Strength and Fighting with Nick Delgadillo | Starting Strength Radio #14

[Nick Delgadillo]

I’ve got a question I’ve been dying to get answered for ages and if this forum isn’t the place then nowhere is.Say you had a buddy who was untrained in both strength and fighting. A bad dude has threatened him physically but he’s managed to postpone the fight for 3 months (like Daniel Larusso in the karate kid). If you could train him would you advise running the starting strength NLP or a 3 month intense martial arts program?

If a bad dude threatened him physically, I would advise him to avoid the bad dude, make clear his unwillingness to fight said bad dude, and use whatever means necessary to defend himself in the event that bad dude decides to attack him.

At the same time, the buddy should live his life and train in whatever way makes him excited about life. If he's scared he'll be attacked, learning to fight may help. No guarantee he won't get is ass kicked, though. But no one should ever willfully enter into a fight with anyone "on the street" where variables aren't controlled. By the way, Larusso was clearly the asshole in The Karate Kid.

[Mark E. Hurling]

I really like grappling for self defense. I started training with striking based systems - Muay Thai, Bas Rutten MMA, Krav Maga - and did those and taught them for lots of years. I'm a firm believer at this point, though, that I can teach a grappler how to strike effectively very quickly, but teaching a striker an effective clinch, wrestling, takedowns, and comfort being on the ground takes a VERY LONG TIME. And I'm also a firm believer at this point in my teaching career that actual fighting happens at clinch range almost exclusively and as such, most training time for self defense purposes should be done at clinch range, including learning to strike from clinch range. Clinch fighting and grappling can be done against a resisting opponent from day 1.

I've taught LOTS of people krav maga, boxing, and muay thai. I firmly believe that the only benefit they got out of that was the dynamic nature of the stress drills especially when it comes to krav maga. Otherwise, it's mostly bullshit that only seems effective. If I were to do it again, I'd teach them how to handle themselves when tied up with another person. Much more valuable for everyone.

I have to agree with you about other than striking techniques for self defense. They tend to be more scalable in terms of controlling or countering an attack as well as teaching how to escape from a grab or counter a shove. Hitting someone in the head or gut or balls as your first go-to can get the defender into legal shit for overescalating a response for some of the lower level intensity attacks. Likewise, teaching and learning to strike is easier than the throwing, joint locking, or strangling techniques. Strikes are generally linear in nature and do not have to overcome the other guy's resistance like countering his lapel grab into an arm bar or wrist lock.

That said, when I teach, I emphasize staying upright and mobile and off the ground as far as is possible and how to escape and upright and out of there for unrefereed engagements.

Though I suppose I'll have to learn to be ok with some bowing.

A little humility never killed anyone.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You seem obsessed with me on this subject. Perhaps you missed my last response to you when you asked a variation of this question. If so, are you genuinely interested or just talking smack?

Let's fight!!

[Mark E. Hurling]

Let's fight!!

Opening round of the monkey dance?

[Eric Larousse]

Im kin to Daniel Larusso and ive never turned down a fight in my life. I dont consider myself an asshole though. My instructor taught me at a young age before I could effectively barbell train the finely tuned motor patterns and techniques that have stayed with me through life by virtue of a lot of repetition. Same goes for other sports to. Now that I have effectively barbell trained for a while Ive registered to become an unaffiliated MMA fighter in a few organizations and I will probably win my fights as well as the local powerlifting meet next year.

Wax on Wax off and carry on

[CommanderFun]

If a bad dude threatened him physically, I would advise him to avoid the bad dude, make clear his unwillingness to fight said bad dude, and use whatever means necessary to defend himself in the event that bad dude decides to attack him.

Only 100% guaranteed way to not lose a fight is not get in it in the first place, right?

[Jdcuth]

I agree Larusso was a little brat I enjoyed watching every ass kicking he took. I’m going to start watching Cobra Kai it looks great fun.
That said having the surname Larousse is freaking awesome....
Thanks for the reply

[Mark E. Hurling]

Im kin to Daniel Larusso and ive never turned down a fight in my life. I dont consider myself an asshole though. My instructor taught me at a young age before I could effectively barbell train the finely tuned motor patterns and techniques that have stayed with me through life by virtue of a lot of repetition.

Sounds like your instructor might have been this guy: Real World Self Defense Professor Bradley Steiner Seattle Wa

But wait, there's more! Bradley J. Steiner’s General Rules for Training (1972) – Physical Culture Study

Just having a little fun here.

[Charlocity2]

But no one should ever willfully enter into a fight with anyone "on the street" where variables aren't controlled. By the way, Larusso was clearly the asshole in The Karate Kid.

But Mr. Myagi did everything by the book, right? Everybody wants to root for the underdog in the fight (like Larusso), especially in a coming-of-age movie. But what made the scene where Mr. Myagi defended Daniel-san from the bullies from the dojo so effective was that we learned Mr. Myagi himself was no underdog.

[Eric Larousse]

Guys seem very knowledgeable.

IMO the greatest martial artist ever is Jim Harrison

I’m just just a lowly Tae kwon do guy I was lucky enough to have an instructor that incorporated BJJ after seeing what Royce did in UFC. We did a lot of standing grappling, sweeps and throws as soon as started at a young age.

Mr Hurling if I lived in the vicinity I’d gladly be your student.