I’m a firm believer that internal martial arts offer one of the most powerful cross-training foundations for sports.

In fact, this is how I trained to win four gold medals in one of the most extreme, high-speed, mind-body sports on Earth.

What Is Internal Martial Arts?

Unlike most martial arts, which start by training the limbs and work inward, internal martial arts flip that model entirely.

Internal arts begin with the inside—cultivating your energy, breath, and spirit—and then move outward toward form and movement.

This doesn’t just mean building core strength. It means mastering and controlling your qi (life force), while developing the powers of the mind.

In internal arts, spiritual and energetic development isn’t a finishing touch—it’s the foundation.

How I Started Using Internal Arts for Sports Training

During my athletic training years, my sister—who was a skilled martial artist with serious insight—started coaching me in the internal arts. She offered specific philosophies and movement practices to enhance my strength, flexibility, coordination, and mobility.

I took her advice seriously. I began practicing the forms regularly. And soon, I started to feel the shift.

I was integrating mind and body. I was learning to condition from the inside out.

Over time, I noticed dramatic improvements in:

• Speed
• Power
• Endurance
• Coordination
• Reflexes
• Sensitivity

Then I went further.

I began applying these internal theories to my gymnastics parachuting competition—at 200 mph speeds. I reprogrammed how I used my body in flight.

By the time I was competing at the world championship level, I was fully operating from a place of integration:
Mind. Body. Spirit. Energy.

I had reached the level of “no-mind”—a state where there is no forced movement, no hesitation, no preconception.

Just precision.
Flow.
Effortless power.

How This Differs from Western Training Techniques

Internal martial arts demand a different kind of commitment.

It’s not just reps or muscle. It’s refinement, presence, and mastery.

Even today—years after competing—I still train with these principles. They’ve become the backbone of all my movement.

To explain it simply:
Working out on machines at the gym is not the same as training with Bo staffs or Chinese fans.

One is about repetition. The other is about refined presence.

Internal training requires full focus. It synchronizes:

• Footwork
• Balance
• Energy control
• Breath
• Mental clarity
• And whole-body awareness

You don’t just show up and “pump away.” You bring your entire being to the practice.

Personally, I could never train in a loud gym with music blaring.
My body needs concentration, breath, silence, and intention.

Why It Matters for Peak Performance

Over the years, I’ve seen firsthand how building internal power first gives athletes:

• Greater focus
• Heightened awareness
• Sharper timing
• Calm intensity under pressure

Whether you’re in competition or navigating daily life, this internal mastery becomes your edge.

In the end, it all depends on what you want to accomplish.
But if you explore internal martial arts—even just a little—you’ll start developing a deeper level of skill, concentration, and confidence you can carry into any sport or performance arena.

The outside becomes sharper
when the inside is strong.