If you are a martial artist, boxer, wrestler or any other type of combat athlete you have probably learned this a long time ago... or should have.

Keep your ego out of physical training!

Now don't get me wrong... combat athletes are some of the proudest, most competitive and driven people you will ever meet.

Winning and losing is taken very seriously, because after all... it is personal.

But in order to get good at these sports... the ego must be left at the training room door.

The same is true for physical training for performance improvement of any kind.

Why?

Because if you are not willing to work on your weaknesses, and humble yourself in the process, you will never realize great improvements.

Let me ask you a question about your neighborhood gym...

Is there a guy there with a huge chest and arms with skinny, toothpick legs?

Yea, you know the guy.

Well, he got that way because he spends his training time working on his strengths and ignoring his weaknesses... and this is no way to improve over-all fitness.

Ok, another question...

Is there a gal there that spends almost all her time doing aerobic type endurance activities while completely ignoring all other types of physical training?

Yea, that's her with the spandex body-suit and designer water bottle.

Well, she trains this way because she is focusing on her strengths and ignoring her weaknesses... and this is no way to improve over-all fitness.

If you were to ask either one of these individuals if they were fit... they would most likely say yes and then explain themselves by giving examples of their competence in the one physical ability they are strongest performing.

But I propose that fitness is not the ability to maximize one physical skill... but rather the ability to optimize all the physical skills of cardiorespiratory endurance, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, accuracy and toughness.

Exhibiting excellence in any one particular skill at the expense of all others is not fitness.

You must be willing to work on the physical skills that need the most improvement in order to realize the greatest increase in over-all fitness.

Let's face it... some people are better than others at certain aspects of physical training.

But if you only perform the physical training for which you are naturally gifted... you are limiting your over-all fitness gains.

Leave you ego at the gym door... make it your safe haven from embarrassment.

After all... it is the place you go to get better, not show off.

Concentrate on your weaknesses even if you feel foolish and clumsy at first... you might even be surprised at how quickly those weaknesses become newfound strengths.

Do yourself a favor and learn a lesson from combat athletes... Leave your ego at the training room door.