Do you need to be able to do push-up and be strong in order to practice Wing Chun?

[Hot Lunch]

I've no experience with wing chun, but just training a martial art will improve your strength. Instead of thinking about needing to be strong to do a martial art, think instead that doing a martial art will give you physical strength.

Not exactly. Martial arts training itself will increase your muscular endurance, not strength. Those are two different things.

The good news is that muscular endurance is actually more relevant to fighting than strength.

But here's some more bad news: the increase in muscular endurance (AND cardiovascular endurance) from martial arts training alone will top off at the level needed to keep up with the class. This is true of any group exercise activity, not just martial arts. Because progressive overload is required for continuous development, you're eventually going to have to look beyond the martial arts training.

 

[Cri70]

But here's some more bad news: the increase in muscular endurance (AND cardiovascular endurance) from martial arts training alone will top off at the level needed to keep up with the class. This is true of any group exercise activity, not just martial arts. Because progressive overload is required for continuous development, you're eventually going to have to look beyond the martial arts training.

So true!

There's a benefit over the first few months, but then better you become the less energy you use so it kinda reaches of plateau quite early unless you push harder and harder.

 

[Fungus]

By using that single-arm idea, speed is achieved not by athleticism and big muscles, but by training your mind to do the exact opposite of what the japanese art and its derivatives condition you to do, which is parry with a limb and then attack with the other. And of course practicing, practicing, practicing.

I think of the single-arm concept a bit like fencing. You have only one weapon, which can both block and attack. Controlling one weapon is easer for the brain, but it has it's limitations too of course.

 

[Cri70]

I think of the single-arm concept a bit like fencing. You have only one weapon, which can both block and attack. Controlling one weapon is easer for the brain, but it has it's limitations too of course.

Yeah, all has its place.

 

[Badhabits]

Not exactly. Martial arts training itself will increase your muscular endurance, not strength. Those are two different things.

The good news is that muscular endurance is actually more relevant to fighting than strength.

But here's some more bad news: the increase in muscular endurance (AND cardiovascular endurance) from martial arts training alone will top off at the level needed to keep up with the class. This is true of any group exercise activity, not just martial arts. Because progressive overload is required for continuous development, you're eventually going to have to look beyond the martial arts training.

I guess I mostly agree with this. But.... If you don't have the strength to lift your leg higher than the knee when you start, good training should develop the strength to lift it higher. Same with pushups, planks etc. Even if you only develop enough strength to keep up in class, that's still a big improvement for a lot of people. There was a specific guy in mind when I posted, he was super soft and weak when he started training with us, several months later you could really tell a difference in his strength rolling with him. He may have been an extreme example though

 

[Prince_Alarming]

Let's be honest though, a lot of us started training in the martial arts for similar, and very stupid, reasons. I hope the OP finds something that interests him.

 

[Hot Lunch]

Let's be honest though, a lot of us started training in the martial arts for similar, and very stupid, reasons. I hope the OP finds something that interests him.

Ultimately, whether or not he signs up is his decision. I just don't think martial arts is the solution to his problems. IF he signs up, then he still needs to seek out the things that actually are the solutions to his problems separately from the training.

The only issue I have with him signing up is what he said about wanting to "kick people's teeth in" for making fun of him. But again, whether or not he does sign up is not my decision to make.