After a demoralizing loss to Yuri, Baki decides he needs to up his game a little. Thus, like Masutatsu Oyama (the founder of Kyokushin Karate), Baki travels into the mountains in order to break his softness and in order to follow in his father's footsteps. Baki packs all of his gear (into quite the large backpack) and begins to make his way, on foot, up into the mountains. Hiking long distances through the mountains is a serious test of endurance, especially if coupled with an enormous pack, and should not be attempted without proper training or supervision. Walking up and down steep, uneven terrain; climbing small boulders and even scaling rock faces with a pack (or without safety equipment, for that matter), Baki eventually makes his way to a small cottage inhabited by a giant of a man, named Ando.
Ando, a friend of the family, spent some time with Baki's dad training on this very mountain, chopping wood and dealing with the harsh environment. After a display of wood-chopping power and a bit of advice about eating (which we will cover in a moment), Ando makes a promise to turn Baki into a powerhouse.
Seeking to Fight a Monster
Baki, although thankful for Ando's willingness to help, is more interested meeting another resident of Yasha Crag: the Yasha Ape. Some time ago, Baki's dad hunted one of these monster's down by hand and the young Hanma feels it's time he did, too. Ando warns against fighting the beast, and for good reason. The Ape is almost seven feet tall and built like a mountain, vicious and is capable of easily killing a bear. However, Baki wants to meet the monster, so he sets up camp deep in the woods in order to draw him out and, sure enough, during his training, he emerges.
Before we get into the details of the fight, it is important to note that the likelihood of a human being able to kill a bear or a gorilla (which this essentially is) bare handed, or even sometimes armed, is extremely low and should never ever be attempted for two reasons.
First: You will most likely be seriously injured or killed if you fight a large and/or vicious wild animal.
Second: Seeking out a creature in order to kill him, just to say you can do it, is mean-spirited to say the least.
Ando comes to help Baki, but both are quickly beaten, with Ando's belly being ripped open. In his defense, Baki throws his lantern on the Ape, who retreats into the woods. Back at the cottage, Baki attempt to disinfect Ando's wound with vodka, to which Ando replies would do nothing against the bacteria on the Ape's claws. Thus, using gun powder and a lighter, he disinfects the wound in a, I must imagine, very painful manner and, then proceeds to get Baki to call for help.
The lesson we draw from this is that it is important to have a working knowledge of first aid, even if very little. Learning how to properly clean and dress wounds and even how to set a bone for the short term will be valuable knowledge in case something goes wrong in the wild, or even in a scenario where help is not immediately available. Also, do not go into the wilderness without first letting someone know exactly where you will be, having a way to contact someone if there's an emergency, or having a way out if things get too hairy.
Ando is taken to the hospital and Baki... wants vengeance.
"In Fighting, the One Who Eats the Most is the Winner"
It's an interesting way to look at fighting, but it's a bit of an oversimplification. Essentially, what I think our dear friend Ando meant is that in order to become stronger in training it is important to eat properly. However, in Baki's case, with the extreme amount of training in which he is undergoing, it means to eat as much as possible. Baki's nutritional requirements, I'm sure, are off the charts. This would be the case for any athlete who trains all day long. Proteins would be needed to rebuild muscles, carbohydrates would be needed to fuel the training, and fat would be needed for long-term energy and body health. It is important for you to find out just how many calories you need in order to function properly as an athlete or martial artist. As a general rule, the number of calories needed at any given time is based on factors such as your activity level, your weight, and your metabolism. For an athlete, the basic calorie requirements should first be set from your protein needs.
Light to Moderate activity: ~.7 grams of protein/pound you weigh
Moderate to Heavy activity: .7-1.2 grams of protein/pound you weigh
Super Heavy activity: 1.2-1.5 grams of protein/pound you weigh
Gauging what is Light, Moderate, Heavy, and Super Heavy in terms of activity is very important. You don't want to take in too many or too few calories. Light activity can be classified as 0-45 minutes of low intensity exercise and 0-30 minutes of moderate to heavy intensity exercise. Moderate activity can be classified as 45-90 minutes of low intensity exercise and 30-45 minutes of moderate to heavy intensity exercise. Heavy activity can be classified as around 90-120 minutes of low intensity exercise and 45-60 minutes of moderate to heavy intensity exercise. Super Heavy activity is anything that falls above the limits of Heavy. These are merely guidelines to help you determine about how much protein you need. The breakdown of your other macro-nutrients are 30% calories protein, 30% calories fat, and 40% carbohydrates. I know this is a lot to take in, especially if you're new, so we'll leave at this for now, even though there are volumes to be covered.
Trying to Cross the Line
To push himself to greater heights, Baki utilizes a body chemical known as endorphins. Wikipedia states:
{Endorphins work as "natural pain relievers..."}
{During a release of Endorphin the person may be exposed to bodily harm from strenuous bodily functions after going past their body's physical limit. They may be able to keep running despite pain, and thus possibly come to bodily harm from endorphin release. }
It is important to state that it is never a good a idea to push past one's limits on a continual basis. Rest, food, and the proper amount of training make you stronger and keeps you from being injured. However, Baki, being a super-elite level athlete (and an anime character) uses the combination of endorphins, a ridiculous amount of training, and a large amount of food to produce super results within a short amount of time.
However, that is not this only line Baki must cross to continue his journey to meet his father's power. So, he faces fear, and, in the ultimate "cliff-hanger" to an episode, jumps off a cliff.
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