Teaching Our Kids (and Ourselves) That Discipline Is Love
“Motivation gets you going, but discipline keeps you growing.” – John C. Maxwell

Thought of the Day

Discipline is something we all know is important. I've sat down with many adults during intro sessions who really struggle. The biggest thing we can help them with is accountability, which allows them to build discipline. Discipline is what helps them get out of their own way and move beyond the tricky spot they’re in.

With our children, it can be easy to take our foot off the gas when work or life gets crazy, when they start to show teenage attitudes, or even as the seasons change. But if we don’t take the time now to instill discipline, even during inconvenient moments, we’re not truly helping set them up for long-term success. One of my favourite quotes from Jocko Willink is “Discipline equals freedom,” and it applies not just to fitness, but to life.

As a youth, I remember trying many different activities—from art classes to every sport under the sun. Usually, in week one, I was eager. Week two, maybe a little less so. But the commitment was to finish the semester of whatever activity I was enrolled in. As a ten-year-old, I really hated this rule, but as an adult, it has proven to be a game changer. Motivation often gets us through the door, but discipline is the secret sauce that moves us forward especially in the challenging times.

On the Jiu Jitsu mats—right after my separation—many days I was just dragging myself there. But that commitment proved to be critical in helping me through a dark and challenging time in my life. And now, as a double brown belt (in Judo and Jiu Jitsu), I get to mentor new students and help them find their own discipline.

It’s not always going to be pretty. Sometimes you’ll be dragging your children (or yourself) kicking and screaming. But without discipline and a commitment to continue through both good and bad times, you won’t get very far. It’s best to model this for your children while also teaching them to do the same. Motivation may get you in the door, but if you're struggling with discipline, we have a team here to help.

Thursday

H: 03-10 Warm up (7 min)

Active shoulders with a large plate:

Press up, 5 reps

Move with the plate holding over head, 50 ft

Press to the front, 5 reps; then steering, 5 each direction

Hold the plate in front of the chest, in lunge position, press out, then trunk rotation to both sides, 3 times, then switch your leg, 3 times.

Walking lunges

Human car wheel: holding on to a partners feet and walk 25 ft, then switch

H: 10-24 Tech (14 min)

Double under:

• Single jumps, 1 min

• Penguin clap without the rope

• Double under

  • Open up your chest, thumbs to side

Handstand walk:

• Kick up practice

  • Soft and gentle

  • Look beyond where your thumbs are

• Practice your version of handstand walk. Choose from:

  • Bear crawl

  • Measure your distance from the wall if shoulder tap

  • Place a plate and practice stepping up

  • Kick up, shoulder taps while controlling weight shifting

  • Handstand walk

H: 25 WOD 3 rounds for time (Time cap: 25 min)

50 walking-lunge steps

100-ft. handstand walk

150 double-unders

Options for handstand walk:

• Elevated shoulder tap on the wall or on a box:

  • Try not to move side-to-side too much

• Hand stepping on to the plate, or measure the distance to walk towards the wall

Options for double-unders:

• Single-unders but double the total number.

• Penguin clap

H: 50 Cool down (5 min)