Have we gone soft?

At martial arts class yesterday, as is often the case, we had a sparring session. Our sparring matches are in rounds of 3 minutes each. Strict rules to ensure our safety mean it's light contact, certain more dangerous techniques are prohibited, certain areas of the body are off limits. And of course because we're really only playing, we don't have to move like our life depends on it.

At the end of a 3 minute round, I am literally pouring sweat, completely out of breath. I tend to only manage 3 or 4 rounds before I'm too exhausted to continue safely.

But then I got to thinking, what about medieval battles where potentially hundreds or even thousands would engage in close quarters, often unarmed combat, for hours?

We're often told that we're bigger, stronger, fitter, have better nutrition, are more well rested etc than our ancestors. So how come they could go full tilt for hours when I'm nearly dead after just a few minutes of what is essentially play fighting.

I reckon we're going soft.

 

But did they do 47 hours in a factory each week first, with nearly 2 hours of travel/traffic jams everyday .

I reckon they just ate 3 shredded wheat daily.

 

Back then Clueless battle rage used to take over, the adrenalin would pump and keep them going. Perhaps if you were in a situation where you were being genuinely attacked, your own preservation would make your body respond the same way.

 

I reckon they ate or drank brews of nature's more interesting herbs. I also reckon they were half my age, and those that were my age would be right at the back, watching carefully, deciding whether I should set off retreating now or wait to see if there might be some glory to take all the credit for.

 

So I'm already living on borrowed time ?

 

Is this from memory @shiney ??

 

Makes me think of the story of when those British sailors were captured by the Iranians for illegally entering their waters. One of the sailors burst into tears when his ipod was taken from him ?

Especially hard to comprehend when compared to the horrors suffered 100 years ago at the battle of the Somme.

 

Ok, hands up . How many of you done a copy and paste into Google?

 

We are, we live longer and stay fitter for longer.
There are a number of reasons why the mediaeval archer, knight etc were able to do what they did. Mainly because they had done it since late childhood and practised every day. The attrition rate was high and the least able/fit soon fell by the wayside. Most battles were short and nasty.
Bear in mind that all the practice came with a price. Many of the skeletons of archers from the Mary Rose and other places show considerable malformation of the chest, shoulder and arms caused by drawing a heavy bow repeatedly while growing. Likewise many of the sailors from the Mary Rose had overdeveloped arms and shoulders and damaged hips and legs from constantly climbing the rigging and dropping down on to the deck.
More recently people would retire from a life of heavy labour and die soon after retirement simply from being worn out.
If you work hard every single day then your body adapts and becomes used to it.
Having been trekking in Nepal the porters are remarkable for the loads and the pace they can go at, but they start as teenagers and few are over 40 and none of them want there children to follow in their footsteps if there is an alternative.