Muscle Gain or Fat Loss for a Martial Artist

[JiuJitsuNation]

Um, you do realize that in order to hit someone you have to be within range of getting hit. I have much experience in boxing and muay thai and I would still say the same thing. the bigger person ALWAYS has the advantage. And the exact scenario would maybe make a difference if the little guy got off first because the other was too confident, but doubt it. Putting on muscle will reduce fat as well, so you accomplish both. and unless you are using something you won't put on significant enough size to slow you down and lose much speed or agility.

[DWx]

I don't think its right to say the bigger person always has the advantage. I have a friend who is half my body weight yet I would say most of the time we spar she has the upperhand because she is far more agile. Sure if I do hit her she'll know about it and she has to get within my range to strike but being smaller helps her to be faster and too many times she can get in and make the hit.

Our competition sparring has a division for "team sparring" where each team of 5 can send out any fighter they like against any member of the opposition. As a result you get heavyweights vs lightweights and depending on the fighters, the lightweight can have the advantage because the lightweight is more agile. Although its under sparring rules the same advantages could easily have some bearing on "the street".

[crazylegs]

I think you have to consider the question in regards to a particular style. If you want to grapple then size and strength is the clear choice. If you want to do Tornado kicks then you probably want to be a little leaner and quicker.

[mr_obvious]

Um, you do realize that in order to hit someone you have to be within range of getting hit. I have much experience in boxing and muay thai and I would still say the same thing. the bigger person ALWAYS has the advantage. And the exact scenario would maybe make a difference if the little guy got off first because the other was too confident, but doubt it. Putting on muscle will reduce fat as well, so you accomplish both. and unless you are using something you won't put on significant enough size to slow you down and lose much speed or agility.

I wasn't negating the advantages of size, nor stating that smaller-statured combatants are necessarily disadvantaged. Merely stating that in a real-life defense situation (the 12-year-old we were discussing vs. someone older / bigger) there are key exploits which could turn the tables in their favor. It's not definite that whomever is bigger, will prevail. It's just not guaranteed.

While gaining lean mass will increase an individual's basal metabolism, and thus, caloric requirements to sustain -- it is not necessarily a guarantee of fat reduction. Ultimately dietary and nutritional components (relative to exertion) dictate weight fluctuations, influenced by endocrine function.

[Tzu-Logic]

While gaining lean mass will increase an individual's basal metabolism, and thus, caloric requirements to sustain -- it is not necessarily a guarantee of fat reduction. Ultimately dietary and nutritional components (relative to exertion) dictate weight fluctuations, influenced by endocrine function.

you make it sound so easy

[ps1]

Fat loss is always the right thing to do. It's just the healthiest way to be.

Muscle gain is something that may or may not help you. It's difficult to gain muscle and takes alot of hard work to maintain it once you do. But gaining four or five pounds of muscle can usually help out anyone. It's when you start talking about 10, 15, even 20 lbs of muscle that you're going to start feeling a little bulky. That may not be preferred. Of course, it always depends on where you're starting from too.

If you're willing to do the work to gain the muscle and maintain it, then sure. I just wouldn't suggest that a martial artist get "bulky." It's slows you down.

Lean is usually the best goal. Shoot for between 10 and 16% body fat (for men) and 18 to 24% (for women). Sorry women, you naturally have a higher body fat composition requirement

[mr_obvious]

you make it sound so easy

It is, actually. If you want to lose fat, then simply track your intake and make sure it's lower than your caloric expenditure. Basically target ~500 calories under intake value, for a safe weight loss. A calculator such as that linked below, will give you a rough estimate how many calories you'd burn, just lying around all day. How much extra you'd burn during various exercise.....there are calculators out there for that too (g00gle). There are ways to further increase results by leveraging endo function; as such, some people will have a harder time because of an impaired / malfunctioning endo system. At the end of the day, you can't beat the laws of physics. The body burns food calories to sustain itself, if intake is less than sustaining requirements, it pulls from stores (fat, muscle and bone in extreme situations)

The total caloric profile should include:

- Quality carbos (ie: wheat, oatmeal, brown rice products, fruits and veggies) for energy.

- Essentials fats (ie: fish, nuts, olive oil).

- Lean protein, preferably after workouts, to support muscle repair / growth.

Fat loss is always the right thing to do. It's just the healthiest way to be.

Muscle gain is something that may or may not help you. It's difficult to gain muscle and takes alot of hard work to maintain it once you do. But gaining four or five pounds of muscle can usually help out anyone. It's when you start talking about 10, 15, even 20 lbs of muscle that you're going to start feeling a little bulky. That may not be preferred. Of course, it always depends on where you're starting from too.

If you're willing to do the work to gain the muscle and maintain it, then sure. I just wouldn't suggest that a martial artist get "bulky." It's slows you down.

Lean is usually the best goal. Shoot for between 10 and 16% body fat (for men) and 18 to 24% (for women). Sorry women, you naturally have a higher body fat composition requirement

Heh....remember though. Having a formidable presence, sure helps dissuade potential attackers. Muscle bulk, and a killer haircut are a couple ways I personally achieve this goal. To say generically that muscle bulk slows you down, isn't 100% true. Overdeveloped "fast-twitch" musculature, will most certainly contribute to both power and speed as well.

[JiuJitsuNation]

Skill levels being equal the larger person has the advantage. And I believe we are forgetting that grappling is about leverage not strength. It would be very unwise for De La Hoya to take a fight with Tyson. Guaranteed to get get hurt. This is the reason for weight classes. And i'm simply saying that at some point size makes a huge difference. I don't mean 30 pounds or so. You must be highly skilled to take on opponents who are much bigger than you.

[ps1]

Heh....remember though. Having a formidable presence, sure helps dissuade potential attackers. Muscle bulk, and a killer haircut are a couple ways I personally achieve this goal.

Good luck with that!

To say generically that muscle bulk slows you down, isn't 100% true. Overdeveloped "fast-twitch" musculature, will most certainly contribute to both power and speed as well.

Problem is that there's no way to control the ration of type 1 v type 2 musculature we have. It's genetic. So while on person may gain 15lbs of muscle and be tremendously explosive another may gain the same amount and end up being really slow. I think their time would be better spent doing plyometrics in order to take advantage of what they do have. Don't get me wrong, I think traditional weight lifting is necessary too. Balance in the workout regimen is a must.

[jsteczko]

Many people here say that big muscle can slow you down.

I don't know from where this opinion comes from. It's probably very old one since the birth of weight lifting.

Here is a video where the strongest man in the world fights in MMA:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b7-kntLj60

If you prefer to not click, go to youtube and type "pudzianowski vs najman" and the video should show up.

Those of you who are MMA fans maybe heard about Pudzianowski before. He was the strongest man in the world 5 times. Now he wants to train MMA. I think he weights around 280 pounds.

On the video you can see that even if he is very big and strong, he is FAST. He's got bad stamina and techniques but he is fast. I think this is a good proof that shows that strong does not equals slow.

I think that all aspects matter. Stamina, strength, techniques, speed. Mindset is also important. If you are scared of a bigger opponent then chance is big you lose.

If you just train strength and do not stretch or train stamina, then you will have bad stamina and flexibility. In martial arts you cannot train and concentrate on just one thing. All aspects must be practiced. Runners and slim because they only train running. Strongmen are big because they only train strength. A person who trains both, will have both.