Forging the ideal body for combat

[Anonymous]

From what I understand you would typically spend 2 years just doing standing practice or form in traditional internal martial arts schools, as a way of building up your body into something usable. What I’m unsure about is whether there should be any other specific training done in order to get your body ready for a fight situation so that if you stuff up you don’t die or break something. Is there anything like that?

I currently have a broken leg from an accident in a sparring session, so I have a particular interest in priming my body now that this has happened.

Thanks for any comments.

[Anonymous]

hey cameron.

the better you can fall, roll, and generally receive an attack, the better off you are.

most martial arts are focused on winning tactics, and that’s fine in reality, but in practice, you lose as much as you win, that’s just the situation, so you might want to spend some time training how to keep relaxed and mobile under pressure, how to get up and down from ground easily and smoothly, etc.

8 drunken immortals training is good for this, as are other arts, like systema, aikido, or even judo.

also, as you age, you gotta be smart about what sort of training you are really up for.
im 42, sometimes I can tell im tight somewhere or not moving as well as I could, so I back off on combat type training. other times, I feel more ready, so Ill engage in more intense stuff. But I always give myself the option to stop at any time. I love how my body works too much to frack it up for one day of training.

also, you cannot get good enough nutrition. I don’t think food can do it alone, you need mega vitamin C, plenty of EFA’s, and a good diet if you want to recover as well as you can. Those 2 are just the basics, theres a LOT you can do, top athletes can spend 30-40 g a year on food and supplements, cause they can make a difference. as you age, it’s the recovery that becomes the issue, it’s easy to go too hard and put yourself back.

the standing is the main piece that can open up your body,

but once your doing that main practice, there’s a lot of supplemental training that can add dimensions to your skill and safety. remember, at the end of the day, MA is to keep you safe and healthy, right?

this is just general info, im not saying that’s what bruce would say,
but this is how ive helped myself to stay in the MA game and keep improving well into middle age.

hope this helps.

ps, GREAT hsing-I training in cali, thx bruce, thomas and all!!!

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