Feats of strength
Larry Lonis - What possible benefit could tearing a deck of cards or bending nails have for a mixed martial artist?
Surely it would make more sense to train with specific grip equipment like grip machines, grippers, plate pinches and thick bars than trying to tear decks of cards, rip phone books, and bend steel, right?
Don't be so quick to dismiss feats of strength. They actually have much more benefit than meets the eye. Doing feats of strength is actually a good way to cross-train for Mixed Martial Arts. Here's why.
In MMA, to a degree there is an element of viciousness, mental toughness, pain tolerance, and other intangibles. These qualities are why feats of strength are perfectly suited to supplement MMA training.
Viciousness
Feats of strength are not easy, especially top level feats. You have to be willing to go further in your training and in your efforts in order to complete some feats, especially card tearing. In order to rip, tear, bend, break and mangle, you have to be willing to destroy. Whether it's a deck of cards, a steel bar, or your opponent's arm, you have to be a little bit different between the ears.
Mental Toughness
If you give up at the first onset of difficulty, you will fail miserably in the octagon. The same thing can be said about any feat of strength. Many feats take months of training to gain the strength and technique to accomplish them, and just like an MMA fight, they require many minutes of straining and fighting in order to be victorious.
Pain Tolerance
If you shut down under pain, you should get out of MMA right now, and you should forget about doing a lot of feats of strength. Although not the same as getting kicked multiple times in the thigh by your opponent, feats of strength do beat you back:
- Tearing Cards can wreck your fingertips and finger nails
- When ripping phone books, if your hand slips off, you feel a full body tremor from the recoil
- When bending nails, your fingers get crushed under the pressure and the wrists are forced into stressing positions
- When bending horseshoes, the sharp edge of the shoe is driven into the thigh to be used as a fulcrum
As you can see, feats of strength aren't just for showing off. They are a way to cultivate your mind, making you more ferocious, while they make your hands and lower arms strong enough to give you control in the ring and on the mat.
Larry Lonis
Surely it would make more sense to train with specific grip equipment like grip machines, grippers, plate pinches and thick bars than trying to tear decks of cards, rip phone books, and bend steel, right?
Don't be so quick to dismiss feats of strength. They actually have much more benefit than meets the eye. Doing feats of strength is actually a good way to cross-train for Mixed Martial Arts. Here's why.
In MMA, to a degree there is an element of viciousness, mental toughness, pain tolerance, and other intangibles. These qualities are why feats of strength are perfectly suited to supplement MMA training.
Viciousness
Feats of strength are not easy, especially top level feats. You have to be willing to go further in your training and in your efforts in order to complete some feats, especially card tearing. In order to rip, tear, bend, break and mangle, you have to be willing to destroy. Whether it's a deck of cards, a steel bar, or your opponent's arm, you have to be a little bit different between the ears.
Mental Toughness
If you give up at the first onset of difficulty, you will fail miserably in the octagon. The same thing can be said about any feat of strength. Many feats take months of training to gain the strength and technique to accomplish them, and just like an MMA fight, they require many minutes of straining and fighting in order to be victorious.
Pain Tolerance
If you shut down under pain, you should get out of MMA right now, and you should forget about doing a lot of feats of strength. Although not the same as getting kicked multiple times in the thigh by your opponent, feats of strength do beat you back:
- Tearing Cards can wreck your fingertips and finger nails
- When ripping phone books, if your hand slips off, you feel a full body tremor from the recoil
- When bending nails, your fingers get crushed under the pressure and the wrists are forced into stressing positions
- When bending horseshoes, the sharp edge of the shoe is driven into the thigh to be used as a fulcrum
As you can see, feats of strength aren't just for showing off. They are a way to cultivate your mind, making you more ferocious, while they make your hands and lower arms strong enough to give you control in the ring and on the mat.
Larry Lonis