Go Hard Or Go Home
The Girl recently started taking boxing classes like I do. She’s very athletic and in a great shape; but I still like to see if I can out do her. And, even though I claim I’m an “old man” she likes to see if she can outperform me as well. I’ve attended a lot more classes than she has; but she has the boundless energy of a teenager on her side. It’s just a workout; but competing for bragging rights until the next class makes it a lot more interesting. She trains hard! It’s easy to see why she’s such a good soccer player.
P.S. Unlike a lot of parents, the thought of letting her win doesn’t enter my mind. I’m much more focused on doing what I can to stay ahead of her for the rest of the summer until she goes off to school.
I think friendly athletic family competition is healthy, particularly with teens. Certainly her learning some self defense is always helpful. I would never dream of letting my kids win; I do not see any life lesson in doing such.
Viemoira: She’s a very good athlete. But I’m “older and wiser” and use it to my advantage. Plus, I’ve been working out every day for a long time, so I’ve got a lot of endurance and of course testosterone fueled upper body strength on my side. But she’s already ahead of some of the other guys in the class.
After teaching judo to various ages and sexes for 45 years the notion of ‘allowing’ a sparring partner to ‘win’ is anathema to me. As part of a trianing exercise fine but in the context of an actual combat to do so is to lie to your partner, to give them a false concept of their abilities and someday when they need it their abilities aren’t honed to the extent they might have been.
In judo I was taught that to spar (we call it randdori or ‘free practice’) it is belittling or patronizing to allow a partner to win. It is an insult – ‘see how bad you are, I don’t have to work at it at all.
Again in trianing dril it is quite another vthing when you are allowing a partner to use you as a practice dummy.
Sorry for the diatribe.
Don (yondan as was)
Don: Not that I agree with it; but a lot of parents are worried about her kids confidence. I’ve always felt that there aren’t any free passes in life so there shouldn’t be any in sport either. Sports are good for teaching life lessons; but not if it’s impossible to fail.