If you want to succeed at something, you have to give it 100%. As a personal trainer I know which of my London clients will achieve their goals: the ones who follow my advice 100%, simple as that.
So it was with the “fight of the century” between Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao last night, Saturday 2nd May 2015. Floyd Mayweather has given 100% of his attention to his boxing career, and remains unbeaten as a professional boxer. Manny Pacquiao these last five years has divided his time between too many other competing interests: Congressman, bar-owner, casino-owner, singer, basketball player, national hero.
Manny Pacquiao started the fight strong, all guns blazing, but as the rounds progressed, fatigue set in, and his accuracy started to suffer. Mayweather landed around 60 more punches than Pacquiao, and Mayweather’s victory was unanimous: the judges scored him 118-110, 116-112, 116-112.
The key to any fitness regime, and the key to success in any sport, is 100% dedication. This is why in my view Floyd Mayweather won the fight, and more to the point, why Manny Pacquiao lost. A crucial element of any fitness regime is sleep and rest, something Manny often neglects in his bid to succeed in so many endeavours. While Manny might work harder than Floyd, Floyd works smarter.
Therein lies a lesson for anyone who wants to lose weight, or build muscle, or improve cardiovascular fitness. You can’t achieve any of these fitness goals if you’re dividing your time and efforts between too many competing interests. One thing you absolutely cannot afford to sacrifice is sufficient sleep and rest between your training sessions, otherwise you’ll be sabotaging your efforts. I believe Manny Pacquiao sabotaged his boxing efforts by chasing too many other dreams at the same time.
Dominic Londesborough is a personal trainer in London with over 10 years’ experience.