WEAPON TRAINING FOR FITNESS: THE GLADIATOR

 

In the Roman Empire, Gladiators engaged in mortal combat within the Arena for the benefit of the populace. These life and death contests required strength, agility in addition to phenomenal amounts of endurance and skill and the gladiators were required to train for several hours each day in order to develop these attributes to the highest degree possible. 

Gladiatoral training consisted of calisthenics and weightlifting in order to build muscle size and endurance, wrestling and grappling sessions, and armatura, training with weapons. Weapons training involved the use of heavy wooden swords and shields, based on the belief that the effective employment of these equipment during training would translate to its use in the field of battle. The gladiator was required to strike repeatedly at a wooden dummy called a palus with his sword, spear or any other weapon in which he was supposed to be proficient, in order to build muscle endurance and striking power, hand to eye coordination, as well as developing muscle memory.  Once the trainee was deemed satisfactorily proficient against the palus, he was pitted against a human opponent of similar or greater skill in order to develop skill, battle judgement and quick reflexes, attributes which were often the difference between life and death in the hand to hand contests which occured in the arenas all over the Roman Empire. 

The gladiatorial training methods were subsequently extended to soldiers after the gladiators deadly effectiveness was felt by the Republic during the Servile Wars depicted in the Spartacus series. Training in arms came to viewed as an important part of the soldier's training and this was transferred to all territories which formed part of the Roman Empire. 

In replicating the gladiatorial training process, I had recourse to several contemporary training manuals and found that the effective gladiator required substantial body mass in order to absorb injuries from weapons without substantial disability. To achieve the necessary bulk, they lifted weights such as the halteres (stone dumbells), Bybon stones and weighted stone vases. the gladiators were required to train wearing extra-heavy armour in order to build their stamina and cardiovascular endurance.

Ancient weights

 A modern gladiator should train with kettlebells, Atlas stones, dumbells and barbells (avoid weight machines). I have found it very effective to start training by lifting half of your one rep maximum for several reps until you feel close to muscle failure (alternatively, you could execute pullups till muscle failure), then you proceed to lift your one rep maximum, rest for 2 minutes, and lift your one rep max again. Do this until you reach complete muscle failure, then give the muscle 2 days rest before working it hard again. This regime would force your body to increase in mass and strength over a relatively short period of time, as you keep pushing your musles to the edge of their ability. 


To build striking power, the gladiator had to train against a palus; the modern gladiator can substitute with heavy bag training. What I normally advise is to carry out heavy bag training everyday after weight work in order to accustom the muscles to striking as well as enhancing cardio vascular and muscular endurance. Ensure that you wrap your hands properly and use proper form in order to avoid wrist injuries. 

To build the agility and battle awareness required to fight highly mobile opponents such as the retiarus, gladiators ran through obstacle courses and sparred ceaselessly with fellow gladiators. For the modern gladiator, this translates into everyday rope work; you have to love that skipping rope!!!! I also advice taking up a martial art which requires constant sparring such as capoeira, karate, and jeet kune do as it helps build your physical condition, as your body believes it is under attack and evolves to meet the attack.

As you commence the journey that will convert you into a modern gladiator, make sure you undertake regular medical checks to ensure that your health can take the intense training required amnd remember to REST and EAT!!!! Adequate rest and nutrition were hallmarks of gladiatorial training; the trainees ate food rich in carbohydrates, fats and proteins in order to build their body mass. They ate at least 3 times each day, more than their masters who normally ate 2 meals a day. It is literally impossible to gain the required muscle mass if you do not eat properly!!!