Weight Lifting/Strength training and Self Defense

[ironlurker]

Was Bruce Lee really a juicer? I know he smoked the ganja, but I've never heard/read anything concrete regarding any supposed steroid usage on his part.

http://www.sanjosekenpo.com/UNSETTLEDMATTERS.pdf

^This is the book written by Linda Lee's second husband in which he makes a pretty good case that he did.

Within a few weeks of quitting steroids, Bruce’s muscles began to atrophy, more so than ever before. The problem, well known to other users, was that in taking anabolic steroids, his body’s natural ability to produce testosterone had been severely diminished. As a result, at least figuratively speaking, Bruce’s cryptorchidism returned. Only now, instead of manufacturing a substandard level of testosterone, his body produced almost none. Soon Bruce’s weight droppedbelow 120 pounds. His beard growth diminished and his hands became soft and silken.

As horrifying as it was, the only way to reverse the demasculating process and recapture
his identity he would sooner be dead than without was to again resume taking steroids. To do so, however, meant almost certain risk of serious liver and heart damage, and, even worse, the return of roid raging. In sharp contrast, to remain steroid-free meant more than just the severe muscle deterioration and energy loss. It would mean the end to the invincible King of Kung Fu

I've also heard that he did from other sources :la: , and that James Yimm Lee (a bodybuilder in addition to a friend/training partner of Bruce, introduced him to them

[Virus]

If you don't do resistance training you will never come close to your maximum potential as an athlete or a d34dly str33t f1ght3r.

[LI GUY 1]

But teh chun was developed to beat bigger people. At least the chun from the nun was.

[Virus]

Hmmm, so if you get too big you'll lose. Good point.

[Lily]

KF - are there really people who say/believe that?

I was initially scared to do weights just because I didn't want to look 'bulky'. Fortunately, that myth was blown for me by guys who lifted and through reading some great threads on MAP (yeah!)

I've changed up my usual 5 days a week double cardio sessions to now include HIIT, strength training, Plyo etc. As training gets tougher and being the runt of the class, its really helped me. I have no problems training hard with the guys, don't gas out, have increased my ability to make explosive, fast movements when needed, strength training has only improved me (Virus, don't laugh, you didn't know how much worse I was before I started strength training).

Where I train, every single guy does strength training and light cardio through the week combined with MA training.

[Teh El Macho]

The most important aspect of weight lifting (when done appropriately and in combination with flexibility training) is that it helps protect your articulations. Best example: the knee. The strongest your vastus medialis and your hamstrings, the more that it can take a beating.

I personally know a guy who plays soccer on the weekends, brontosaur-legs kind of guy. He got accidentally tackled, and his kneecap basically went out and back in. According to his doctor, it was his massive leg muscles that kept it from rupturing.

Another good example: the wrist. The stronger it is, the more punishment that it can take, laterally and medially.

Not only that, bone, in general, becomes stronger. Ignoring the potential (and questionable IMO) benefits of looking more intimidating (assuming the person has trained in a way conductive of noticeable size gains) and/or gains in strenght and power, there are health benefits.

For martial arts, being the physically demanding activities they are, or even from a strictly self-defense point of view, an above average health and an above-average capacity to substain sudden and violent physical punishment, those should be attributes to work for.

Even the most rudimentary and casual of weight training routines, when used intelligently, can give that.

[juszczec]

I got onto the strength/endurance training bandwagon when someone told me "Karate is a physical skill. The better shape your body is in, the better you'll be able to perform the skill."

It made so much sense and was so obvious I started lifting/working on cardio 2-3 times a week.

[Teh El Macho]

I got onto the strength/endurance training bandwagon when someone told me "Karate is a physical skill. The better shape your body is in, the better you'll be able to perform the skill."

It made so much sense and was so obvious I started lifting/working on cardio 2-3 times a week.

It's funny that you mention that. It was exactly how I started. When I took shotokan, I was told exactly that, the "warmups" in class were brutal, and were encouraged to lift weights outside of class.

I didn't learn any practical fighting skills with them, but I have to give them credit: they could put somebody's ass in shape in no time.

[juszczec]

Teh El Macho

Extra endurance training was a must for me and my karate training. Extra strength training was good but I didn't realize how important it could be until I started doing jujutsu on the ground.

I guess "realize how important" isn't the right phrase. Its more like, I realized a planned approach to increasing all over strength would make this stuff a hell of alot easier.

Plus, strength training helps keep all the old injuries at bay. Shoulder/hip/back/knee blah blah blah.

[kismasher]

i wish i had the time to properly focus on both. as it is, i get to lift maybe 1 or 2 times a week at the most right now.