Getting Fired Up

[Vladimir]

I've noticed something on here recently that intrigued me. Not picking on Freiman or Aaron, but they just happen to have handy treads on the subject.

Right now we have two threads going trying to fire people up for a fight. Freiman's "get some stick" and Aaron's polearm challenge.

Two different approaches to the same goal. Find people to fight.

Lots of people seem really fired up by Freiman's approach. But his method just washes over me.

Example (NOT QUOTES)

I'll beat you into the ground! - yes, probably
I'll embarrass you! - yes, likely
I'll kick your ass! - yup, you will

It has no more affect for me than if he was doing math
2+2=4 yes
2+4=6 yes
2+6=8 yes

Aaron's approach did excite me, until I realized I won't have money to attend the event.

I get all sorts of giddy about the historic combat series, the warriors of history tourney, and deeds of arms. But I find myself lacking the ability to get fired up for a double elim. tourney until I already have the armour on and am stepping onto the list.

Is there anyone else who finds that many of the standard approaches to "getting fired up" don't work for them, or am I just a lone freak boy?

Any recommendations on how to get that feeling back?

[hrolf]

amon amarth.

[Kenwrec Wulfe]

You are not alone.

Biggest thing I do when a tourney is not getting me geared is just flip to 100% have fun mode without a thought about how I will do or what I will do, etc. This tends to be the trick and I often do better than I thought I would.

Dont get that wrong, I ALWAYS have fun fighting...

[Blackoak]

I struggle constantly to get my motivation up. My desire to fight has nearly dried up over the last 4 years. I find it very hard to keep anything going consistently. So you are definitely not alone.

Uric

[Sean Powell]

I frequently find myself yawning at our fighter practice. It's small and has the same people repeatedly. The best night to travel has a conflict so I'm stuck in a rut that won't change until I know more about my wifes summer class schedule.

For a while fighting sword and buckler helped... but I'm in burn-out mode I think.

Friemans challenge, most double elim tournies and the vast majority of melee practices, yeah they don't light the same spark they used to.

Aarons challenge, Yeah I'm going to do that. It's been on my mind since before it was posted here. I desperately need to go home and beat up the pell in the rain to burn off some of the adrenilin.

Sean

P.S. You're traveling only a little farther then I am. Mapquest has you at 3:30 each way. I could throw a few bucks towards gas if it would help.

Sean

[Vladimir]

While I appreciate the thought Sean, I'm going to have to say no. After I pay my rent my account is going to be sitting in the neg again until next payday. I already have gas and groceries, so if I sit tight I'll be fine.

But this thread isn't about that. Sorry for the side track people.

[Derian le Breton]

I always had the same problem. For a while I really loved melee combat, but after the initial thrill wore off I struggled to make it out to the field.

Tourney combat just didn't really do anything for me. I never got that "fired up" feeling. I know some people listen to certain types of music, some others think "that guy has my steak!" Nothing like that ever worked for me.

I think a big part of it is that I was never competitive in sports as a child. I wasn't even moderately good at any physical activity, so I learned to just not care. I jumped at the chance to drop PE and take more AP courses in high school. Now that I'm older I've changed; I learn fairly quickly, and when I was fighting actively I progressed nicely. I've been really enjoying my running program. However, the core of apathy is still there with regard to competing against others.

Strangely, I've remained competitive in intellectual pursuits. I don't particularly care about beating other people, per se, but I have always striven very hard to improve myself academically and now in industry.

How can one regain a competitive spirit on the field, in a constructive way? Surely someone here has had a similar set of hangups...

-Derian.

[Jestyr]

The Duke that I have been learning from recently asked a question: what are you thinking of when going to fight -- whether it be practice or otherwise.

My answer was a resounding, "Nothing, really".

His response was that I should be using that time to focus. To realize I am there to do damage upon my opponent, and they to do damage upon me.

It was a surprising comment from someone who is very laid back.

That said, it has helped me get excited for practice.

(But I do get fired up by the traditional fist pumping, rah rah stuff also.)

[Kilkenny]

I always had the same problem. For a while I really loved melee combat, but after the initial thrill wore off I struggled to make it out to the field.

Tourney combat just didn't really do anything for me. I never got that "fired up" feeling. I know some people listen to certain types of music, some others think "that guy has my steak!" Nothing like that ever worked for me.

I think a big part of it is that I was never competitive in sports as a child. I wasn't even moderately good at any physical activity, so I learned to just not care. I jumped at the chance to drop PE and take more AP courses in high school. Now that I'm older I've changed; I learn fairly quickly, and when I was fighting actively I progressed nicely. I've been really enjoying my running program. However, the core of apathy is still there with regard to competing against others.

Strangely, I've remained competitive in intellectual pursuits. I don't particularly care about beating other people, per se, but I have always striven very hard to improve myself academically and now in industry.

How can one regain a competitive spirit on the field, in a constructive way? Surely someone here has had a similar set of hangups...

-Derian.

You might find this helpful, then. Every opponent represents two challenges - an intellectual puzzle of "how do I beat them? and a challenge of mind over matter - How do I make myself *do* what it takes to beat them?

The beating them part isn't really that important It's just the "problem" to be solved.

I'm not sure about "fired up" as a concept. I don't get as excited about the prospect of fighting as I did back in the beginning. I have trouble motivating myself to get out there and do it sometimes. But - that's always been there to some extent. I've been known for years to mutter about I don't know why I'm doing this as I put on the armour on the hot day and get ready to go be sweaty and sore for a few hours.

Then I face the first opponent, the weapons crash, I make the block and counter-strike and something deep inside me wakes up and goes OH YEAH! THIS is why we do it! and I'm there.

But, for the most part, I don't spend time in advance revving myself up. Conservation of energy for the moments when it is needed

There was one Pennsic Champions battle where I was pacing back and forth literally bouncing before the battle and repeating "the leash is off!". that year I was commanding the Southern Region Army and had been forced to reign in my usual melee exuberance - I believe I killed 6 in that Champions battle. I had some pent-up energy

[mordreth]

There are aways blaahhhh streaks and plateaus, think of something you would like to learn, make, or work towards and shift emphaisis for a couple of weeks

Heavy lists combat is a hobby, not a penance

[bkillian]

All to often I find that I am in the middle of a rugby game with sticks instead of a knightly pursuit.

[Donal Mac Ruiseart]

I too sometimes feel a lack of enthusiasm as I'm packing and loading for an event, as I'm travelling to it, indeed even as I'm setting up.

But then I get into my armour and the change hits. I do some stretches and I'm rarin' ta go.

I'm not sure how it works or why it works, but it works, and has for over 30 years.

[freiman the minstrel]

Vladimir,

I think that I can truthfully say that I know what you are saying. It's tough to get excited about fighting sometimes, and staying constant is very valuable. There are times when you just want to stay home and goof off.

Sometimes when that happens, it passes on it's own, and sometimes you have to make it go away. I find that I can only make it go away for a while, and then I have to find something new to reinvigorate myself.

In the past, I have found setting a time limit to be helpful. I want to train hard, but the concept of doing it for years is not something that I can hold in my head. Instead, I train hard for a month, or a week, or some other arbitrary time limit.

Other times, I have to give myself a goal. Something to train toward helps. Training toward Crown List hasn't helped in the past, but training for my charity thing in 2005 worked. I know that the people that met me then would be surprised to hear it, but I did improve quite a bit leading up to that.

Sometimes, I have to pull some stunt, like getting all aggro in a thread on the archive. I am actually kind of proud of that thread. Not only has it kept my nose to the grindstone, it seems to have gotten some other people moving as well. I am trying to alternate between browbeating (I am gonna kick your butt), encouraging (you can be a winner ((which is true))) and trying to encourage people by example (Look how much weight I have lost!).

I have no idea what would work for you. For me, it is constantly a case of scrabbling to find the next method to keep myself in training.

Good luck.

freiman

[Lucian Ro]

[You might find this helpful, then. Every opponent represents two challenges - an intellectual puzzle of "how do I beat them? and a challenge of mind over matter - How do I make myself *do* what it takes to beat them?

Then I face the first opponent, the weapons crash, I make the block and counter-strike and something deep inside me wakes up and goes OH YEAH! THIS is why we do it! and I'm there.

Thank you Gavin, this in and of itself is pretty damn inspiring.

[Derian le Breton]

You might find this helpful, then. Every opponent represents two challenges - an intellectual puzzle of "how do I beat them? and a challenge of mind over matter - How do I make myself *do* what it takes to beat them?

The beating them part isn't really that important It's just the "problem" to be solved.

Hmm, that's an interesting approach; thank you for your insight.

-Derian.

[Vladimir]

Don't get me wrong guys. I love getting into armour and fighting. Economics is holding me back more than anything else right now. No $ for insurance (worried about practicing without it) and no $ for gas to go to events.

I was more interested in the effectiveness of the two methods than anything else.

[Cisco]

This might be an unpopular statement...but if you need time off, take time off.

It is supposed to be fun. Sometimes it sucks but you want to win and that pushes you. Sometimes it's a blast and you suck and that's cool. But more importantly, it should fit into the overall setup of fun.

I am *really* competitive. So much so that I have to keep that part of me down so I don't do something stupid. That does it for me (if the joy of the fight doesn't do it)...I want to get better because I want to get better (not b/c I want to beat one particular person).

I think it's important to just keep having fun, whatever it is that does it for you.