UFC Star on how to Find a Fighters Mindset

Posted on September 13, 2016 in Athlete Interviews, Training Tips

We all know that a lot goes into training to be a fighter. Hours of practice every day, a strict schedule and even stricter diet, and a lot of sacrifice is the first thing that comes to mind. In order to become a strong competitor, you must first have a solid way of thinking. What does it take to think like a champion?

We sat down with UFC fighter and professional speaker Charlie “The Spaniard” Brennenman, to obtain some insight in what he calls “The Fighter’s Mindset”. There are three primary things he suggested to turn any athlete into a real warrior.

1. Make sure your focus is on the right things.

Charlie often asks his audience, “What do you spend your time doing or thinking about? Who are the people you surround yourself with?” He emphasizes that we are a culmination of the five people we spend the most time with, thus it is important to be with like-minded individuals. He questions his athletes if they beat themselves up after every “bad” practice, or are they working on remembering what they learned?

“We all think that we are working as hard as we can and can’t do more, but if you’re not where you want to be, then you might be not trying as hard as you can,” says Brennenman. “Don’t let distractions and unnecessary drama become a factor in your life–make a goal, then put all your attention on it. Do not allow anything to get in your way.”

2. Remember why you are doing it.

It’s easy to get discouraged when you hit the mats every single day and aren’t seeing much progress. “Day-in and day-out, training to be a champ is hard,” says Charlie. “A good way to check yourself is to check your habits. Are you warming up before practice and following recovery methods afterwards? Are you eating the best that you can? Taking care of injury immediately? Do you wake up in the morning with a plan for the day, so you don’t waste the first half of it looking for direction? Have you made yourself and your training a real priority to you? Taking a look at not just what you’re doing but why you are doing it is a good reminder to push yourself ahead. It takes a long time to achieve championship, and really, it’s won on the mats first, before you ever go to compete.”

3. Take ownership of yourself and your training.

“There is always room for you to improve,” Charlie says. “Take a look at your day-to-day life and find where you are wasting time. You might be spending much more time on Instagram at night than you need to, which takes valuable time for you to rest and recover.”

As a second-time new father, “The Spaniard” has found instances for himself where he put his priorities in check. “I check social media a lot less. I’m much more interested in my newborn son and taking care of him, my wife, and my daughter. I used to have several hours of free time, but now it is about one hour a day that I have to myself. I spend that free hour as efficiently as possible towards my goals. Facebook and television do little to further my intentions, so I don’t waste my time on them.”

Charlie finds it incredibly important to share his message: do the best you can in everything you do, and inspire others to do the same. Like the saying goes: “If you have 6 months to do something, it will take you 6 months. If you have 6 days, it will take you 6 days. People make the time and effort for what they find important, so utilize your training, envision your success, and remember that both working hard and working smart always pays off. For more tips, tactics and motivation dig into Charlie’s A Fighters Mindset blog and mentorship program here.

Written/Interview by: Pari Aryafar