Grappler Baki: Gaia's Basic Military Training

Gaia is a character with a split personality. His normal personality, Nomura, likes to kill, but he's not the strongest or the most skilled warrior. During combat, Nomura was captured and put in front of a firing squad. However, as fate would have it, he was rescued at the last second, but the rush of adrenaline and fear caused a split in his personality and all his hair fell out. As a result, whenever Nomura experiences an adrenaline rush, he switches to Gaia-- a warrior who controls the body's natural limit-breaker of adrenaline to push himself to whatever level of strength, speed, and awareness that the situation requires. His belief is that he does not need to put on the additional muscle mass in order to be stronger, because he can merely manipulate the level of adrenaline his body is putting out.

"Take your bulging biceps elsewhere, mister!"

Baki, however, shows him the error of his ways by stomping a mud hole in the hairless Gaia. Score one for training! Nomura, at some point, would have had to undergo military PT and, I imagine, probably still continued those exercises, since they don't really build much mass, but are good for developing basic strength and good muscular endurance, which is very important for a soldier. As such, this workout is based on general military PT.


Gaia's Basic Military Training, Workout A

1. 100 Jumping Jacks
2. 50 8-Count Bodybuilders
3. Run 3 Miles
4. Stretch- 10 Minutes

Then,

1. 5 Pull-ups
2. 10 Push-ups
3. 20 Sit-ups
4. 30 Squats
5. 40 Flutterkicks
6. 50 Mountain Climbers
7. 60 Second Plank

--5 to 10 Rounds, depending on fitness, then stretch 10 Minutes:


Gaia's Basic Military Training, Workout B

Pick one:

• Ruck Training: 25-70lbs, depending on level. 2-15 miles, depending on level. If you are just starting out, do 25lbs and 2 miles and increase either the weight OR the distance when you get stronger. If you can, you should do this in very hilly or mountainous terrain. You can increase either the distance or weight when you are able to finish the given course with the given weight at a 4 minute/mile pace. 
• Swim Training: Sets of 400 Meters, any stroke. Increase number of sets as your fitness allows. Rest 1 to 2 minutes in between sets. If you cannot swim 400 Meters without stopping, you can break it into however many sets you need to, but do not do more than 400 Meters in a workout if you cannot swim it in one go.
• Long Run Training: Run 5-20 miles at a slow, easy pace. You're going for the distance, not speed. If you're not sure if you can take it, pick 3 miles. If you're not sure you can take that, alternate jogging and walking for the distance. Obviously 20 miles is going to take a long time to get to, so increase your mileage gradually. 

Notes:

• 8-Count Bodybuilders are kind of like burpees, but a little different. 1) You squat down and put your hands on the ground next to your feet. 2) With your hands flat on the ground, shoot your feet out behind you to go into the top position of a push-up. 3) Jump your feet out into a Y position. 4) Jump your feet back together in the top of the push-up position. 5) Lower yourself into the bottom of the push-up position. 6) Push-up from the floor back to the top of the push-up position. 7) Jump your feet back in between your hands. 8) Explode from the bottom position into a jump, with hands overhead.  That's one rep. 8-Counts. Get it?
• Flutterkicks are done by lying on your back, with your hands underneath your hips and your feet about six inches off the ground. Then, you alternate your feet up and down from 6-12 inches off the ground. Up and down on each side is one rep.
• Mountain Climbers are done by placing both hands on the ground, with one foot leg bent underneath you, foot on the ground and the other leg straight behind you. Your butt is up in the air and you alternate the position of your feet. Moving each leg back and forward is one rep.
• Plank is done at either the top position of the push-up or on your forearms. Focus on keeping your abs tight and your body straight. Your butt with want to go either up or down from straight to make it easier, but focus on a straight line all the way down your spine and legs. 
• Make sure if you are going on a long ruck or a long run that you have drink water regularly, take in about 30g of carbohydrates every 30-45 minutes, and wear comfortable clothing and shoes. No matter what your level of fitness is, if you don't fuel and hydrate yourself or keep yourself comfortable, you'll end up failing a lot sooner and that's not what we're going for at all. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

GRAPPLER BAKI- PART X

Strydum has Baki parachute into the area where there are five men, who are responsible for the defeat of several platoons of the Japanese Defense Forces.  His landing is a little rough, but thanks to his parachute, some trees breaking his fall, and Baki's excellent reflexes and gymnastics, it all works out.  Once he lands, he attempts to find his targets by wandering around. Unfortunately, in battlefield combat, being seen is probably one of the less favorable things that can happen to you.  This is essentially because of...

Surprise Attacks

Military combat isn't generally about pride or honor or what have you.  It's about completing a mission in the most efficient and timely manner and, oftentimes, that mission involves killing other human beings. If you are in a situation where you are going into enemy territory, be it a warzone, a gang-infested neighborhood, or even a schoolyard full of bullies, be prepared for an attack at any time.  That means while eating, drinking, going to the bathroom, and even sleeping.  You must be on your guard at all times in these situations, because if you aren't, you may be dealt an incapacitating or killing blow before you know what's going on.

Baki is forced to deal with a similar issue, as a man inside a tree tries to kill him.  Baki manages to fare well against him and eventually wins, but not before the guy pulls a knife. Knives are quick, efficient, and deadly.  If a guy is good-- really good-- with a knife, you will probably be in a lot of trouble.  Here are some things to think about when fighting someone armed with a weapon, especially a close quarters weapon.

Fighting Unarmed Against an Armed Opponent

If you find yourself up against a guy with a weapon, stay calm.  If you start panicking and only thinking about the weapon, you're not likely to do well.  If you are unable to escape the situation or do not wish to, then your first course of action is to keep your distance.  If you close in on his range, you are looking for a "grab and stab."  You might be strong, but if a guy grabs onto your clothing and shoves a knife at you in a second or less, you won't have much in the way of defense and you can't guarantee you will wrench free of his grasp.  Whatever you decide to do, it must be done immediately, with full resolve, full power, and no remorse. Remember, once a weapon is involved, your primary goal is survival.  If you have to fight unarmed against an armed opponent, be ready to kill your opponent the moment the opportunity arises-- jam a finger is his eye, punch the throat, find something to throw.  

Here are some resources for you:

-http://www.lwcbooks.com/articles/knifearticle.html

-http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/knifelies.html

After beating this guy, Baki runs into a big guy.  Baki fakes drowning in the lake, and manages to grab a choke on the soldier.  Two down, three to go.  He takes another one out while the soldier is urinating.  The final two team up to fight him, but he takes them down as well.  Something must be said about all of this-- it is almost 100% certain that in a real life combat scenario, the attacks thrown at you will come from out of nowhere and they will do so in a flash.  Your reflexes will have to be top notch to survive, but, more than that, you'll be better off avoiding these places altogether.  

Finally, after Baki thinks he's won, Nomura begins to freak out, rocking back and forth in one of the holes Baki has buried to soldiers in.  It seems it's not over for the young Hanma boy.

Until next time, good luck and train hard!