New Guy but experienced organizer
New Guy, the LMAist in the red headgear, recently competed for the first time. As an organizer (most recently involved with the UCLA encampment for Palestine), he's used to online aliases. Since we first knew him by his online handle, "New Guy," the name stuck. He's been coming to the LMA Learning Lab for about a year, training roughly once a week, sometimes less. It's hard to be consistent with once a week because if you're sick, it's another week before you can come in. He also comes on Saturdays, which can sometimes mean other commitments. Competitions also occur on Saturdays, affecting New Guy's training frequency—no Saturday sessions.
Despite only one training session in the past three weeks, New Guy decided to sign up for a competition that was only three days away in South San Diego County. His opponent, on the other hand, has competed several times and has been training for years.
Commercial sorting process
At the opponent's gym, joining the competition team requires a minimum of 200 classes and passing a four-hour fitness and Thai-boxing test. Many fail on their first attempt. This process selects competitors in their late teens to early 30s with over 300 classes under their belt. They're fit and unafraid to hit or be hit. None of us in the LMA Learning Lab would even qualify to test, as none of us have 200 sessions. Even if we were allowed to test, none of us would pass. At New Guy's training frequency, it would take him over four years to even qualify for the test. That's if he stuck with it for that long with little progress and gatekept from advancing. The competition team is also the advanced class. New Guy would have to stay in the beginner class for four years or indefinitely if he couldn't qualify for the advanced class. The tests and elimination process make it seem like the problem is with the students when it's with the pedagogy and approach. Fortunately, he's not at a commercial gym but the LMA Learning Lab. None of us are "prospects;" however, our sessions are far more fruitful.
Commercial gyms sort and test because they're not really developing anyone, and if they are, it's very slow. Instead, they look for people who are already "tough," fit, durable, and available. Many individuals get injured under the commercial model of training before reaching 200 classes and could get hurt during or while training for the competition team (advanced class) test. Injury can be both physical and non-physical.
Availability means having the time, durability, and resources to train—sorting for younger people with less responsibility and more resources. LMAists at the Lab are the opposite of gym prospects. Did I mention testing is not free? This also sorts for people who can afford supplemental training and other add-ons (including trips to Thailand). What bucket is everyone else sorted to? The "less than" but keep paying us bucket. It is the norm to feel less than and permanently incompetent at a commercial gym. In every way, the commercial model excludes us.
LMA begins with managing the startle response
Due to the startle response, no one competes with the same executive function they have at the gym. The question is, how much of a drop-off do they experience? New Guy was far from being at his peak for competition, but if he could retain most of his skillfulness, training once a week or less would be more than enough.
New Guy was ten pounds below the maximum limit for his weight division. We drove over three hours, waited several more to compete, and were going up against locals. We were tired, stiff, and hungry. The expectations and stakes were low. We made sure New Guy understood we had no expectations—we just wanted him to have fun and stay safe. Given the circumstances, New Guy also didn't put any expectations or pressures on himself. The situation being last minute helped ease his first-time jitters. We had no special instructions for him other than to go out and play, and be himself.
Be yourself
Since our training doesn't idealize movements or set expectations for movement, everyone can move as themselves. This means that each individual's unique body structure, culture, idiosyncrasies, strengths, and limitations are taken into account, allowing them to move in a way that is most natural and effective for them. New Guy's movements are different from his opponent's or what you'd expect in Thai-boxing. Instead, he moves like New Guy, embracing his own style and rhythm.
