This week's Question of the Week comes via email from Cam:
"Now, I have absolutely no doubts that no sober, right-minded man would willingly pick a fight with any strongman. But the question still keeps popping up in my head. Have you guys ever thought about seeing how you could do in the UFC or anything like that? Do all the muscles and power make you slower, or could you still hold your own with anyone? Do you have any way to judge how much power your punch is packing?"
Of the many questions I hear in the gym, at work, or in the bar, this one, or some variant of it, is the most frequent. First and foremost, no sober, right-minded man would pick a fight with anyone; strongman, boxer, or grocery bagger. It's just not something a sane person does. Throw some booze, drugs, or a woman into the mix, though, and all bets are off. That said, strongman is a sport, as is football, basketball, or mixed martial arts. Each sport requires the mastery of a specific skill set unique to itself. Sure, some of the components of each skill set are shared between the disciplines, but the fact remains that they're entirely different sports that require years of training to become proficient.
Consider this: Brock Lesnar is one of the most incredible athletes on the planet. His collegiate wrestling background taught him stamina, toughness, agility, and leverage, while his dedication in the gym gave him awesome strength and power. All of these traits led many people to believe that he would be a dominating force in the NFL, despite very limited experience on the field. Yet when he went to try out for the Minnesota Vikings, he was cut faster than a gringo in a Mexican streetfight. It wasn't because he's not a good athlete. It was because he hadn't acquired the skills to play football that the other players had developed over a lifetime of playing experience. Brock's future in MMA, while booming with potential, remains to be seen.
The most recent issue of Real Fighter Magazine ran an article naming the four athletes from other sports they'd most like to see in a MMA fight. One was an Olympic wrestling gold medalist, one was a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu champion, and another was No-Gi world champion grappler, Marcelo Garcia. The fourth athlete was none other than three-time World's Strongest Man, Mariusz Pudzianowski. Why would they want to see Pudz in the cage and not some other strong man (space intended)? In addition to being one of the strongest, most agile men on the planet, he holds a 4th degree black belt in Kyokushin Karate and was also a top-ranked amateur boxer in his younger days (unsubstantiated rumor has it that he was an alternate to the Polish Olympic boxing team). In reality, he's the only strongman I can think of who would stand a chance against most professional MMA fighters, and even then, he'd last three rounds if he's lucky.
Personally, I've never been in a fight, organized or otherwise, and I intend to keep it that way. I've also never wrestled, boxed, or done any other sort of martial arts. If I were to step into the cage with an amateur fighter with even the slightest bit of wrestling, Jiu Jitsu, or other formal fight training, I'd get tapped or KTFO'd in the first round. That's not to say that I can't take a punch. I've been kicked, kneed, head-butted, and elbowed in the coconut countless times while playing rugby, and I've only been knocked out twice, but these guys train to put you to sleep. I wouldn't stand a chance. Despite my non-aggressive demeanor and complete lack of experience, I still have friends who are trained fighters tell me I should train with them. Usually, I just laugh and return the offer.
My offers for them to train with me are always genuine, but no one has taken me up on it yet. While they repeatedly shy away from my training methods, perhaps for the same reason I decline theirs, there is no doubt in my mind that strongman style training is the next stage in the evolution of sport specific training. No matter what sport you play, the type of training I partake in will benefit you more than simply going to the gym. Many professional athletes are incorporating strongman style, or "functional" training into their offseason programs. Former New York Giants running back, Tiki Barber, is one of the most prominent proponents of this style of training, and his performance on the field spoke for itself (including the disappearance of his fumble-itis). On a more personal level, it was only one year after I started competing in strongman contests that I was voted "Most Improved Player" on my rugby team, and I was a ten year veteran with six years of All-Star team experience! Quite frankly, it works.
In the end, athletes are trained specifically for their sport, often from a very young age. The skills necessary to be successful at the upper level demand it. That's why it's so amazing when someone like Jim Thorpe or Bo Jackson comes along. MMA fighters are awesome athletes, and the skills they've developed in the various disciplines make them no less impressive athletes than Thorpe or Jackson. To assume that an untrained athlete could step into the cage with any of them and exceed belittles their accomplishments.
Posted by Ben Hanson at 11:45 AM