Ron Saturno - "Your fight is with time"

• In one day with the proper instruction: I could lose 2 seconds off of my basic movements. 
• In 3 days of proper instruction I could lose another precious second. 
• In a year of proper instruction: I could lose another 0.5 second.
• In twenty more years of proper instruction: I could lose another precious .05 seconds off of my basic movements. 
• In 50 more years of proper instruction: I couldn't lose or gain seconds: I'll be dead. 

A lifetime spent chasing the information I get from that dreaded device. The metallic version of the ex-wife. The stop watch. A cruel collection of metal, gears, hands, buttons and dials. It waits for me even now: Calling to me and challenging me to go another round with me: Waiting with heartless efficiency. Not even knowing that there will come a time where my fingers will no longer be able to activate its mechanisms.

We will find ourselves slaves to the wicked taskmaster: Our stop watch. My stop watch is analog. Very old, very sturdy and a beloved memento of my chase for perfection. We are dealt a cruel hand in this life. Young and dumb, we waste our time chasing rainbows. Older, more grey and no less the wiser: We not only wonder where the time has gone, but realize that time will not wait, nor tarry for us. Time: She is a tickin'. We never really stop time, when we push the buttons. We just stop long enough to read a dial and sometimes smile.

It is with great humility and sometimes sorrow... that I now watch my younger brethren trying to attain the goals, my generation reached for. Many of my generation have already come and gone now. They slapped, crackled and popped. Hit, kicked, elbowed, kneed and head butted. All in the name of martial perfection. Some came closer to their goals than others. Some, gave up long ago. Some still wear their uniform with pride. They can no longer do the things that they could do even 5 years ago. Some can't walk, or even talk. They sit in chairs in a court yard most days and eventually get wheeled into a urine smelling building to be picked up and lay down to dream of better times. A time where people cared for them and they were not forgotten. They fought the good fight and now fade, as most men must do. Time will not stop for them, nor go backwards. It never has.

Your fight is with time. Time will eventually win. Time never tires, grows old, nor feels the pains which accompanies age. I am sitting here at my computer and wish that someone is listening.  

Make every moment count. Go down you eventually will, but go down kicking.



Other articles by Master Saturno:

• Basic Movement Theory
• Basics in Defense
• Basics of Serrada
• Freight Training! (Body Alignment & Power Transfer)
• The Secret to Surviving Fights

Notes

My deepest gratitude to Master Ron Saturno for his kind permission in allowing me to repost his articles to my site. Photo Credit:  Source pic - Master Ron Saturno.

You can contact Master Ron Saturno via:

Email:  5masterserrada@gmailNOSPAM.com (take out the "NOSPAM")
Phone:  209-513-8027
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/ron.saturno