When you see an Olympic weightlifter pull a heavy barbell off the ground and press it overhead, you’re witnessing a jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring skill.
At the age of 13, I modeled the incredible Vasily Alekseyev, a two-time Olympic gold medalist from the former U.S.S.R., who set 80 world records. After watching him I would go to my basement and practice as best I could, and my body thanked me for it.
But as impressed as I was at that time, I was even more impressed, and intrigued, by seeing little guys in the martial arts world, who could not come anywhere close to hoisting 500 pounds overhead, manipulate and move weightlifters, powerlifters (and wrestlers) around with remarkable ease.
Being a wrestler myself, and a champion no less, I was stunned at how someone who did not appear to be strong, was incredibly forceful in a hand-to-hand situation. I wanted some of this type of strength in a big sort of way.
So I began to dive as deep into these internal martial arts masters way of training. What were they doing differently? What exercises gave them the strength to move people around as though they were a chair you could slide away from you?
Turns out that “furniture” was the word these martial artists used to describe the bodies of those they moved with remarkable ease. This meant that their externally strong bodies, were stiff and robotic. (Picture the bodybuilder walking around with “sun-burned armpits” and you get the picture of them being furniture.)
Even a heavy piece of furniture can be moved with ease with the proper leverage and force. A big tree can be toppled easily if you can get to its roots.
Those who have witnessed the devastation of a hurricane, have first-sight knowledge of what I’m talking about. Back in 2018, as I drove along Interstate 75 here in Florida, I saw huge oak trees laying sideways, roots exposed, on both sides of the road. Amazing!
This gives you an idea how subtle, invisible-to-the-naked-eye-energy, can take down massive structures with ease.
The word subtle gives you a clue as to what type of strength these INTERNAL martial arts masters are using. The weightlifter or wrestler has obvious strength. You can see the muscles before he or she moves, and draw conclusions.
But with subtle strength, you have no clue as to how much power is in the tank.
So the question remains: How do you train to acquire this subtle strength and power?
Well, it’s not by practicing big and long movements with speed. It’s quite the opposite.
Instead of training throughout a full range of fast, external movements, you train your INTERNAL body. You train slowly, so you can feel every muscle and sinew being turned on, being activated.
You train your body in various postures and stances that awaken the sleeping giant within.
By training this way, you flip the switch from outward muscular force, to relax-and-explode electrical energy, the type of energy that moves people around as though they are furniture.
The best part about this type of training, however, is that you’re tapping into a seemingly LIMITLESS supply of energy that is still available as you get older. Internally, your body keeps getting stronger and stronger – with a different type of force, and this force doesn’t begin to deteriorate as you get older – the way Vasily Alekseyev’s strength did.
This is why I champion the cause of this type of training. I respect and admire other ways of training, and engage in them occasionally. But the grand majority of my training today is designed to activate and empower the subtle force within the body. I could care less how much weight I can lift. I want to know how much juice I have internally for moving someone around, with ease.
As a result of this type of training, I am more energetic, more flexible, more mobile, more powerful, and quicker than ever before.
At 60 years of age, that’s saying something, isn’t it?
Want some?
Matt Furey
