A Fighter’s Spirit by Jillian Bullock

Three and a half years ago, while training in mixed martial arts, I suffered a torn rotator cuff. After surgery and extensive rehab my doctor told me to hang up my gloves – that my days training in boxing and martial arts were over. The doctor said that it was one of the worst tears he had seen and warned me that if I tried to go back to training, I could forever lose the use of my right arm.

This was shattering news for me. I had over thirty years in sports and fitness. As a former competitive athlete, I was making a living as a certified personal trainer, a group fitness instructor and the creator of “Fighting Spirit Warriors” (a self-defense fitness program for girls and women). The doctor’s devastating news felt as if someone had kicked the wind out of me. Not being able to train challenged the fighter within me; I gained over 50 pounds and my confidence and self-esteem began to plummet.

 You see,  my fighter’s spirit was being severely challenged – fitness and training in boxing, wrestling and the martial arts have always been my way of coping with hardships, challenges and obstacles in my life. When I was raped at age eleven by a family friend, I began training in Tae Kwon Do to help defend myself and to ease the raw emotional pain and anger I felt inside. At age fifteen, when I became homeless after my mother kicked me out of the house, I managed to continue going to karate class to get my black belt. In my twenties, I survived a difficult divorce by training to achieve a black belt in Wing Chun. In my thirties, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and turned to wrestling to help me overcome my depression and to “fight” the disease. There has never been a moment in my life when I did not use fitness and training to help me get through some of the toughest of times.

I finally called upon ‘my fighter’s spirit” and did what I knew would be best for me! Using my knowledge and expertise as a personal trainer, I came up with a fitness program for myself. Training slowly and steadily,  I have vigorously worked towards getting back into “fighting shape.”In fact, I now train three hours a day, six days a week. My personal fitness program includes weight-training, cardio conditioning drills, yoga, endurance and plyometric training, as well as boxing and mixed martial arts.

Many individuals have asked me to speak at their businesses, organizations, or events because they feel that my “fighter’s spirit” story inspires, uplifts and empowers people from all walks of life. As a fitness expert, motivational speaker and empowerment coach, I use my story, knowledge and experiences to help other people learn how to use fitness to get into shape and to overcome obstacles in their lives.

During my empowerment speeches I tell audiences life is similar to a fight in the ring – that individuals who want to overcome challenges and obstacles should “look into” the mindset of a champion fighter.  The fighter may be getting his butt kicked; may go down to the mat repeatedly; may have broken ribs and a broken nose – but the champion fighter would rather be carried out on a stretcher than to quit or throw in the towel!

Today I am embarking on a tour called “The Fighting Spirit Warriors: Fit 2 Fight to Have A Safe Life.” During this one-year tour I will be traveling throughout the country with the mission “to reach and to teach” one million girls and women about why being physically fit is so vital in helping to reduce their chance of becoming a victim of rape, sexual assault or domestic violence. This includes teaching safety tips and preventive measures about how to spot a predator and the RED Flag Warning Signs of an abuser.

My philosophy is that having a fighter’s spirit is vital in order to deal with everything life throws at you. My motto is  “When life deals you hardships and challenges which threaten your happiness and success, you have a choice – either lie down and quit or stand up and fight!”

I am grateful that I listened to my own “fighter’s spirit” and never gave up my dream to help people. It is my life mission to embolden individuals to be victors, not victims!

Fall seven times, stand up eight  ~  Japanese Proverb

Bio – Jillian Bullock

Jillian Bullock, who is a former reporter for the Wall Street Journal, is an author, an award-winning writer and filmmaker, a fitness expert, a motivational speaker and empowerment coach. She is also the CEO of Jaguar Productions, Inc., a film and sports entertainment company and the CEO of Jillian Bullock Enterprises, LLC, a fitness, wellness and empowerment company.

As a former competitive martial artist and boxer with over 30 years in the fitness business, Jillian, who has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and Wing Chun, uses her fighting and fitness education and skills in several roles including a certified personal trainer, a certified group instructor, and a certified kickboxing instructor. Jillian is also the creator of Fighting Spirit Warriors, a fitness for self-defense program aimed at girls and women.

Jillian is currently writing the book Fighting Spirit Warriors: Why Being Physically Fit is Vital for Self-Defense Against Rape, Sexual Assault or Domestic Violence and is also working on her first fitness DVD.

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