Last summer I started boxing lessons.
The studio is next to my favorite sushi spot, so I walk by twice a week and get my punches in with a side of salmon sashimi.
I started boxing because I wanted to feel strong.
To push my body to do things she’s not used to so she can get used to it.
As a petite, brown, female, it feels good to know I can both flight and fight if the need arises. Surprise some folks when they see me throw down. 🙂
Over the years in my physical training, I’ve noticed my instructors all focused on one specific thing: using my core. Will, my trainer, constantly told me to use my core for any exercise we did, even cardio.
Max, my boxing instructor is forever repeating, “Tweest from your core. Paaanch from your core. Back when I practiced Kung Fu my instructor said, “Use your dantien. Have the punch come from your Dantien.”
In Chinese, Dantien is “energy center” – it’s your body’s natural center of energy located in your lower belly.
When you use your Dantien as your source, no matter what technique you throw it’s automatically packed with more power. Instead of punching wildly (my specialty), twisting from your core and putting the force of your entire body behind your punch gave you 10x the impact.
Like a drop of water connected to the ocean, a punch from your Dantien packed a power behind it that your shoulder alone couldn’t deliver.
When I punched from my core, the difference was huge. Even at my size, I felt the impact on the heavy bag. You could hear 20 people punching from their core inside the studio all the way out on the street!
Real power is derived from your core.
Your limbs, just like the outside world, are only the vessel. The source of power comes from within.
When you connect to the source, you don’t just feel different, you also 10x the impact of your results.
Your core is the highest quality source for your power, both for your life and your punches.
Because it’s inside of you, your core is your intuition; the source of power for your particular life and a useful resource. There’s a level of knowledge and support more powerful and specific than the outside world or your mind alone when it comes from the inside.
If you’re punching through a dark time right now, look within; you may find assistance from your core you didn’t realize you could tap into.
But you can.
Just like punching takes years to perfect, but once you do it’s a reliable source of power and strength, so it is with your core.
Practice relying on your insides will help you produce solutions. Over time you’ll learn to build lasting power – the bonus is that it’s always inside of you.
I’ve had to learn to not punch wildly through life. In order to make any difference, I have to connect to my core, to the source of my own particular power.
Try it. You might just see your punches land Bruce Lee-style. 🙂 xx Ishita
Ishita Gupta is an entrepreneur, speaker, and business breakthrough strategist. She publishes Fear.less Magazine and runs her consulting business helping people gain confidence, live without fear, and thrive as business owners. Since diving into personal development a decade ago, she’s spent the last five years helping people specifically build confidence and self-worth enough to pursue their dreams. Ishita speaks at conferences around the U.S. on entrepreneurship and leadership, including World Domination Summit,TEDx, Startup Princess, Next Generation Health, Business Growth Summit, Young Female Entrepreneurs, and more.. You can also follow Ishita on Twitter.
Image courtesy of Marcos Paulo Prado.
