How Fit is Fight Fit?

      I really wonder sometimes when I go to a dojo or watch a training of some sort how people think that If they sweat for an hour or two a week that the are in shape, or fight fit. It's amazing how people think that studying martial arts is like a magic pill, that if you step into a dojo 2 hours a week not only are your "trained" but fit enough for a confrontation. And then there are the people who not only don't exercise but then abuse their body as well. So how fit does one have to be to defend themselves and what are some things we can do to be fight fit.

Now before I go any further let me explain a few things. First your martial arts training the actual training doesn't have to be super intensive as a matter of fact you could not sweat at all and have a great training session or a great teacher, that is content. What I am talking about is the actual fitness and strength end of the fighting arts. Second just because you are not a "fighter" doesn't mean that you don't have to be in shape, realize that being in shape is critical to self defense, many a fight is lost to a less skilled opponent because of strength and endurance.
Fighting really is the most physically demanding activity one can engage in wrestlers for example have the endurance of marathon runners, the sprinting capability of a sprinter the overall body strength of a gymnast and the brute strength of a power lifter or football player...why because they have to.. When I was a wrestlers many moons ago I wasn't exceptional I was considered better than average but I would often beat guys who were much more technically skilled because I was a cardio demon and knew that if I could outlast them then I could win. Now granted street survival and competition are much different, but consider this what if you have to fight, then withdraw and run and then fight again..think about it you hit a guy and take off and he chases you and engages again or his friend chases you and engages you, that is exhausting. So here are some considerations for being fight fit not going to the Olympics but fit enough to survive an attack.

• Take stock in yourself can you do at least 50 pushups in a row?
• Can you run for a mile without stopping (not a sprint but a jog)?
• Can you sprint for 30- 45 seconds?
• Can you do at least 10 pullups (not chinups they are to easy)?
• Can you spar for 3-5 minutes?

Remember that excuses are like assholes they all stink! An example of this is somebody told me they were too fat and too old to get in shape my response was "well you are ugly too but you still try to get laid right". Aim for small goals and work your way up to larger ones, baby steps. If you answered yes to all the questions above congratulations now double it, can you do it?
You have to realize that people are bigger and stronger now than ever before more people have some form of martial arts training then ever before and confrontations are increasingly violent. Make time to train at least half an hour everyday (an hour is much better though) I mean even Bruce Lee did his pushups and situps watching t.v. Don't rely on your two hours a week to get you ready, even if you intensely practice your forms or kata or hit and kick the heavy bag you are getting a good workout ( and you are getting double benefits if you do that). I like 2 hours a day but that is not always possible, so my advice is the shorter the duration that you have to workout the more intense it needs to be. Train hard, be ready.
Thanks for reading and Remember REAL VIOLENCE NEEDS REEL SOLUTIONS
M.U.C.T