Using strength in martial arts

“Relax. Don’t use strength.”

That’s the usual exhortation of martial arts masters. Indeed, they make it look effortless. One single punch and your opponent flies to the other end of the room. One small flick of the wrist, and he goes to the ground. One slight turn of the body, and he loses balance.

You can sense the efficiency of movement, the mastery of biomechanics, the confidence in the execution of the technique. But that’s where the deception lies.

Even in arts that emphasize redirection and deflection, like Aikido, foundational strength is essential. What appears as relaxed movement is a reflection of a deep understanding and command of the art. Look closely and you will see that these masters are exceptionally strong. Their core and leg strength power their movements.

Strength does not only flow from practice. It is the starting point of efficiency. It is not about replacing strength with technique, but about developing power with minimum wasted effort.

So strive to become stronger and then learn to release the tension for efficiency of movement.

It is, after all, still about strength, not weakness.

Now you can relax with that knowledge.