Mat Lock
So Cleveland Hughes, welcome to The Unleashing Potential Podcast. It’s a pleasure to have you on here.
Cleveland Hughes
Thank you so much for having me.
Mat Lock
Now, of course, now, I know that you’re in Illinois, tell us a little bit about who you are and what you’re doing in Illinois.
Cleveland Hughes
Well, I’m 30 years old, I live in Chicago, Illinois. I help people fight depression, stress and anxiety through the sport of boxing.
Mat Lock
Fantastic. Now very well, you’re also the creator of the healing MIT’s intentional boxing training system. Is that correct? Yes, which we’re pretty keen to dive into, I have to say, and then find out more about all of that. But I couldn’t help but read on your website that said that in 2009, it was a therapist who suggested you give boxing ago. And if you’re willing to share, it would be interesting to hear, I guess, the backstory that led to that advice from a therapist, and then be sure we can go forward from there and hear about the journey.
Cleveland Hughes
Sure, I’m happy to share. I feel like through hopefully, people listening can hear my experience, and they, too, will fight back and move forward. So I’m happy to share. So back right after so and during high school, I played, I played high school sports. And I learned to emotionally regulate through sports at the time. You know, as a young man, I hadn’t realized my condition, my illness, I hadn’t really understood, I didn’t really understand it the way I do now. But, you know, after high school, you know, I was kind of a smaller athlete, it was college sports wasn’t going to be anything that was on the horizon for me, and I always kind of wanted to be a professional athlete, but it wasn’t going to happen through the traditional basketball or football thing. But I was in I wasn’t into any other sport, those basketball football player, but so, after high school, I really started to try to figure out what it was that I wanted to do with myself, you know, in my adult life, and I slowly slowly fell into a depression. And I soon after, I started to feel like, there were there were some I started to behave kind of strangely, I didn’t feel like myself. Like, I wouldn’t leave the house for weeks, maybe even months at a time, like, you know, other than, you know, to do normal things like, you know, get food and things like that. But beyond that, like, I didn’t want to leave the house to do anything much more than this, basically feed myself and I knew something was wrong, because it was I was usually a social butterfly. And I you know, like to hang out and do all these great things, they do all these fun things with my friends and, and such. So I knew something was wrong. So I booked myself with a therapist, I paid paid out of pocket for it. And I went, and I started going to therapy, and I started seeing, seeing a therapist, and, you know, my therapists notice my enthusiasm when it came to sports, you know, like, I’m a sports guy, like, I just, I don’t know what life would be like, without sports for me. And, and that’s what was going on is I had life with no sports. Um, and, you know, he suggested, you know, he talked about a bunch of different sports that would be appropriate for a guy my size to play. But, you know, he really stopped and emphasized the sport of boxing. And he’s like, man, there’s weight classes in this sport. I mean, it’s a tough sport. And I’m like, I’m just fine. I’m tough. You know, and I’m, you know, the idea that I can compete against somebody the same size as me, was extremely attractive to me. And I took a I took the therapists advice, and I went to the boxing gym. Probably about a week after that, that session,
Mat Lock
and it changed your life. I think it’s fair to say.
Cleveland Hughes
Oh, yeah, absolutely. Um, I can’t imagine what my life would be like without the sport of boxing. It’s something that I don’t even really want to think about
Mat Lock
that. Absolutely. Absolutely. So at that stage, you were what you were about 19. Then in 2000, yeah. Around 19. Yeah, I was around 19. And you you mentioned, you mentioned your illness, but you didn’t say what that illness was the ovary talking about depression?
Cleveland Hughes
Well, um, yes. But there, there was a, there was a period and this is five years later that, you know, I was seeing doctors, because I wasn’t feeling good again. And they were, you know, they said that they thought that I was experiencing symptoms of bipolar disorder, which which would make sense because, you know, my mom is bipolar. So okay. Yeah. So I mean, so basically, I’ve been living had been living with this, this illness, mental illness for as long as I can remember. But I just thought it was normal. Yeah, well, I feel the way that I felt it Yeah, absolutely. It was my, my normal. And I thought everybody felt like I did. And, and I’m sure there are a lot of people that feel this way. But there are some people that don’t so
Mat Lock
yeah, absolutely. I mean, kudos to you for taking steps to find a therapist and to seek advice. And take that advice. It’s It’s one thing to sit there and listen, it’s another thing to actually then stand up off of the therapists chair and actually take action which you did sound and curiosity. Right. That’s awesome. I’m very pleased that you did as I’m sure you did. You are? Um, yes, yes. So um, so let’s see them so you A week later you step into your first boxing gym? And how does that work? When you’ve literally zero background in boxing? fit looking going out? I’m sure you were then you are you were an athlete, at high school and so on. So how does that look when you step into a boxing gym for the very first time?
Cleveland Hughes
I it’s, it’s very humbling. Because you know, as an athlete, you walk in to, you know, you walk into a boxing gym like an athlete, but you’ve never done this sport before. And you don’t know what the finer details are about. And you would you assume that the boxing is about brute strength and aggression, but it’s, it’s a lot more relaxed and Zen like then than meets the eye. So you know, that’s it. For me one of the strangest experiences, though, one of the hardest, maybe not the hardest thing, but the first obstacle was, you know, shadow boxing, and shadow boxing for people at home that are listening that don’t know anything about boxing. shadow boxing is where you stand in front of the mirror, and you practice your techniques. And for a young man, you know, your punches, you’re slipping, you’re rolling, and ducking, and all that good stuff. But as a young man, he never spent that much time in front of a mirror. Ever. It was a really strange thing. You know, and it’s really interesting, because I think boxing helped my self awareness, just because I spent so much time in a mirror. You know, I just like study in myself, and something I hadn’t really done before.
Mat Lock
It’s interesting, becoming comfortable with that.
Cleveland Hughes
Yeah, becoming comfortable with the just staring at yourself, you know, what I mean? It’s kind of a, it’s kind of a, it’s kind of a interesting experience that I had, but you know, it was it. Basically, it was humbling, because I knew nothing about this sport. You know, the transition from playing basketball or playing football was was a lot simpler, because if I can run fast and jump high and catch a ball, you know, I can play these floors. But, you know, boxing is, you know, a boxing. another level of focus. Yeah, it’s Yeah, you know, and, you know, when you’re gonna get hit, you know, it’s a different. It’s a different, different kind of sport. So that was what it was like, for me. It was really humbling when in the beginning.
Mat Lock
Yeah, absolutely. I can relate. Not through boxing, but I can relate, having gone from being a reasonably handy sort of ultra endurance athlete in the triathlon world, to then stepping into the gym and sort of try my first round of functional fitness training. And say, Man, it was like, wow, I know. I was very good at running, swimming and and riding a bike. But anything else? Yeah. Literally Forget it. So now I can somehow really, yeah, before we move on, I’m just interested when you think about looking in the mirror. I think a lot of people spend a lot of time looking in the mirror. But I think what you’re talking about was different. Because when you were looking in the mirror, I’m guessing you weren’t looking at your hair. You weren’t looking at any of that stuff. You were seeing yourself. You were looking at Yes.
Cleveland Hughes
Yeah. Yes. Yes, definitely. It’s very, it’s very different. I wasn’t getting ready. I was developing. I was getting to know where I was and visualizing where I wanted to be as a person
Mat Lock
And is that a technique that you had been trained in? Are you just naturally found yourself visualize them? And I use visualization quite naturally. And it’s a very proven but for you as it’s just an inherent approach to it all, or is that something you’d been trained in or read about and then developed?
Cleveland Hughes
Man, it was so long ago, I think I think it was just a result of being in that environment and watching other people do it. Yeah, you know, if you if you if you go into a boxing gym and you watch someone that has experienced boxing and watch them shadowbox it really it looks like they’re fighting someone. It’s a really strange thing was when you’re watching and you’re trying to do it, you don’t look like you’re fighting somebody. And you know, these guys, you know, they’ve got the experience, and they’ve done it so many times. And then, you know, I’ve just kind of watched those guys, and tried to do try to mimic what I you know, to try to mirror what they were doing. And I don’t know if it was inherent or I learned it, you know, just being around all those other people. But, I mean, pretty early on. I fell in love with shadowboxing. I really enjoyed it.
Mat Lock
Yeah, interesting, I guess, to the layperson, like me, who knows very little about boxing. I wouldn’t even think to isolate shadow boxing actors, you know, part of the story, let’s say, I only could imagine the training and then you see what happens in the ring, of course, which is the more publicized aspect of it all but so you fell in love with boxing and I guess, take us on the journey. What what, other than the physical fitness, which is obvious by looking at you now. And any, any boxer amateur or professional I’ve seen, they’re normally pretty fit. They fit in there quick on their feet, and have quick hands. But other than that physical fitness, how, what did it do for you? How has it served you?
Cleveland Hughes
Well, there is a certain level of relaxation that you need in order to get into the boxing ring, and perform like all sports. But the difference I think in boxing is is that there is a real danger. Like a it’s pretty apparent that danger like you know, in a football game or basketball game, yes, people get hurt, you know, but usually, they’re like, you know, they twisted their ankle or something like that. But in boxing, it’s the only sport where you win, you win by knocking the other person out. But you know, you’re causing a brain injury to someone else. It’s the only sport, there’s only a sport that that’s the goal that I know of. I haven’t seen any other sports like it yet. But, you know, in for you to, you have to get in there and can’t think about getting hurt. You know, you have to, you have to manage your anxiety, you have to manage everything that’s going on in order for you to stay mentally prepared to move out of the way and defend yourself so you don’t get hurt. And that obstacle is, I mean, it’s not a simple task to do, especially when someone’s trying to take your head off. But that was you know, and that’s what it was for me, you know, you know, you get angry in there and it doesn’t serve you you get afraid in there. It doesn’t serve you the only thing that serves you in that ring is to be in the moment and taking your time and being focused.
Mat Lock
There’s a lovely phrase, which I’ve heard coined by a lithia burner who’s a multiple times CrossFit Games athlete and former professional gymnast and Commonwealth Games, athletes and so on. And she certainly talked about the best one one great piece of advice she gave us. Her words be way of fita. And it sounds like that’s what you’re describing, literally.
Cleveland Hughes
Oh, yes. Oh, yes. I mean, that that is that is something that sometimes I tell like when I’m working, you know, like with, with my clients and such as like, you know, fill your feet under your the ground like feel your feet on the ground. And it’s almost like a it’s almost like something that people kind of scratch their head at in the beginning. It’s like, wait, what do you mean, feel my feet on the ground? It’s like, yeah, you’re not feeling your feet when you’re on the ground right now. You need to be here president with me in this moment in order for you to take in what it is that I’m trying to teach you. You know?
Mat Lock
Yeah, absolutely. And you find that flows over into your other other areas of your life outside of the ring or outside of the gym, or those areas you may have been able to apply outside of that environment.
Cleveland Hughes
Oh, yes, it. I’m a big believer in whatever you’re doing at any time, you’re getting better at it, you know. So if you’re thinking positive, and you’re, you know, thinking positive thoughts, and you haven’t good days, the better you are, the better you’re going to get at thinking positively and having better days. So when you’re in the gym, and you’re managing your anxiety, you know, because there’s a real threat in front of you. A lot of people, you know, like depression, and anxiety comes from thoughts of either like the past or the future, you know, leaving the moment is where it’s where we go wrong. And boxing helped me just kind of slow everything down. And even in and I’m, obviously I’m not perfect, there are times where I leave the moment. And it’s easy for me to remember, like, you know, I think about it, I think about a lot of things like boxing, it’s like, you know, I can handle what’s in front of me. I don’t need to be afraid of what the future holds. Because all I got to do is focus on right here right now. Anything, I can’t change the future. I can’t change the past, I just need to stay focused on what’s right in front of me. And it really is, in boxing taught me how to do that, like, you know, I can’t think about getting hurt. I can’t think about anything else. But getting in there and defending myself and, and performing the way I should perform.
Mat Lock
I mean, it’s almost the perfect analogy for life, isn’t it?
Cleveland Hughes
I guess I I sincerely do agree with that. Because I mean, like, you know, there’s a mike tyson quote, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face. Unless, you know, and when you get punched in the face, now what you’ve been punched in the face. Now, what are you going to do? You know?
Mat Lock
So now I love that quote. And I think, if you think about, we’re recording this at the time, where we’re still very much the world is trying to get COVID-19 under control. And yeah, I mean, you know, all the people and all the businesses in the world had a plan in some form or other and yet, we globally got punched. So it’s time to adapt that. Yeah, I mean, I think that’s a very well understood and well coined, quote, which is perfect. But Oh, yeah. Yeah, claiming that I’m conscious of time, and I’m unconscious, we haven’t done we got into the sort of intentional boxing training system yet healing mitts. And so I know that we’re going to get on a second session to talk about that. So I think for now, I mean, I appreciate that you’ve been very candid, and sharing with you about, you know, sharing your backstory and sharing how boxing has helped you, and certainly using some of the terms of your website. But it’s what you’ve spoken about in terms of helping you regulate your emotions, sharpen the mind, and, and to be more confident in all aspects of life. I mean, that’s obviously fantastic to hear. And I think, very relatable for a lot of the people that will listen to this in their own sport, you know, whichever sport it is, and typically functional fitness training, or maybe even a triathlon as well. But I appreciate you sharing. So candidly, and are there any, before we dive into the next session and talk about healing MIT, is there anything in particular you’d like to share about the boxing journey or someone thinking about, if they’re looking for a new sport, or they’re looking to get fit, how boxing may serve them in the same way it served you?
Cleveland Hughes
Yeah, um, if you can, if you can get over the hesitation of going into a boxing training environment. Now, not everyone that goes into boxing training has to do competition, even maybe even has to spar, like you don’t have to, you don’t have to do the, you don’t have to get in the ring in order to do boxing training. And I sincerely believe that if, if you go into it and you take you take into account some of the things that I said here about focusing on what you’re doing and being in the moment, that it will have a positive impact on you. So anybody out there that’s that’s been thinking about it, you know, stop thinking about it, get up and take some action and I I would love to hear from you guys to tell and hear about your experience or what it was like when you started your boxing training and seeing if it if you got any of the same benefits I did.
Mat Lock
Yeah, no. Awesome. Thank you. It’s wise words. And in your experience, the boxing community is normally very welcoming over dimension. Oh, yes, very welcoming. So anyone feeling a little bit? Maybe apprehensive about taking that first step through the doors of their local boxing gym? just kind of go for it. Because, yeah, in my experience, any of these different sporting communities are normally super welcoming.
Cleveland Hughes
Yeah, I mean, for for what for what we do as boxing coaches. There needs to be a passion there because it’s, you know, it’s a very you You have to dedicate a lot of time and energy to the sport in order to be successful at it. So we’re probably amongst one of the more passionate group of athletes to just because of how dangerous the sport is.
Mat Lock
Yeah, absolutely. And and if people want to reach out even then I would encourage them to do so if they want to find out more, they just want to connect with you. How would they do that?
Cleveland Hughes
best place for you to get me is I’m on Instagram. My handle is Cleveland H dot fitness. And if you want to check out my website, you can go to www dot healing MIT’s dot org.
Mat Lock
Fantastic. And of course we’ll put those links in the show notes for sure. Alright, so for for this session. Clayton, thank you so much for your time, and sharing your experience and expertise and looking forward to diving into the next session with you. Thank you so much for having me. It was a pleasure.
