Stop using strength [MMA training, apparently]
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You ever done any MMA training?
No, me neither (keep reading if you have, of course).
MMA is Mixed Martial Arts in case you didn’t know.
There’s a phrase I’ve heard in relation to learning techniques, particularly in your early years of training.
Probably applies to all combaty type skills.
The phrase (and variations of it) is “Stop using strength”.
To learn the techniques to overcome an opponent through skill and minimal physical effort.
To use their own strength, movement and momentum against them.
Rather than trying to brute force yourself through every situation.
When you have the skills you can add the strength in where needed to make a formidable combo.
But strength alone just leads to us wearing ourselves out quickly.
And rarely ending up with the result we want when we don’t have the energy to see it through.
And it’s the same in all areas of life.
A bit of brute force here and there can play a part, sure.
But if that’s all we have, we probably won’t get the result we desire.
If our approach to healthier eating and exercise feels like hard work……..
If it requires willpower……..
Motivation……..
Strength………
Then we’ll probably wear ourselves out.
It soon becomes a pain.
An inconvenience.
We get tired of it.
If we use skill instead?
Find the ways of eating and exercising that will still take us in the right direction……..
But don’t feel like hard work…….
Then we’ll get that result over time.
It might take a little longer than the ‘strength option’ theoretically could.
But if that approach led to us getting ‘gassed’ and ‘losing’ pretty quickly……..
The skill option will actually be much quicker.
And, maybe, we can pop a bit of strength in on top of the skill from time to time, when we feel that makes sense?
Much love,
Jon ‘Shamrock’ Hall
