If You Can’t Fight You Can’t Protect Your Family

Strength Alone Won’t Save You

I recently stepped back onto the mats after a year away, and I was quickly reminded of one brutal truth: strength alone won’t save you in a fight.

That lesson hit me hard—and it’s something every man needs to understand if he wants to be truly capable.

If you think going to the gym a few times a week is going to make a difference when you come up against someone with training in combat sports you’re in for a shock.

I’m 6ft tall, around 93kg, and have spent the last 3 years going to the gym religiously. Yet when I stepped on the mat for the first time it became very clear how little this mattered.

Yes, being strong gave me some advantage against weaker opponents with some experience. But all it did was slow down how quickly they beat me. It very rarely resulted in me beating them.

When it came to going against the more experienced guys? Game over. As your neck is being crushed like you’re fighting with an anaconda it becomes blindly obvious that all those bicep curls & reps on the bench press are not coming to save you now.

The Stakes Are Real

Luckily, all of this occurs in a controlled environment. And most of the guys you’ll come up against on the mats will treat you with respect & avoid injuring you.

Now imagine if you came up against someone like this in the outside world. Someone who has complete control over the outcome of a physical altercation between the two of you.

Now imagine that person wants to hurt your girlfriend, or your wife, or your children. What are you going to do? They will fuck you up & you will be powerless to protect the people you love.

The idea of that terrifies me & should terrify you too.

Flip the Script

Now imagine you’re the person who knows how to fight. And you’re up against someone who has no real fighting experience. Things are not going to go down well for that person.

You are the one who is in control now. You are the one who gets to decide the outcome.

It’s also worth mentioning that the chance of you ever finding yourself in an altercation in the first place is far less likely if you’re someone with combat sports experience. The way you carry yourself will ooze capability that people will pick up on subconsciously.

The same applies in reverse. Dominant aggressors look for weaker opponents that they can beat. They will smell your fear from a mile away & exploit it.

Why You Need to Learn to Fight

By now it should be clear. Learning how to fight is a non-negotiable if you truly wish to be able to keep the people you care about safe.

Learning to fight isn’t just about protecting others—it’s about becoming the strongest version of yourself. It changes how you think, how you move, and how you face challenges in every part of your life.

Stepping onto the mats forces you to face fear, discomfort, and pain. And over time you’ll build a level of mental toughness that will make you more likely to be able to withstand challenges in every area of your life.

You’ll also build confidence in your ability to handle yourself in the world. Other people will be more likely to respect you. Negotiation will become easier. You’ll attract other capable people who like to surround themselves with winners.

It’s also worth mentioning that you’ll still build a great physique as a fighter. And this one won’t just be purely cosmetic. You’ll have explosive power to back it up & the endurance to wear your opponents energy levels into the ground.

The Perfect Combination: Strength + Combat Skills

When you combine raw power from the gym with the technical skill of fighting, you join the top 0.1% of combat-ready individuals walking the planet.

To maximize your performance on the mats and reduce injury risk, stick to the basics in the gym:

• Bench & press variations to build raw upper body strength & power

• Squat variations to be able to unleash more powerful kicks & punches

• Deadlift variations to build an engine for explosive takedowns & grappling

And don’t be afraid to throw a few accessory movements in there too if you want to continue working towards looking pretty. Just understand that having death star delts won’t save you when it’s time to stand up & fight.

Which Combat Sports Should You Learn?

The data is clear: wrestling reigns supreme, with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu close behind.

But ultimately, there is no one right answer. Any martial art can be effective once you have experience.

My recommendation would be to find a place that offers MMA classes, which combine all of the above into one & start going 1-3 times per week.

If you’re still not sure where to start or can’t find an MMA gym in your area:

• Start with your base: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or Wrestling for grappling

• Add striking: Muay Thai, Kickboxing, or Boxing to develop knockout power

• Combine both: Look for a partner or gym that lets you practice integrating skills

It comes down to personal preference and you should focus on the one that you enjoy doing the most as that will make sticking with it consistently much easier.

How to Train

You don’t need to train like a professional fighter to improve. But the person who trains three times per week will improve exponentially faster than the person who only goes once.

If you’re integrating combat sports with strength training, aim to do this every week:

• 2-3 combat sports sessions

• 1-2 strength training sessions

• 2-3 full rest days to maximise recovery

Facing Your First Opponent

Before you can step onto the mats, there’s one opponent you must face…

Fear.

Fear is the voice that chains you to mediocrity. It whispers that you’re not strong enough, skilled enough, or ready—and in doing so, it hands control of your life to someone else.

But the truth is, the moment you step onto the mats, you’ve already won your first fight.

And on the other side of fear is transformation—the stronger, more capable version of yourself who commands respect, takes control, and protects what matters most.

Become the Fighter Life Demands

This isn’t just about fighting—it’s about taking control of your life. It’s about choosing strength over weakness, capability over helplessness, and courage over fear.

The journey starts with a single step—onto the mats, into discomfort, and toward the person you were meant to become. The fighter your life demands. The protector your loved ones deserve.

The man who doesn’t just live his life—but owns it.