#10: Paul McIlroy – The Martial Art of Strength

The Black Belt Podcast

“Pain isn’t going anywhere, it’s always going to feel the same, but how you decide to categorize it is what changes. I can’t change that it hurts, but I can change that I don’t care. As a fighter and martial artist, the biggest thing to ensure your success is that no matter what situation you are in, there is an acceptance of pain. Once you fully take that on board you have become a very dangerous individual.” – Paul McIlroy

My guest this episode is Paul McIlroy, who is one of the most sought-after Sports Scientists in the World. He is a former Boxer, a Martial Artist, a Powerlifting Champion, and a world class Kettlebell Instructor under Pavel Tsatsouline. He has coached and trained World Champions in Powerlifting, Kettlebell Sport, and Combat Sports. He is the founder and creator of the Amazing 12, The World’s #1 Body Transformation Program that has produced over 10,000 transformations in 148 countries.

This episode is all about physical and mental strength as a martial art. We dive deep into the mathematics of strength and conditioning and how kettlebell training directly transfers to martial arts and sport combat. My Key takeaway is that the ability to relax your mind under pressure and accept pain is essential for success in our endeavors. When we feel pain or discomfort the mind wants to give up, we have to train the mind and body to find our center and make adjustments so we can endure. When training we need to programmatically approach our sessions with the goal of progressively expanding our comfort zones. If we can embrace pain and teach ourselves to become comfortable in uncomfortable situations, we begin to remove the limits of what is possible. This is an eye-opening conversation with an innovator in Martial Arts Strength and Conditioning. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Paul’s work and I hope this conversation inspires you to find out what your mind and body are truly capable off.