Physical fitness of firearms instructors

[rhino]

I wonder if there are any trainers who would not accept a student in his class because of weight?

True. Here is an example of why I am taking the class with who I am.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGlsk81O4nM

This won't matter to many, and that is fine.

It's kind of like pro rasslin' combined with shootin'!

 

[bwframe]

It's kind of like pro rasslin' combined with shootin'!

Mix the rasslin' into one of your classes and you can count on me not to be there.

 

[jakemartens]

It's kind of like pro rasslin' combined with shootin'!

Pretty sure I could have got him while he was pulling the rope in with the set of nuts on it

 

[rhino]

Mix the rasslin' into one of your classes and you can count on me not to be there.

You underestimate the value of a gruff demeanor and the ability to deliver the People's Elbow at will, sir.

Pretty sure I could have got him while he was pulling the rope in with the set of nuts on it

I think you're right, but it could have been a trick.

I have a copy of his (Pat McNamara's ... at least I think that's who it is in the video?) book about shooting. It's pretty good.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Pretty sure I could have got him while he was pulling the rope in with the set of nuts on it

You've obviously never been in the position of luring in a giant squirrel out into the open so you can get your shot. When the giant squirrels come to ravage his town, he'll be ready. Will you?

(In fairness, that's an impressive display. Shooting well with an elevated heart rate and breathing rate is much harder to do. Still doesn't mean he's a good (or bad) trainer, though.)

 

[GuyRelford]

I think this is a fascinating question! Personally, I work pretty hard to stay fit (for an old guy), but not because I think it makes me a better instructor or attracts more students. I feel a lot better when I'm in shape, I want to live a long healthy life and I believe I'm better able to defend myself and those I care about if I'm physically capable.

But an instructor is primarily conveying knowledge and experience, and you can be of any size, shape or physical condition and be a great teacher.

Guy

 

[cedartop]

[h=2]Fitness - Why?[/h]Gabe Suarez - CEO Suarez Group

In a recent discussion at warriortalk a point was brought up that one did not need to have a "physique" in order to be able to fight. I countered that fitness and fighting were two separate matters and showed images of the UFC fighter Tank Abbott. Abbott is a huge man and can fight, nobody can deny that. But he is fat and not "fit" in the sense of what we want fitness to be. I then showed an image of Clarence Bass, a 75 year old bodybuilder who looks better and is probably healthier at 75 than most men at 25.


If all we wanted to do was to "be able to hit hard and fight", we would be emulating the Sumo wrestler...getting as big and fat as we could, so we could bowl over lighter men. A sumotori would able to break a smaller man's wrist by simply taking his punch. But I will bet a health profile for a Sumo is hardly one promising of a long life. I will also bet a sumotori could not run any distance, and I will bet they don't get laid much either....except by female sumotori.


So in this article, I will explain what I think fitness is, what its components are, and then why it is a desirable thing to pursue. Whether one wants to be able to fight...or to just be fit.


Fitness. First we refer to the body's ability to adapt to challenging situations, be it cold, hunger, stress, or any physical hardship. Put ten people into a survival situation and all things being equal, the fittest will prevail, whereas the frail or unfit, will perish...perhaps even for food.


Fitness in a true form avoids specialization. The overweight wrestler or obese sumotori may be seen as "fit" for their sports, but they are specialized. Same with the emaciated marathoner that can run for 100 miles. He is the other extreme.


One who is fit should be able to run fast at moderate distances...say three, five, even ten miles. He won't be as fast as the specialist marathon guy, but he will do fine because he will be able to do it in boots, without a warm up, and on broken ground. He may even be carrying a rucksack with a percentage of his weight and the run done at a fast walk. Tell the sumotori to carry a ruck with half his weight for five miles in one hour over broken ground. Good luck.


One who is fit should be able to lift heavy weights. A good barometer of strength is powerlifting. A strong man should be able to bench press 1.5 times his weight, squat 1.5 times his weight, and deadlift twice his weight. And no, one does not need to specialize in those lifts either. I personally have transitioned from the Bench Press to the weighted Dip. But in any case, that means to be considered adequately strong, I at 170 currently, should be bench pressing 255#, squatting 255# and deadlifting 340#.

Great "cardio", like what a marathon runner has, will not allow you to pick up your wife and run with her on your shoulders to safety...nor to break another man's neck in a contest of strength. And yes, all martial bullsh*t aside, as Inosanto said, "You cannot ignore nature". Once the technical skills are equal, it will be the fitter man who prevails.


One who is fit should be able to explode into action without any detrimental effects. I recall recently Tom C and I sprinting through the terminal in Dallas after two hours sitting at rest. No problems. Explosiveness is made up of the ability to contract the muscles quickly and plyometrically but also anaerobically, without incurring an injury or a cardiac event.


One who is fit should look fit. Unless you really don't give a crap about how you look, smell, or dress, most of us want to look like we are fit...or at least trying to be fit. I do not spend the hours I do sprinting up hills and in the weight pile to be mistaken for Jabba the Hutt.

And all grey man nonsense aside, the thugs will look at you and think, "that guy right there....he looks like he can kick my ass...I will leave him alone". Then they will go find a weak looking fat guy. The life of the fit guy is easier. People immediately evaluate you based on your appearance. If you look fit, you will demand a physical respect that the frail will never be given.


One who is fit will be able to live as a strong man into his later years. I suspect if more men spent time lifting heavy stuff and running fast, there would not be any need for Viagra, or any of those "you can still be a man" pills. A gentleman does not talk about such things but those I associate with...other fit men, find no need for such pharmaceuticals...much to the smiling agreement of their equally fit wives.


One who is fit should be healthy and without the degenerative maladies of modern, soft, domesticated man. Some of this has to do with genetics, but that which does not...does not. I wonder how long the obese sumo wrestler...who is such a bad ass in a fight, will live?


Fitness has many aspects my friends...but the best aspect of all is that its only real cost is discipline. The bad ass Sumo killer? Imagine how much better he would be if he had the body of a George St. Pierre. The skin and bones marathon runner? Imagine if he had the body of someone like Hussein Bolt.


Fitness is its own goal. Once you are fit, in the sense of the word being discussed here, everything...EVERYTHING from fighting to pleasing your spouse will be better, easier, and repeatable well into your nineties. Select your path wisely.

Next time we will discuss the Triad Of Fitness!

​

 

[bingley]

If all we wanted to do was to "be able to hit hard and fight", we would be emulating the Sumo wrestler...getting as big and fat as we could, so we could bowl over lighter men. A sumotori would able to break a smaller man's wrist by simply taking his punch. But I will bet a health profile for a Sumo is hardly one promising of a long life. I will also bet a sumotori could not run any distance, and I will bet they don't get laid much either....except by female sumotori.

Sumotori are not just big and fat. They are actually very strong and very conditioned. They have a lot of explosive power. They have endurance. (As for "taking a punch and breaking a smaller man's wrist," I have heard that they actually condition their belly fat by striking it to harden the tissues. I don't know if this is just an urban legend.) Sumo wrestlers are tremendously flexible. Take a look at this guy doing a split as a part of sumo's regular training regiment:

I can't speak to their ability in bed. Some of them do get to marry pretty girls in Japan.

It just so happens that sumo wrestler have a build that deviates from the modern ideal of strength with 6% body fat. If you go back in history, East or West, you'll find that strongmen tended to be on the big side, because that was what strongmen looked like. Of course big in the 8th century is nothing like big today...

 

[rhino]

Sumos are probably not a great example to use for "fat guys." With the exception of the some of the huger westerners who play sumo, almost all of them are incredible athletes with more stamina and endurance than people expect. The strength, flexibility, and speed over short distances are a foregone conclusion.

 

[lucky4034]

Fitness has very little to do with muscles... I know plenty of fat guys who would run circles around most "body builders"

I personally could care less what the guy looks like so long as he isn't huffing and puffing through his demonstrations.

 

[cedartop]

Fitness has very little to do with muscles... I know plenty of fat guys who would run circles around most "body builders"

..

Second part of that I agree with. The first, not so much.

 

[Snizz1911]

I think this is a fascinating question! Personally, I work pretty hard to stay fit (for an old guy), but not because I think it makes me a better instructor or attracts more students. I feel a lot better when I'm in shape, I want to live a long healthy life and I believe I'm better able to defend myself and those I care about if I'm physically capable.

But an instructor is primarily conveying knowledge and experience, and you can be of any size, shape or physical condition and be a great teacher.

Guy

I agree. For me its as simple as going to a USPSA match. There are some overweight guys that flat out shoot fast and accurately, and stack up well on the score sheet. More importantly, I want someone that can convey their knowledge in an understandable way and be able to critique my shooting.

Like you, trying to get to the gym often is important to me in my personal life. But so far, being able to dead lift 400# and routinely running 4-5 miles hasn't made me a better shooter... That damn dry fire practice don't seem to hurt though.

 

[bingley]

Sumos are probably not a great example to use for "fat guys." With the exception of the some of the huger westerners who play sumo, almost all of them are incredible athletes with more stamina and endurance than people expect. The strength, flexibility, and speed over short distances are a foregone conclusion.

In case anyone still has doubt:

[video=youtube;lL9c8RrIW7o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL9c8RrIW7o&list=PL159F4759C7D56272[/video]

 

[rhino]

If only my parents had sent me to the sumo school in San Jose when I was about 7 years old . . .

 

[Bfish]

I would like to say that while I would take instruction from anyone. If they are in shape or not. This is because I feel that it is their knowledge you are after. It is your own personal physical ability that is important. However, with that being said I would take a fit instructor much more seriously than one who is not. It is just how I am, it shows discipline and they will have an edge up over the other guy in the "real world". As awful as it sounds I will take any officer, firefighter or military member more seriously if they are in shape, their job demands it. Anything dealing with the serious steaks in which they often do demands a certain level of physical fitness in my opinion... In think it is just laziness or a delusion of people who don't find this to be important. This is my opinion and if you get butt hurt over it I am sorry, but think about it please. I tried to be somewhat subtle but I had to get this out, this kinda thing kinda fires me up just a bit!

 

[jdhaines]

I thought this fit in well with this thread. It's harsh, but accurate.

Max Velocity Tactical: Reality Check: "All the Gear, No Idea"

 

[rhino]

I am not one of that guy's students.

 

[cedartop]

I am not one of that guy's students.

I didn't get it until I read the article.

 

[cedartop]

I thought this fit in well with this thread. It's harsh, but accurate.

Max Velocity Tactical: Reality Check: "All the Gear, No Idea"

That is a good article Josh. He even touches on my problem a bit.

I'm not talking about '6-pack' abs here, that sort of thing is simply not important and actually speaks to a body fat ratio that is too low and will lead to faster starvation. Be healthy fit, not vanity fit.

Seriously, if the fat guys make it until the food runs out in a SHTF they will outlast me as I will starve to death relatively quickly. There are some great quotes in there. e.g.

You want a conspiracy theory? How about this: you are being made fat and unhealthy. You are being convinced that training by former LEO's on square ranges, which works well if the enemy is standing there not firing back, is making you tactically competent. The result of this? Failure and death.

 

[sloughfoot]

I will eat my enemies. I cannot afford to miss a meal. Then I will run away and hide.