The great debate about fighting & bodybuilding is incredibly low IQ.
On one side, you have MMA bro's who think if you know how to fight you are magically going to have girls fall on your lap, and have a status & presence in society.
The other hand, bodybuilders argue that if they are 30-50lb heavier and stronger than you, your fighting ability means nothing (and I’d just use my glock).
This debate is the biggest waste of time, as you’re allowed to do both.
And you should do both.
Why?
In the real world, the capable man reigns supreme.
What is the use of being an elite fighter if you are living pay check to pay check?
And you are objectively broke? Where your family is starving & you have mouths to feed?
This by definition does not make you capable.
In the same breadth, if all you are doing is sitting in an office cubicle 80 hours a week, are balding, overweight, a multimillionaire that has no time for his family…..
This is a different kind of broke.
The rarest breed of man, is the one that can do it all.
If you’re reading this and you’re an aspiring professional martial artist. Leverage your talent. Mix with lawyers, doctors, CEOs & martial artists who have influence.
We have seen Zuckerberg, Elon Musk & far more finance bros take an earnest appreciation for the art of violence.
‘Create’ your own luck, by plugging yourself into the right affluent circles.
Not interested in fighting for a living?
Well, unless you have UFC professional ambitions as a fighter, martial arts should be used as a vehicle to learn valuable lessons that can be applied to business.
I have experienced this myself where if I miss even a few weeks of sparring, my mental acuity and ability to handle adversity suffers.
I have experienced this myself where if I miss even a few weeks of sparring, my mental acuity and ability to handle adversity suffers.
I personally have 0 interest in becoming a professional fighter, but martial arts helps voluntarily force you into an environment where you can't be soft.
How hard is making a few phone calls and sending a few emails, when you are constantly pushing your physical limits & testing yourself against other physically capable men?
THE WEIGHT ROOM DOES NOT GIVE YOU THIS
One of the only times you will have true inner tranquility, is when you’re defending a rear naked choke or checking a kick of your sparring partner.
There are very few arenas where you need to be fully present. If you don’t concentrate in high stakes pursuits, you leave with a bloody nose.
The mental clarity you feel after a gruelling training session is something no yoga, bench press or pilates will ever emulate.
This holds particularly true for prefrontal cortex dominant jobs (anything laptop & heavy decision making prevalent where you’re brains racing at 100 miles an hour).
THE 80/20 OF MARTIAL ARTS
Some of you may want to get all of the upside of combat sports.
The fitness, camaraderie & combat capability, without the CTE speed run.
Here is my 4 core recommendations:
1. Utilise the cardio benefits of training martial arts as this is a gap missing in bodybuilding routines. I apply this principle to The Durability Protocol (check it out here).
2. Leverage the psychological & mental edge it gives you in a society where everyone is softer than ever. You can absolutely annihilate the competition by simply doing something hard & uncomfortable a few times a week.
3. Don't use MMA ability as cope for being skinny and not building above average strength & muscle mass. If you’re not fighting, you have no reason to be below 80kg. a 125 lb pro will struggle against a 225lb grown man with amateur experience, weight classes fucking matter.
4. If you are a professional fighter, you need to leverage this to give yourself business opportunities in the real world. Train at an affluent area where lawyers, doctors, businessmen & people like those reading this post float around. You never know opportunities you can make for yourself.
This is a longer post, but those that think you either have to be working 24/7 and can't carve out 5 hours of your week to exercise, just shows you have piss poor business acumen.
You're also allowed to train martial arts and have bodybuilding goals as well.
Might not be the BEST if you want to be the best fighter possible.
But think for yourself.
Everyone has different goals.
ELITE MARTIAL ARTIST ARCHETYPES
When I think of 2 athlete’s that embody the Lethal Gentleman to a tee its
Anthony Joshua
Ilia Topuria
Many of you may be unaware of this, but Ilia was already rolling in cash before his rise in the UFC.
He has equity in WOWfc (European MMA org, MMA is huge in Europe). His wife has affluent parents, He runs multiple businesses & has partnerships / sponsorships with Real Madrid & Valencia FC. He also has Dolce & Gabana Sponsors. He is going to be the new face of the UFC. Instead of promoting gambling & booze (ala Conor McGregor), he’s brand is impeccable.
Not to mention the $2MM home gym facility with red light therapy, cryotherapy chambers & now having all of his training conducted from his mansion.
Anthony Joshua is also another athlete who has an incredibly clean brand. I have been lucky enough to personally connect with his physiotherapists Rob Madden & Ian Gattman, who I have hosted on podcast episodes I conducted this year.
AJ has been knighted, has won everything there is to win in boxing & has one of the most impressive heavyweight physiques of all time.
I can tell you from behind the scenes, that he needs to be careful not to gain too much muscle (apex genetics)… Prime example of how cardio does not kill gains, he’s a machine both in appearance & performance.
DON’T FALL FOR THE BS DEBATES
Bodybuilding vs Martial Arts?
Who gives a shit. Train both.
You’re allowed to remove yourself from stupid debates (barefoot running, seed oils, and other bullshit time wasters that people with nothing better to do get caught in the weeds with).
If there’s enough interest I can ever cover the principles of building premium strength to weight ratios so that you can get all the upside of looking strong & jacked, without having a terrible gas tank (part of that is my thesis with The Durability Protocol).
J.Krucial.