a part of training. In the Cuong Nhu martial arts style, this involves drills to increase lung capacity and air flow. We practice partial or full, quick or slow breaths coordinated with all movements. And, of course, we practice the famous “KI-AI” shout. This shout first breaks through students’ fear of being observed. Second, it harnesses a powerful endorphin-blasting inhale. Last, during the powerful exhale, the abdominal muscles contract, drawing power up from the legs and out into the arms. These breathing tools improve performance in sparring or self-defense. This month, my opponent was a microscopic virus. Knowing my lungs and how to find just a little more air in the deepest cavities and hidden crevices helped me relax and fight through the scariest moments.
Focus
The other benefit of martial arts training that really stood out is the focus that results from sparring, the practice fighting in karate. We wear light protective equipment and land punches, kicks, throws, sweeps, and pins on our opponents without injuring each other.
A dedicated martial artist seeks out sparring matches with partners who are bigger, faster, stronger, or more skilled. This teaches you it’s okay to feel overpowered. Learning happens in every defeat. The result of years of sparring is the ability to control the panic when high speed jabs are coming from every direction. Rather than fly or freeze, your instincts tend to focus and fight, knowing one little hole in the attack may be all it takes to bring a much stronger opponent down. Skilled medical staff and powerful drugs are crucial for a serious bout with COVID, but so is calm determination. I am grateful for all the time I’ve spent sparring with people who are better than I am. It gave me the presence of mind to fight moment to moment and find just a little more breath as COVID tried to take it away.
Be vigilant. Wear your mask. Thank your medical providers. Breathe.