“… I’ll die on the treadmill …”

“… I’ll die on the treadmill…“,

these are the words of Will Smith , the actor describing in his own way why he succeeds where others don’t.
For Judo athletes, the message he is trying to impart is important, Will Smith will die rather than stop working before you! but don’t take my word for it, listen to Will describe it himself in the following video:

(Link if video is not visible)

As an athlete, the difference between you and your opponents will normally be very little, especially as you get closer and closer to the top. What will make you win over your opponents? Will talks about “Out Working” everyone and anyone, are you willing and able to outwork every person you meet on the mat? Both at competitions and in the Dojo?

In Judo as an athlete, you have limited resources. You have limited funds, limited time and  limited training partners to name a few. The same is true of Will, he has limited time, he in the past had limited finances, he had lots of competition too. Ann Maria De Mars (former World Judo Champion and mother/coach to Ronda Rousey) has written quite a few posts on her blog about people moaning the lack of resources they have and why it is preventing them from being the best in the world; she basically describes these as B.S. excuses.

The reality is that every person in Judo has limitations and barriers to overcome. If you want to be Club Champ or World Champ, you need to overcome these obstacles, real and otherwise.

One way you can beat those with “all the advantages”, is to outwork each and every one of them! Be the first one to training and the last one out. Do an extra half mile on the road, do one more set in the gym, watch one more video of your oppoenents. Or, as Will Smith puts it die on the treadmill rather than come off first.

Thanks to Caroline Radway for blogging about the Will Smith video.