How much strength or fitness for self defense

[Raewyn]

What if you trying to defend yourself against someone who is twice your size, even though you are not physcially stronger would'nt technique play a big factor??????

 

[hardheadjarhead]

How strong does one have to be in order to effectively deal with most attacks or self defense situations that may happen? How fit does one have to be? Because both matter, in my opinion. What is a good target to shoot for? I've been reading some requirements for police officers, military, and black belt fitness tests. Some require a benchpress of 100% bodyweight (these were on law enforcement sites), running a set distance, like a couple of miles in a certain time, a certain number of pushups, situps or pullups. So what does everyone think? What is a good baseline of physical fitness to be ready to defend oneself? I think this thread could be useful because we all need goals to work towards, and some people might be able to give some ideas for things we could all work at.

In a nutshell, be as fit as you can be.

As far as the listed fitness requirements, Raisin, don't be too quick to compare yourself to cops and military people. While the SEAL BUDS workout is awesome, some people out there will hurt themselves trying to hit that level of conditioning.

Each person on MT is going to have a different standard of fitness that they shoot for. We are all different ages, have different chronic injuries, and have different body types. Some of us here might never be able to bench 100% of their body weight. I know a breast cancer survivor who will never see that.

MACaver...just shoot the Tongan. With a shotgun. Use slugs. Then run in case that doesn't work.

Don't mess with huge mean Polynesians. They're like two legged Cape Buffalos.


Regards,


Steve

 

[Phoenix44]

What if you trying to defend yourself against someone who is twice your size, even though you are not physcially stronger would'nt technique play a big factor??????

Yes, IMHO. For purely self-defensive purposes, you can also fight dirty. Unfortunately, we don't get to choose the size of an attacker.

 

[Brother John]

What if you trying to defend yourself against someone who is twice your size, even though you are not physcially stronger would'nt technique play a big factor??????

YES...a Big factor. BUT you've gotta get MEAN, very mean, dirty and mean...and you must do so QUICKLY and not relent until FREE!
If you can't out muscle, you must use deception and ferocity.

Me? Even if I can outmuscle, I still use deception and ferocity.
Your Brother
John

 

[Zujitsuka]

YES...a Big factor. BUT you've gotta get MEAN, very mean, dirty and mean...and you must do so QUICKLY and not relent until FREE!
If you can't out muscle, you must use deception and ferocity.

Me? Even if I can outmuscle, I still use deception and ferocity.
Your Brother
John

To add to what Brother John said, if you feel that an attack is unavoidable, hit first.

These two websites have a lot to say on these issues:

www.geoffthompson.com and www.senshido.com

 

[SMP]

I believe that mental strength by far exceeds physical. Few of our highest ranked martial artests are as physicaly strong or flexible as many of our underbelts. Physical ability definatly helps but is not core of overall ability.

 

[bignick]

We all have seen many instructors / black belts who were, lets says generous in the mid section. We all have seen and possibly trained with some, who were unable to run to the corner

like someone else said before...don't judge by appearances...there's a shodan at my jujutsu dojo...i'd say he's about 5'10'' and at least 300 lbs(know that for a fact cause i've weighed in with him before)...before he joined jujutsu he wrestled for 15 years...you think you could just roll him over...but he's fast, scary fast and he's one of the only people i know to use martial arts on the street for self-defense...he was mugged once in england...two people tried to get his wallet, one pulled a knife...he walked away with his cash...they didn't

as for how fit you need to be...my judo/jujutsu instructor likes to say everything you should do in a self-defense situation you should be able to do in a tuxedo, without ruining it(cause we're assuming it's rented...and who wants to pay for that)...the more in shape you are...the better...but for self-defense...it's not always "necessary"

 

[Paul Genge]

The problem for martial artists that are not involved in competative styles is that there is no specific event to train towards. Their training regime has to be one that is a continuous cycle. Though weights are great for developing strength I personally do not like them. Having once traned with weights I found them to stiffen my movement and mentality. I think some of the problem is the training enviroment of gyms where it becomes easier to worry about how you look than weither you are improving at what you came there for. Also alot of weights exercises focus on isolating specific muscle groups instead of working the whole body as one.

My preference is for body weight exercises. Using these you can learn to work your body from positions that are contrary to the best position to excert your power. This helps replicate the sort of strength needed in fights where you often have to work from a position of disadvantage. I have a number of interesting versions of body weight exercises on my site http://www.russianmartialart.org.uk

As far as what you should aim for in personal fitness I believe it is better to aim to push yourself beyond your limits and not aim for lifting a certain weight for a specific number of reps. Things such as hill walking or running a long distance (preferably when you don't feel like it), completing a tough circuit where the length of time is dictated by someone else, are more beneficial because they develop the mental ability to push your self when you want to give up. Another good one is to hold the pressup position with the arms bent for a set time. Try a minute then build up from there. It is tough and you will need to use your brain to complete the task as much as your muscles.

I am in the Police in the UK and I can say that the fitness levels of the majority of officers is very poor. They however are probably better at talking to people because of it. If they were 6'3 and built like a tank they would probably not feel the need to negotiate quite as much as the average 5'9, slightly overweight cop or the young officer that has not seen a gym in his or her life. If you look at all the teams that have a role that is geared up for work in hostile enviroments they are always fit. (Firearms teams, dedicated public order teams ect.)

Paul Genge
Russian Martial Arts Northwest

 

[Bod]

Paul,

you didn't train Bujinkan Taijutsu with Kevin Addison in Tooting Bec at one point (say 8 years ago) did you?

 

[Bod]

my judo/jujutsu instructor likes to say everything you should do in a self-defense situation you should be able to do in a tuxedo, without ruining it...

Well, there's nothing ruins a tuxedo like excess flab...

 

[Paul Genge]

Yes I used to travel down to Kevin's from time to time. I have now moved away from the Bujinkan, but speak to Kev from time to time.


Paul Genge
http://www.russianmartialart.org.uk