Have you ever seen a powerlifter? Powerlifting is an individualized sport, in which competitors attempt to lift as much weight as possible for one repetition in the squat, bench press, and dead lift. It is a difficult task, and in order to win, you have to perform your best lift at exactly the right moment. After practicing for a long time, the competitor who performs the best in the competition, wins.

In a sense, I think that we all powerlift. Isn’t that how life is? At any given moment, you have to make the magic happen. You have to overcome and persevere. Your power has similarities to the powerlifter in that you have to be positive-minded in order for positivity to work when you need it the most.  You have to practice, so you can be ready.

As you can guess, I’m not just talking about physical power. In fact, I’m not a big fan of using physical power to blast through barriers. You cannot rely on physical power as a good defense. While in some cases, it can work, I am certain that my physical power is limited without skill or technique. Relying on strength alone will hinder my defense.

If my attacker is larger than I am, he will typically have an advantage. I must outsmart and out-skill him. That is where my power dwells. I cannot release a hold or a grasp based solely on my physical strength. I need to have good insight, and some conceptual defenses that will work. If someone grabs my wrists, I need to know where the area of weakness is so I can pull free.  No power or strength is going to help me release this hold, no matter how many weights I lift. The technique, of breaking through the fingers and thumb, has less to do with power than it does with knowledge. Bettering your knowledge is the kind of powerlifting that helps.

While I have witnessed some men use physical power such as their weight and strength to power through breaking boards, it only works in some circumstances. I’ve equated this to bowling, in the past. A man can hurl a bowling ball down the lane with enough power, force, and weight, to knock all the pins down, even if he did not hit the strike zone. A woman typically has to use some finesse and technique to get the same result.

Using that idea, then, to escape or fight back using physical power only, is limiting. Even if you work with weights, you will not be necessarily be strong enough to defend yourself. The weights I lift a couple of times a week will never give me an advantage when it comes to breaking free. Physically powering through a situation or altercation is possible, but not reliable.

Martial arts provide the concepts, techniques, and skills that develop defenses that do not rely solely on powering through. You are taught repetively in preparation for a time when you may need to defend, escape, fight back, or manipulate. Even a child can break free using an appropriate technique, if it is practiced. To be more like the powerlifter, to be a powerful martial artist and defender, then equip the mind and body with the right techniques.

If you find yourself in an altercation, how important is mindful technique vs. physical technique? Verbal de-escalation is a way to powerlift the mind. Using words and body language, you may be able to calm an attacker, change his mind about his original intent, or confuse him enough that he starts to lose his focus. Or, you can use this mental defense in conjunction with a physical one.If you need to fight back, knowing where to strike, as opposing to just frantically fighting back, is key to your overall power.

The more you know, the better. With a mental powerlift, you can also battle through difficult personal situations. You will be able to battle feelings of disappointment, regret, or despair, for example. It is easy to fall into these traps and feel as if there is no way out. Rest assured, you can.  You can improve your mindset and mentality and power it up when you need it.

Whether you seek a physical or mental defense, you need concepts that really work. You can powerlift with the right training and the right concepts, and by practicing a good mindset. Martial arts give you the opportunity to explore both. No practitioner needs to rely solely on big muscles or personal strength as his only power to defend. Martial art powerlifing  is about finding the appropriate techniques, both mental and physical, to survive.

Think about the adrenaline that you feel in class when someone grabs you, and how quickly your mind wants to react. At times, a quick breath is good before defending, at others you must take an instantaneous action. This applies to your daily life, also. Has someone made you so angry that you wanted to really let loose and tell them exactly what you think of them? Has one criticism ruined your entire day? Do you take a breath first, or just respond?

On social media, on occasion, I get really angry at the inconsiderate remarks some people make. In an instant, I respond with anger, only moments later to feel regret and delete my comment. This is an opportunity where a simple breath and maybe a bit of time could have helped me. I could have powerlifted through this cloud of doubt and stress, without ever revealing my anger. Mindful powerlifting is about taking the right corrective actions, at the right time, in order to get the right result.

I never participated in the sport of powerlifting, and I know very little about it. What I do know is that martial arts has its own version of powerlifting. If you ever encounter a battle of any type, you can apply your physical and mental knowledge at just the right time.  The practice prepares you for performing your best lift, at just the right moment. Through martial arts, you have the opportunity to keep powering up.

Be a martial art powerlifter.

Andrea

My book, “The Martial Arts Woman” is in editing.

My new Life Coaching Website is under construction!