At Intuitive Self Protection, we train for the real world. Not Instagram and not powerlifting meets. We care about one thing: whether you can survive a violent encounter and win. That means your fitness should match the fight, not the gym flex. You don’t need to bench 300 pounds. You need to move fast, stay on your feet, carry weight under stress, and fight when your lungs are burning. This is what we call tactical fitness and it’s what actually matters in a violent encounter.
Training to maintain control of your firearm while dragging heavy loads. You may have to drag a loved one in gun fight.
What’s Tactical Fitness?
Tactical fitness is all about function. It trains your body to move like a fighter, not a bodybuilder. That means short bursts of power, endurance under pressure, and quick recovery.
It’s being able to, but not limited to:
Sprint 40 yards and still fight
Carry your injured kid out of danger
Control your breathing after running upstairs
Fight from your back or after getting slammed
Have the ability to carry a conversation after a micro burst
Being able to shoot, move and communicate through structures, in around a vehicle and people.
Function under stress
If your workout doesn't help you do that, it’s not optimizing your survival skills.
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Gym Strength vs Fight Strength
Sure, the bench press builds chest muscles. But in a real fight, you won’t be lying on your back under a bar. You’ll be standing, moving, grappling, or maybe on the ground fighting for your life. That’s a whole different kind of strength.
You need grip strength to control your weapon. Core strength to fight from awkward positions. Explosive power to move fast and hit hard. If your workout only builds muscle but not mobility, you're not ready.
Protective Pistol- In & Around Vehicles Course Drill: Get your precious cargo out of the car and sprint to safety.
Train for Chaos
Real fights are ugly. You're sweaty, tired, confused, and scared. Tactical fitness teaches your body how to work under that kind of stress. Intuitive Self Protection trains people to shoot after sprints, move with gear, drag heavy loads, and problem-solve under pressure. Why? Because if you can’t perform when you’re gassed and panicked, you’re done. We don’t train gym bodies. We train real bodies for real fights. Train with us and show up ready to sweat, move, and get strong where it actually matters.
About The Author
Hank Hayes is a Combat Arts Hall of Famer and inventor of the No Lie Blade. He is the founder and CEO of both Intuitive Self Protection and NLB Tactical and creator of the ISP/NLB viscous fighting system. Since 1998, he has trained well over 30,000 Military and Law Enforcement personnel via Government contract mainly at the elite special teams level and continues to train both civilians and MIL/LE how to come home safe.
