It still amazes me that in some corners of the martial arts world, people are still saying that lifting weights will make you bulky—and therefore slow.
Even more bizarre? These same folks will also claim:
“Weight training takes too long to work.”
But also, “Just looking at a barbell will make you blow up like Arnold.”
Let’s be clear: that’s nonsense. Unless you’re eating and training like a competitive bodybuilder, you’re not going to “accidentally” get huge.
And even if you could? Being stronger makes you better at martial arts. Period.
You Don’t Need to Train for Hours
If you’re spending more than 60 minutes, three times a week on resistance training, it’s probably more than you need. Efficient programming and consistency beat volume every time—especially if you’re cross-training with martial arts.
Injury Prevention Starts With Strength
I used to think that flexibility alone would protect me from injury.
So, I stretched all the time.
But I also avoided strength training because I believed it would make me stiff and slow.
And yet… I kept getting injured. Weird injuries. Like the time I threw my back out catching a 4-pound medicine ball. Why? Because I had no muscular support for my range of motion.
Flexibility without strength is a liability.
– Author
Real, functional mobility comes from strong, supported joints. Resistance training teaches your muscles how to engage, not just stretch. That improves:
Energy efficiency
Coordination
Joint stability
Injury resistance
Stronger = More Useful
Let’s keep it simple: strong people are more useful—to themselves, their families, their training partners.
If you’re stronger, you’re probably:
Healthier
More mobile
More durable
Less stressed
And when it comes to martial arts? Strength amplifies everything:
You hit harder
You move faster
You absorb impact better
“Strong people are just more useful—to themselves and to others.”
– Author
Where’s the downside?
How Strength Is Built (and Why Reps Aren’t Enough)
All strength gains follow the same basic formula:
Stress → Recovery → Adaptation
If you’re detrained, anything makes you stronger—even walking or doing bodyweight exercises. That’s why beginners make fast progress.
But once your body adapts to those inputs, progress stalls. You’ll hear people say:
“You just need to do more reps.”
That works—for a while. But if you want to go further, you need to be specific. You need real resistance.
The Big Four: The Foundation of Strength
“If you want to get better at martial arts, you need more than just reps. You need resistance.”
– Author
Once you’ve moved past basic calisthenics, it’s time to add compound lifts. Start with:
Low-Bar Back Squat
Deadlift
Bench Press
Overhead Press
These lifts train your body as a system. They engage multiple muscle groups, force full-body coordination, and build resilience like nothing else.
The Art of Manliness – YouTube playlist covering the Big 4 lifts and a couple extra.
A Simple Plan:
Learn correct form (get a coach or reputable guide)
Warm up properly
Lift progressively heavier weights over time
Rest at least 48 hours between lifting sessions
Yes, you’ll be sore at first. Stick with it—your body adapts quickly.
Training for Your Art
Once you’ve got a base of strength, shift your focus to specificity.
That means:
Keep lifting 2–3x per week
Add mobility work on off days
Drill footwork under light resistance
Use isometrics to strengthen martial movement patterns
Strong muscles only help if they support strong technique. Build both.
Voluntary Hardship is a Superpower
Strength training is uncomfortable. So is martial arts. So is growth.
But leaning into discomfort builds mental calluses. It trains you to:
Push past resistance
Delay gratification
Stay calm under pressure
That’s not just good for fighting. That’s good for life.
This is the same discomfort that helped humans build civilizations. It’s a superpower most people never develop.
Don’t run from discomfort—train it.
“Voluntary hardship is a superpower—and strength training is how you train it.”
– Author
Final Thoughts
Lifting weights won’t make you bulky. It won’t make you slow. It won’t hurt your martial arts—it will enhance them.
With strength comes:
Resilience
Speed
Power
Confidence
That’s not a distraction from martial training. That’s the foundation of it.
When I started martial arts 20 years ago, I was a lanky, uncoordinated mess—about 6’2″ and 165 pounds soaking wet. I hadn’t played sports beyond the bare minimum in PE, and to top it off, I had borderline-high blood pressure.
In short: I had nothing going for me.
So when someone tells me,
“I’d love to train, but I’m out of shape,” it hits a nerve.
Right. Because I started off in peak condition?
💥 You Will Be Uncomfortable
About ten years in, I realized I was drifting into “married blob” territory. My grandma even said,
“Looks like marriage is being good to you,” which is family code for “you’re getting fat.”
So I joined a gym. I started lifting.
My then-wife wanted to join me, so we trained together. At least for a while.
But certain exercises—deadlifts, squats, dips—she found uncomfortable. And when she didn’t see results, she was surprised.
Go figure.
🧱 Discomfort Is the Cost of Growth
Martial arts are no different. You will be uncomfortable. You’ll struggle. You’ll fail. You’ll want to quit.
But here’s the thing: If you want something of value, you have to give something up. Time. Energy. Sweat. Ego.
Discomfort is the toll you pay for transformation.
Whether it’s the weight room or the dojo, it’s not about starting strong— It’s about showing up anyway.
