I tend to be overly passionate about trying to help people become more – more safer, more capable, and more dangerous. I realize it sounds a bit too self-righteous, but I cannot think of a better description than I feel it is a calling to teach functional fighting concepts and do it in a way that anyone can benefit from them. Not only does every single person deserve the right and the capability to defend themselves purely for their own intrinsic worth, but also because it makes society as a whole better. When all the good guys can defend themselves from the bad guys, the bad guys lose their power.

I know it can be done. I am living proof. I have no special abilities. In fact, I have a long list of things that hold me back, and they are things that I have lived with all my life. I was born with severe asthma for one. I have been hospitalized for it numerous times, and at least three of those I was close to death. I have a thyroid that from all medical tests say has never worked my entire life. And on and on. We all have excuses, but we also can ignore those excuses and plunge on. It can be done if you do the work.

One thing that continually comes up though is this idea that you “have to get in shape for X”. I hear these things all the time – “I will take a few months to get in shape for BJJ” – Why? Nothing will get you in BJJ shape like actually doing BJJ! Or this one – “I need to spend a couple months working my shooting before taking a pistol class” – again, why? You know how you get better at shooting? Taking a training class! Here is a classic – “I need to get prepped for ECQC” – no; you need to go through ECQC so you can know what you need to do to prep for a fight.

Generally there are two reasons for these excuses.

One, the person genuinely thinks he needs to have some kind of preparation before doing one of these things. This person is afraid of not being able to do something during the training, or looking bad, or not doing well. Guess what? All those things will happen regardless! And who cares? Its training! There is not one legitimate instructor who expects a student to do everything perfectly after being told once. That is not how this works at all. Show up in whatever condition/capability you are currently at, and work to get better. It is a simple process.

The other reason for excuses like these is because the speaker is trying to get himself mentally ready to go and make the commitment. It is easy to put it off – “I need to lose 25 pounds so I am going to start eating right next month” – that is the path to failure. The commitment happens on a daily basis. It is not a thing in and of itself. Each day you say to yourself “I am going to do this” and the next day you have to repeat it. Your mind does not acclimate and make it easier. There is no magic line in the sand where it just happens. YOU have to make it happen, every day.

So what do we do? JUST START. TODAY. I don’t care what, or how much, but start right now. Don’t know how to start? Cool. Here are some suggestions.

1) Find a video on how to do basic BJJ movements (I have a number on my my YouTube channel). Learn how to do a hip escape or a hip lift and do it for one minute. Tomorrow, do it for one minute. And the next day. When you feel up to it, add time or moves.

2) Watch a video on how to do a burpee. Then do it for a minute. And every day repeat. No equipment, no gym membership, no travel.

3) Spend a couple dollars on the e-book version of Annette Evans Dry Fire Primer book. Then dry fire tonight for one minute (are you starting to see the jist?).

There are tons more you can do. The point being to just start right now, and do what you can, with what you have, for as long a time as you can, and don’t quit.