Heroic Strength
Heroic Strength Focus On
Heroes are ordinary people who rise to the occasion in extraordinary circumstances. The potential to be a hero is present within each of us, but whether or not you rise to the occasion when necessary depends on the strength of your mind and body. The body and mind must be unified for heroic strength to be built.
External Strength
1. Physical Power
To develop strength, you have to train under conditions where you work against another force. A fitness example of developing power would be lifting large amounts of weight in circuit training. Or developing powerful side kicks by training with a partner holding a heavy bag as you perform your kicks.
2. Physical Endurance
To build endurance, you have to perform a repeated action over a long period of time. Typical examples for building endurance are jogging and aerobic exercises. You can build endurance through extended sparring sessions, aerobic self-defense training, and/or kickboxing classes.
Internal Strength
1. Mental Focus
Gaining focus calls for concentrating the mind for extended periods of time. A common recreational example is reading a book. In the martial arts, you can build focus by performing standing or sitting, or lying-down meditation, in which you have one thought that you concentrate on.
2. Mental Attitude (Courage)
Increasing courage results from facing difficult situations successfully. If you struggle with talking in front of an audience, doing some public speaking will develop your courage. In martial arts, perform breaking techniques with actual boards and bricks to build courage with each successful break.
3. Mental Smarts (Strategy)
Improving your street smarts is the result of being open to more learning and experience. Playing chess can help you build strategy even beyond the game because it changes how you think. In martial arts, practicing applications against attacks that aren't prearranged will help build mental smarts.
Heroic strength will naturally come out when you train to build your external and internal strength, as you should in the martial arts. Gaining power, endurance, focus, courage, and street smarts will prepare you for many of the uncertainties that life can bring so the hero in you can come out when necessary.