If you can throw a roundhouse kick with enormous power, does it mean that you have achieved greatness? If you can execute an armbar flawlessly, is that achieving greatness? Or if you become a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, does that mean you have achieved greatness? Or maybe if you become a World Champion, then have you finally achieved greatness?
At Evolve, the answer is a resounding NO to all of the questions above.
You see, the truth is that the adventure of martial arts is really about the journey of the self. It is about maximizing everything that you are - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. In other words, it is about unlocking your potential as a human being. Don't laugh. It may sound hokey and even downright crazy. But perhaps some quotes from the Evolve Instructor Team will shed some light:
"I became an orphan at the age of 7. It is too painful to go into the details, but I only had 1 pair of shorts and a t-shirt. I had no shoes, no money, no family, no skills, no food, and no future. I was left to fend for myself. For years, I lived on the streets like a stray dog and was beaten with regularity by gangs. One day, a student of Kru Yodtong saw me getting beaten by a gang and he took pity on me. He rescued me and brought me to Kru Yodtong, the head of Sityodtong Gym. It was my introduction to Muay Thai. From that day onwards, Kru Yodtong embraced me like a son. I lived at the Sityodtong Gym. It was my home and Muay Thai became my life. It gave me discipline. It gave me courage. It taught me self-respect. It pushed me to my physical limits. It taught me to dream. It taught me to work hard. Above all, it gave me a reason to live. Without Muay Thai, I do not know where I would be today. I would probably be dead or something like that. My World Championship titles pale in comparison to everything else that Muay Thai has given me. Muay Thai has made me a better human being."
-Yoddecha Sityodtong, Muay Thai World Champion and Evolve Instructor
"Man, jiu-jitsu gave me everything in my life. I started BJJ when I was 4 years old. BJJ taught me to respect myself and to respect others. It taught me the importance of hard work. It gave me a way to control my emotions. It gave me focus in my life. Every day, I woke up with a dream to do something with my life. I was always excited to train. BJJ kept me out of trouble. Everybody has dreams. My dream is to become the best fighter in the world, to be the UFC World Champion. BJJ gave me that dream. BJJ has given me everything that I have today. It pushes me to become a better athlete, a better son, a better friend, a better brother, a better teacher."
-Antonio Braga Neto, BJJ World Champion and Evolve Instructor
"I've been in over 100 professional Muay Thai fights. I've been in even more street fights due to my prior jobs as a bodyguard to celebrities and as a bouncer in some of the most dangerous nightclubs in Thailand. Of course, Muay Thai gave me the ability to defend myself. I have that confidence. But, more than that, Muay Thai made me a better man. It taught me to live the life of a warrior - with honor, integrity, and courage. I laugh more. I live more. I learn more. All because of Muay Thai!"
-Daorung "Papa" Sityodtong, Muay Thai Trainer and Evolve Instructor.
"I don't drink. I don't smoke. I don't do drugs. I never have because I have too much respect for Muay Thai. Muay Thai gave me the mental strength and the focus to allow only positive things into my life. I started Muay Thai when I was 6 years old. I trained every day for 4-6 hours. I used to cry from exhaustion and I always wanted to quit. It taught me to never give up. There were so many times during training that I wanted to quit from exhaustion. But Kru Yodtong would never have allowed it. Muay Thai hardened my body, toughened mind, and strengthened my spirit. It gave me the will to win in the ring and in life."
-Nuengpichit Sityodtong, Muay Thai World Champion and Evolve Instructor
"As a kid, I used to be reckless and wild. I was always in trouble and I caused most of it. The biggest turning point in my life was the first time I rolled on the mats in my first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class. BJJ gave me a reason to live an honorable life. I wanted to become a World Champion. So I quit drinking. I quit my reckless life. I quit causing trouble. I gave my heart, soul, and body to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. And in return, BJJ gave me so much more. It gave me good health, mental strength, emotional control, discipline, confidence, and passion."
-Brodinho Silva, BJJ World Champion and Evolve Instructor.
"12 years ago, I was completely broke and didn't even have enough money to ride the subway. I used to eat 1 meal a day because it was all that I could afford. I lived day-to-day. And even though I had almost nothing, I was supporting my parents and younger brother because they had even less. It was a very difficult time in my life. I wanted to give up. I wanted to lay down and sleep. I was so tired. However, the lessons from Muay Thai gave me the strength to move forward: Discipline. Work ethic. Mental toughness. Confidence. Energy. Passion. Excellence. Muay Thai taught me to become a fighter in life."
-Chatri Sityodtong, Muay Thai Fighter and Evolve Instructor
Our motto at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts is
Achieve Greatness Within. Every person has a different journey in life. Every person has a different story. But, everyone has the same potential to achieve greatness within. Sadly, not everyone does. It requires patience. It requires hard work. It requires dedication. It requires honesty. It requires passion.
So what does it mean to
Achieve Greatness Within?
It is not about winning or losing, succeeding or failing. It is far deeper than that. It is about your personal journey. It is about conquering your fears. It is about overcoming your weaknesses. It is about daring to dream. It is about taking risks. It is about following your heart. It is about turning bad into good. It is about living life to the fullest.
It is about how you can evolve into everything that you can be.
Ultimately, it is about the quest to unlocking your potential - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually - in every area of life. At Evolve, we passionately believe that the martial arts can help you to do that and one of the biggest goals of the Evolve Instructor Team is to help you achieve greatness within. We all have failures and disappointments. We all make mistakes. We all succumb to weaknesses. The martial arts teaches us to rise above it all and to improve ourselves continuously. This desire for continuous self-improvement is perhaps the greatest gift that martial arts bestows upon all of us. And it is the key to unlocking our potential.
Of course, the benefits of martial arts are plentiful. By training at Evolve, you can:
-Lose weight and body fat by burning over 500 calories an hour
-Get fit, healthy, and toned
-Learn the art of self-defense
-Inherit confidence, self-discipline, and mental strength
-Release stress, feel rejuvenated, and increase your energy level
-Meet different people and make lifelong friends
These benefits will help you in all areas of your life. It will give you the confidence to dream big, the mental strength to overcome tough times, the energy to make things happen, and the health to live a long life. So to that end, let us all achieve greatness within! Go Team Evolve!
Evolve Mixed Martial Arts. Achieve Greatness Within.
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