Podcast: Fighting and Lifting with Julia Avila

[Mark Rippetoe]

Fighting and Lifting with Julia "Raging Panda" Avila | Starting Strength Stories

[Sparky]

Another fine testament to what strength provides for sport and everyday health and well being.
Sparky

[AndrewLewis]

This is a heavily untapped market in my opinion; IN GENERAL, people in martial arts believe that there is little to no value in strength acquisition. They seem to believe that technique overshadows all other potential advantages.

While technique should be your first, second, and third concern, this does not change the fact that if two people of similar technique fight and one squats three times as much as the other, the stronger one will win.

[Mark Rippetoe]

This is my impression as well. It's almost as if they don't understand why their own sport has weight classes. Or a Men's and Women's division.

[AndrewLewis]

This is my impression as well. It's almost as if they don't understand why their own sport has weight classes. Or a Men's and Women's division.

Well, based on the Fallon Fox incident and other transgendered fighters, I don't think some people do believe it makes a difference.

My first question to these people is always "how would you (at 185) feel about fighting at 220lb but still weighing 185lb?" and they always come back "oh fuck that. That would suck." "Ok. Why is that?"

[Mark E. Hurling]

The problem in too much of the full range of martial arts is one of an traditional attitude that results in stultifying, unalterable protocols when it comes to training. Change need not apply. If Jigoro Kano, Gichin Funakoshi, Morihei Ueshiba (etc., etc., etc.) didn't use barbells, why the Hell start now? Old school, rote, wax on/wax off dies hard in Asia.

This seemed to be undergoing some change in the 60's when the round eyes Anton Geesink started cleaning clocks of the Kodokan's stars in detail and Donn Draeger hit the shores of Nippon during and after the Occupation. Both of them were big on barbell training, especially Draeger, who wrote a pretty good book (for the times) on the subject of weight training for Judo. But the last 20 years or so, maybe more, saw a retrenchment to the old ways. As in, technique, technique, technique; ground in to the DNA through repetition. And don't ask questions, just bow on to the mat and do as you are told.

[Geoff Bischoff]

After watching the video, I went hunting and watched three of Julia's fights. She's a tough competitor, which was no surprise. What warmed my heart is how gracious she is in victory. After ground-and-pounding Ashley Deen without mercy until the ref let her know the fight was over, she gives what appears to be a completely genuine smile, bow, and hug to Deen after the result is announced. Even at the weigh-in with Marceia Allen, when many competitors take the opportunity to snarl and menace each other, Julie is all smiles.

I appreciate greatly her discipline in "turning it on" and "turning it off."

[sniperfrog]

The problem in too much of the full range of martial arts is one of an traditional attitude that results in stultifying, unalterable protocols when it comes to training. Change need not apply. If Jigoro Kano, Gichin Funakoshi, Morihei Ueshiba (etc., etc., etc.) didn't use barbells, why the Hell start now? Old school, rote, wax on/wax off dies hard in Asia.

This seemed to be undergoing some change in the 60's when the round eyes Anton Geesink started cleaning clocks of the Kodokan's stars in detail and Donn Draeger hit the shores of Nippon during and after the Occupation. Both of them were big on barbell training, especially Draeger, who wrote a pretty good book (for the times) on the subject of weight training for Judo. But the last 20 years or so, maybe more, saw a retrenchment to the old ways. As in, technique, technique, technique; ground in to the DNA through repetition. And don't ask questions, just bow on to the mat and do as you are told.

Don’t forget Masahiko Kimura. He threw Helio Gracie around like a rag doll. He was big into weightlifting. At 5’6” and 185lbs he was pretty thick for the 1950s.

[Travis Reid]

"In victory, do not brag; in defeat, do not weep" - Archilochus

[GammaFlat]

I greatly look forward to watching her career. It is so refreshing to see her enthusiasm for weight lifting.... and she (with her husband) wants to be a Starting Strength Coach! Hell yeah!