What does fitness or being fit actually mean for you? For many the standards are so low that being fit, means just the absence of any serious ailments. For others it means being able to do daily tasks of going to work etc. Then for some it is one dimensional, as in for example they are strong men, or are cyclists etc. Yes both of these and other one dimensional fitness enthusiasts are much fitter than those who don't do anything but are not holistically fit.
There is nothing wrong in following whatever fitness or sports pursuit one wishes to or enjoys. But to follow a one dimensional approach will surely improve your strength, fitness etc in that particular area only. For example a strong man can easily tip over a sedan but may not be able to jog for an hour. Or a marathon runner can run 42kms easily but can't kick a heavy bag for 100 times with full power. The list can go on and on.
This is exactly why looking fit or tough doesn't mean that one is truly fit or tough. To be fit or tough is always about being well rounded. Like a Jack of all trades, being able to dabble at decent levels in all forms of fitness routines.
To be fit or tough is the constant endeavour to achieve a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual state, where the body, mind, heart and spirit are primed to their peak performance, so that any task or activity can be accomplished with relative ease.
This may sound biased, especially since we train in martial arts. Do read it without any preconceived notions or beliefs, to better understand why. We respect, appreciate and value every form of fitness endeavour, sport or routine out there. Infact we dabble a bit in all of them too.
Martial arts training goes all the way back to when we were hunter gatherers. When we needed to possess a fitness and toughness to hunt prey and protect against mighty predators or other tribes. As time passed and we started settling down, this knowledge refined into being used to protect ones land, livestock, family members, village, town and country. It has always been and still is a multidimensional and holistic form of fitness routine, may be because our lives actually depended on it.
It is estimated that only 1% to 5% of the total population of the world still trains in martial arts today. This includes the sport martial arts as well as the full contact martial arts.
A martial artist always trains holistically because anything can happen in a fight especially if it is a real life self defense situation, where there are no rules or refrees and anything goes.
A martial artist works on their cardio that involves jogging or swimming or cycling or jumping rope or a bit of all of them. Similarly all traditional and modern combat systems also focus on building strength may it be through calisthenics or traditional weight training equipment or modern weight training or a bit of all. These two itself have covered all the other sports or fitness routines out there. They also indulge in flexibility, stretching and breathwork routines. All these are just supplementary to the core training of striking or wrestling or a mix of both. This is what makes martial arts training a holistic and multidimensional approach to fitness. This is why martial arts are called a way of life. Training and growing physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
Having said the above, it is common sense that a huge body builder or power lifter of 150kgs can easily over power a martial artist of 70kgs. But the martial artist can try to get away from close range and use their cardio ability to tire down a bigger stronger opponent and then get to them. May not always happen especially if one is caught in a tight hold by a stronger adversary but it is possible. Similarly a professional cyclist or marathon runner may have a much better timing than a martial artist but the point here is that the martial artist will finish the event with a decent timing but a cyclist or marathoner may not last a rigorous training or sparring session.
We are not trying to say that one is better than the other but that irrespective of what sport or fitness routine or endeavour you wish to pursue, try to ensure that you dabble in other things too, so as to give it a well rounded approach.
Even among martial artists not all are in top shape. Some don't do anything besides the class they attend few times a week, while others are slowly but steadily working on it. May it be just a simple thing like walking for an hour daily. Then factors like diet and sleep patterns also make a huge difference.
While martial arts training gives a wonderful template for an holistic approach to fitness, it also requires discipline from the practitioners and effort to streamline other facets of their lifestyle too.
Today many focus on looking fit. May be try for a six pack too. Having a six pack is not bad as such, but what you do to get it, decides if it is the right approach or not. Stop focussing too much on external aesthetics and looks. Focus on physical toughness and strength. Many traditional wrestlers of India, Mongolia and other countries look huge and bulky, yet many of them may easily run longer than most aesthetically fit looking persons.
Always remember the self comes first before others. To look aesthetically fit is more for others and may be for our ego too but to be internally fit and tough is for ourself. While we focus on achieving this kind of internal physical toughness and fitness, we may not look aesthetically proportionate like a model but we will surely develop the body to look fit and tough, a fitness that others may not see but they will feel and know that we possess it.
I would like to end this article with a simple thought -
Always work from inside to the outside rather than only on the external.
Train like a warrior to be a warrior!!!
Comments
Thank you Sensei!