Flexibility

I made a post this weekend about the truth that I haven’t done a split in while and I need to get that back.

I let a few injuries and a lot of busyness serve as excuses to why I haven’t stretched enough and am not as flexible as I once was.

But, now that I’ve faced the fact, I’ll fix it.

I’ll get my splits back before the end of the summer and, when I do, you’ll be the first to know.

But, as you probably expect if you’ve come to know me, personally or watching me teach or even just through my emails and blogs…..

you probably know that there is more to the subject than physical flexibility; I am also refering to flexibility as relates to leadership and life.

I believe that the ability to remain flexible is one of the most important leadership traits- on the level of other essentials, like character, competence, confidence and communication skills.

Yet, if you stop to think about it, you’ll probably realize that most people are rather inflexible much of the time.

If you’re even more reflective, you may even be able to think of the instances that you make this mistake in your own life.

I know I have.

And through meticulous observation and evaluation over several years, I’m better at it (remaining flexible) than ever before.

But, just as with my splits, I have to keep working at it; if I ever make the mistake I did with my physical flexibility, and stop or slow down stretching, I’ll lose flexibility in my leadership too.

Before I talk about the flexibility that I am talking about, let’s talk about what I am specifically not talking about.

I am not talking about flexibility of character, morality or principal.

I live by the great advice given by Thomas Jefferson:

“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.”

It helps me, when making the distinction in dealing with those I lead, to liken the maxim to how I teach Krav Maga.

I teach tecnique and principle but, wherein the technique may be modified, the principle may never be violated.

In krav maga, leadership and life, the principle is what matters most.

But in most things, while remembering not to violate the principles at play, it behooves us to be as flexible as we otherwise can.

Here are a few examples, many of which I wish I would have learned many years ago:

• flexibility with our kids while also raising them up in the way they should go;
• flexibility with team members on how they choose to get their mission done;
• flexibility on every single thing that just really doesn’t matter- my buddy used to ask me (and i didn’t get it at the time), “you wanna be right or you wanna be happy?”;
• flexibility about how someone we lead learns, and how we then teach them;
• flexibility when the situation changes; this one is a strength for me, thank God. To survive and thrive in business or almost any other worthwhile thing, we have to posess this flexibility.

I’m sure there are many more.

When I spend some more time with the campers after lunch, perhaps we’ll discuss this in our leadership groups.

Krav Maga Martial Arts Summer Training & Leadership Camp (Summer 2022)

Speaking of flexibility, we have many, many ways for you to keep up with or catch up with your classses this summer around your vacation!

Make sure you get with me or a team member for info on the virtiual and google classrooms, the summer leadership and rank camps, Intensive Training Course and more!

And, if you haven’t started with us yet, this is a great time to do so!

You can start your 2 week free trial and orientation program here. 

And, when you enroll in June, we’ll even waive your down payment! 

Save money and invest in your future and/or that of your kids by visiting our page or call 813-948-4844 today!

Prepare To Live; Empower To Lead!

Grand Master Stephen J. Del Castillo
Founding Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts
TampaKravMaga.com
Author of Developing Your Superpowers  Meditations On Mastery Vol One
Check out the Meditations On Mastery Blog and Podcast too!

———————————————————————————————————————-

About Grandmaster Stephen J. Del Castillo: Grandmaster Del Castillo is the founding Master Instructor of Krav Maga Martial Arts and has been empowering lives in Pasco and Hillsborough Counties since October of 2000. He is a 7th degree Blackbelt, MBA, author, mentor and success coach, a US Army Veteran and a proud father and grandfather. He is married to Ms. Barbara Del Castillo who helps him run the school. Grand Master Del Castillo began his training in the early 80’s and has high level blackbelts in Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Premier Martial Arts and Krav Maga Martial Arts as well as experience in kickboxing, Jeet Kune Do and Jiujitsu. He has high level instructor certifications from BBSI, IKMF, and KMG and has been featured in numerous Martial Arts publications and also Success magazine. He was a competitive sport karate and American Kickboxing instructor until he enlisted in the US Army where he served in the 82nd Airborne Division, where he won an Army Green to Gold scholarship and proceeded to ROTC and the University of Tampa. He was commisioned in 1992 and went on to serve in Germany with the 3rd Infantry Division and then in several other posts in the US until he left military service to pursue his dream of creating KMMA in 2000.

The Krav MagaMartial Arts Headquarters is in Lutz, FL at 1900 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., 33549. Krav Maga Martial Arts serves Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, and surrounding areas.

See stephendelcastillo.com for more information and to order my book, Developing Your Superpower, Meditations on Mastery, Volume 1.

Also, check us out on Fun4TampaKids & on Go2Karate.com