It never ceases to amaze me how few martial arts instructors advocate running as an essential component of martial arts training. They'll teach students for years, complicated self defense techniques, in order to defend themselves in dangerous situations, and they rarely recommend that one skill that will allow them to survive without laying a finger on somebody else. Not only should running be an essential component of martial arts conditioning for fitness reasons, it also deserves priority status because it is just plain common sense.

Running is undoubtedly one of the best physical conditioning exercises out there. It has been used for millennia by fighters and soldiers worldwide. It builds lower body muscular strength, and total body muscular endurance. Furthermore running is great for developing a few essential muscles used in striking, namely the calves, quads, hamstrings, and abs. The best running program will incorporate jogging and sprinting into an intense workout for both speed and endurance. This is the essence of interval training.

These 4 muscle groups are pivotal in developing punching power, as a grounded stance and explosive hip rotation is the foundation of a powerful knockout punch. And naturally for systems which incorporate a fair amount of kicking, the legs gain the muscular endurance and power to deliver a flurry of powerful kicks without fatigue.

But as valuable as running is in conditioning the body for combat, it is also the most essential and common sense skill in self defense training. Pop quiz; who is most likely to survive a violent confrontation with 3 or more opponents with knifes or other weapons, a bodybuilder, a wrestler, a mixed martial artist, or a sprinter? While the first three demonstrate the raw power and skill required to handle themselves in a cage, I'd put my money on the sprinter to survive.

If someone cannot move well, if they're over weight, or if they're simply built for power instead of speed through excessive slow rhythm weightlifting, then they have no choice in a dangerous situation but to stay and fight. And in so doing they increase their chances of being maimed or killed considerably. It is the conditioned runner who has options. He may, if he feels its necessary, stay and fight. And he may, if significantly outnumbered or unconfined choose to run.

It's important to keep in mind that the ego has no place in martial arts training. Sometimes thinking outside of the box and taking a convenient out is also the smart self defense decision. Running is a unique exercise with both vast fitness benefits as well as practical self defense applications, and should not be overlooked in ones martial arts training.