Fitness vs. Training

[FitOrDie]

I'm not so sure nutrition has to come first, though; you can start working towards fitness, nutrition, and self-defense skill at the same time.

Oh, of course. What I mean is that fitness is the foundation on which the rest is built. You can still build some fitness and martial arts skill on beer and poptarts, but a bad foundation can only hold so much on top of it.

To put it another way, if you sacrifice martial arts skill, your fitness will be unaffected, because it is higher up the chain. Buuuuut, if you sacrifice fitness, your martial arts performance will also suffer. If you sacrifice nutrition, both others will suffer.

[bushido_man96]

I'd agree with that.

[hx35543]

I have done the whole bodybuilding /powerlifting thing for years. So I am pretty fit. Only recently started on the whole skill end of it. Although I have a very long way to go, I think I could hold my own if it came down to it. But there is one thought that always comes to mind, especially when you hear someone bragging what they can do----No matter how big and bad you think you are, there is always someone bigger and badder than you.

Being unfit with a lot of skill, you can fight hard, but not for long. Being fit with little skill means you fight long but you may not do to well in the outcome. But as you guys have said, to be fit and skilled will give the advantage in just about any situation.

My dad always told me, "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog".

[ProKarateShop]

I do not think you can one without the other.. in order to truly be skilled, you have to be fit.. You will develop skill as you are increasing your fitness.

[Throwdown0850]

I believe that when you "train" you get the combo, you get the fit with it..

[white owl]

To put it another way, if you sacrifice martial arts skill, your fitness will be unaffected, because it is higher up the chain. Buuuuut, if you sacrifice fitness, your martial arts performance will also suffer.

I totally agree with this.

I think fitness complements ma in many ways. I think you need the fitness for endurance.

If you sacrifice nutrition, both others will suffer

That is what I am trying to get straight in my life now, the nutrition part. Trying to cut out fast food, it is hard when is so easy.

[Scott_LIFE180]

If I couldn't have 100% of each I'd go with 50% of each. Endurance is part of both, speed is part of both, power is part of both, skill and fitness are very intertwined.

[ps1]

Given the 80/20 split I would have to go with 80% fit & 20% skilled. However, I would think that the training required to be highly skilled (like 80%) would result in more than 20% fitness. Outside of the 80/20 constraint, I would prefer to be highly skilled because I think, that in the pursuit of that skill level, I will increase my fitness level also.

Ditto! Great post Ed

[doug_kissaki]

I'm going to actually go the opposite way as everyone else. In a toe-to-toe fighting situation, or in a tournament, yes, I believe that fitness is more important. However, in a self defense situation a person with superior skills will be able to deliver strikes that are effective regardless of strength or endurance.

This is why martial arts can be effective for small women and old people.

[bushido_man96]

That is a good arguement to make, but if you tank out before the bad guy does, then you can end up in a bad situation. And when the adrenaline dumps, 30 seconds can feel like 2 minutes. Its still a good idea to train oneself to be in shape, too.