The Way of Restraint

“By striking your toes with a stick, you instinctively clench your teeth to endure the pain. Your toes tense up, gripping the ground firmly, and the pain lessens. This principle is also used in building resistance and in martial arts techniques that involve channeling energy throughout the body. However, what’s commonly referred to as ‘energy’ here isn’t true energy—it’s just the mind controlling the muscles. It’s artificial energy, not True Qi, nor is it a supernatural force.”

Then, Odell firmly pinched Su Jie’s calf muscle. Su Jie felt an intense, stabbing pain and almost cried out.

Being pinched with force—this was the sensation.

“When I pinch this muscle, you must tense it up. Tighten the muscle so that it pushes my fingers away!” Odell’s voice was loud and commanding.

Su Jie quickly focused his mind to control his calf muscle, making it tighten sharply and push Odell’s fingers away.

Odell continued to pinch along different parts of Su Jie’s body, instructing him to tense his muscles and push away each time.

This form of training was grueling for Su Jie, but gradually, he noticed a slight improvement in his ability to control his body’s sensitivity.

“This is the essence of martial arts training and the so-called truth behind Qi Gong. In every movement, you must imagine someone striking your body with a fist. For each part of your body, consider the state it should maintain upon impact to neutralize the opponent’s force. This is true training—not merely posing or recklessly abusing your muscles.” 

Odell methodically pinched, slapped, and struck Su Jie with his fingers, palms, and a stick, creating a rhythmic routine that forced Su Jie’s body to tense in a coordinated manner.

“As you breathe, every muscle in your body should move, assisting your breathing. This is what martial artists call body breathing, rather than abdominal or dantian breathing. When your lungs breathe, every muscle should resonate with them. Only then will your breathing be perfect, and your strength reach its peak.”

An hour later, Su Jie was covered in bruises from the pinching and slapping.

At this point, Odell brought out some herbal oil, applying it to Su Jie’s body and massaging away the bruises. He then said, “Now, immediately do 200 heel raises, 100 crunches, 30 push-ups, a three-minute plank, and a ten-minute spinal activation routine.”

He demonstrated the exercises himself.

Although Su Jie was utterly exhausted, like a beaten dog, he gritted his teeth and persevered.

Odell’s training plan was highly targeted and effective. His sharp eyes identified any imbalances in Su Jie’s muscles or joints during the session, and he prescribed exercises to address them immediately.

Moreover, Odell adjusted each exercise to ensure Su Jie wouldn’t get injured while maximizing the effectiveness of the workout.

This was the level of a world-class coach.

Whether in sports or martial arts, having a good coach was critical. Without a professional and experienced coach, it was impossible to achieve meaningful results through blind practice.

Gu Yang, Su Jie’s previous coach, was overly conservative. His words were often vague, akin to the cryptic teachings of an old monk discussing Zen.

In contrast, Odell explained everything in detail—principles, reasoning, and methodology.

Odell’s teachings incorporated elements of traditional martial arts, but also included modern training techniques focusing on physical fitness and muscle and skeletal development. These were the same methods he used to train top-tier fighters worldwide.

With just a glance, Odell could identify Su Jie’s weaknesses and immediately create a training plan to address them.

Three hours later, Su Jie was completely drained.

“Alright, now relax, rest, take deep breaths, and imagine yourself lying in a forest with a gentle breeze and flowing streams. Let your mind completely unwind.” 

At this point, Odell played some soothing music, and Su Jie nearly fell asleep.

“Take a hot shower,” Odell commanded as Su Jie was about to doze off.

After the hot shower, Su Jie felt refreshed, and all his fatigue seemed to vanish.

“Now, I’ll teach you the true path of martial arts cultivation—eating and sleeping,” Odell said once again.