Does it really make a difference in a fight or would it be better to have some fat to absorb some of the impact of a body shot?
2007-09-21 20:22:46 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Martial Arts
Its not about the appearance, its about conditioning to impact, gotten through lots of core training and impact training, especially taking shots in sparring.
Some people genetically get very nice lookign abs as a side effect of the training, some people just end up with a hard wall of muscle.
These of course are very handy in a fight. If you have ever been winded in the guts from a hit you will understand what I mean.
Situps themselves are just part of the conditioning for impact.
In other words a guy with a washboard set from doing 1000 situps a day does not necessarily have great protection from hits, if he has not conditioned them to being hit.
However he will still have better protection than a guy with nothing.
On the other hand a guy may certainly have a normal looking set of abs, or even a layer of fat on his guts- but be very conditioned to taking punches, if he has trained recently to take a lot of hits in sparring.
The fat itself, or lack of, does not help or hinder hits, it is the muscle underneath being used to absorbing blows doing all the work.
2007-09-21 21:03:33 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you don't have good ab muscles you can't punch very hard and you'll have barely anything to brace your internal organs and ribs against body shots. Fat is not very dense and doesn't give any more protection than a winter coat. What really makes you tough though is training with impacts to the abs so you won't get stunned from the pain and you can start your breathing again immediately after being hit.
2007-09-22 10:42:03 · answer #2 · answered by R. Lee 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only way to get washboard abs is to have under 1% body weight, you can have never trained abs at all and still have abs if you cut the weight down
Ofcource it makes a diference how developed they are, the core is everything, its where all the power comes from, but the actualy LOOK of washboard abs comes from not having any fat on your body
2007-09-22 04:15:49 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
sit ups can help develop your abs but they wont get rid of the soft outer layer around them, this is to be sure. Rock hard abs may look great but they are not all that healthy to have. Americans are all about a "great looking body" but there are cultures that "have a little pudge" about the mid section, and claim it to be very healthy. Don't know myself. I have a little pudge, it's were I keep my heart. I have a little laundry covering my washboard. I'm in rather good shape for 40 and can keep up with the young'ns when I train with them.
2007-09-22 10:34:28 · answer #4 · answered by Zenshin Academy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know but I thought it was kinda funny when some guy wore him self out punching me in the stomech. because. i'm like thinking duh that doesn't even hurt. so after about 20 punches. I kinda picked him up and shoved him out the back door. next time open the door. don't waste the .$2.98 on a new latch.
I never said I was in any such thing as "great shape". I never said that. I can
"pinch an inch". but thats about all. those and all muscles. are good for you. because why?. the more muscle you have. the more calories you burn. minute by minute. oops got off the question. answer. it depends if the guy knows where to hit you. you can do all the sit ups you want and your not going to get. muscles in your solar plexes. I kinda wandered about this.
I have a lump there. i'm afraid its not muscle. every time I ask., they tell me to go to the doctor. some on hits you there. Thats how they stop your heart..Thats what the doctor in Karate class told me any way..
2007-09-22 03:44:43 · answer #5 · answered by hifi1863 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Another way to train is take medicine ball shots to the ribs and solar plexes. Although no amount of training will put muscle in those areas, it gets you used to the feeling so you don't immediately freak out when you get the wind knocked out of you. The worse feeling in the world is getting uppercutted underneath your ribs. If you have enough muscle on your stomach and such a direct shot to your abs really doesn't hurt that bad. It's best to keep your elbows closed in to protect the ribs. Mainly its too strengthen your core which is very important.
2007-09-22 03:28:40 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
being in good physical shape absolutely helps in a fight. It may also detour an attacker. A good solid midsection helps the body balance. If one has a fat belly endurance is not on his side. A real fight only takes 15 - 30sec. two real bad asses never meet in the street. most fat people fall over after an abdominal strike in pain or lack of breath.
2007-09-22 03:37:05 · answer #7 · answered by sandman 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All of your strikes will be stronger and fat doesn't absorb energy, it creates a "wave" or "ripple" effect which in turn can increase the power of the impact. It's a lot better to have muscle than fat...unless you're the Blob from X-Men. His fat is solid.
2007-09-22 11:18:09 · answer #8 · answered by Kuntawista 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
muscle is better in my opinion for a few reasons. muscle=more power even in the abs because they are core muscles. also strong abs can be tightened which will not hurt if punched or atleast hardly at all and can damage your opponents fist. know some guys who can tighten their abs and it feels like punching a cinder block. but the abs normally come naturally because of the rigorous training, good diet, etc. they don't set out to get ripped. well some do probably
2007-09-22 03:31:56 · answer #9 · answered by Who knows 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sit-ups generally won't help you in a fight. They're pretty much solely for vanity and sports that require good central mass stability.
And punching fat is much more damaging than punching muscle. You can't flex and protect your organs with fat.
2007-09-22 03:28:45 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋