Sunday, June 8, 2008

Kickboxing




Kickboxing has been called the sport of the millennium and it's not hard to see why. It's a great workout. It's a lot of fun and it's empowering to feel like you can defend yourself. Kickboxing is a lot more interesting than traditional workouts like lifting weights or running on a treadmill. You actually learn and develop a skill while your fitness level improves. It's rewarding and it's motivating.
Benefits of the Training
• Improved cardio-vascular fitness
• Excellent self-defense
• Stress reduction
and control
• Improved strength, endurance
and muscle tone
• Greater confidence
• Improved coordination
• Learn self defense
• Get in shape & loose weight
• Reduce body fat
• Reduce stress levels
In Women's Kickboxing Program you're not just mindlessly dancing around. The program has music, excitement and energy. It combines aerobics, cardio-vascular & body toning with self-defense tactics that could be used to protect you. Women's self-defense classes have been experiencing a surge in interest. Self-defense gives you a set of tools that you have on you at all times — no matter where you are or whether you have your purse or your cell phone. Studying self-defense tends to make one feel more confident and safe, and for some, the exercise itself is a way to reduce stress. These classes give women a way to deal with the heightened sense of insecurity that occurs after a disaster, and helps them feel secure in the belief that they could deal with future crises. Learning self-defense can help you tap into new strengths. With the right skills, a woman can overcome someone who is bigger, stronger and faster than her. It is an intense, exhilarating training program for women. Most classes focus on real-life scenarios, such as fending off an overly aggressive date or flogging a purse-snatching mugger.

Until a few years ago, boxing was pretty much a guy thing. Whether this was because women were unable to see the character-building aspects of regular CAT scans is unclear. But considering today's new, enlightened attitude, it's not surprising that women are learning how to fight in unprecedented numbers. When it comes to learning fighting techniques, women have the advantage. Men may have more upper-body strength but women tend to pick things up faster because they're generally more coordinated, they're more flexible and they don't rely on brute force the way that some of the men do.
Boxing, karate, kendo, kickboxing, kung fu, tae kwon do, vale tudo, Muay Thai, Jeet Kune Do, Savate, Kali etc are many such forms of martial arts.
Known as the king of the ring, Thai Boxing is the national sport of Thailand. Thai Boxing or Muay Thai includes kicking and punching as well as devastating elbow and knee strikes. For this reason, Muay Thai is sometimes called the science of the eight limbs. Muay Thai is one of the best sports for physical conditioning. It is also known for having the strongest kick in the martial arts.
Decades ahead of his time, the late Bruce Lee has probably had more impact on modern martial arts than any individual to date. In his fervent pursuit for the ultimate martial art, Bruce Lee left no stone unturned. Without prejudice he researched and incorporated methods from East and West and searched for anything that could give him an edge over an opponent. He shook up the martial arts community by questioning and rejecting many of the traditions in the martial arts and by creating his own style and system. His martial art and philosophy eventually became known as Jeet Kune Do "the way of the intercepting fist." Jeet Kune Do utilizes all of the martial arts but is bound by none. Jeet Kune Do transcends all styles and systems because it is all encompassing.
Then there is the newer self-defense methods such as the popular Krav Maga (pronounced "krahv muh-gah"), a fighting system developed by the Israeli military. From the FBI to Jennifer Lopez, everybody is learning this tough form of self-defense. This aggressive training program teaches you to defend against chokes, grabs, guns, knives and more. Based on proven hand-to-hand combat techniques, this self-defense method aims to make practitioners streetwise in the shortest time possible.
It is a regretable fact that many young people no longer engage in regular exercise. It is perhaps no accident that some of the most common ailments of modern life include back pain, hypertension, high stress levels, and insomnia, all conditions that exercise has been proven to alleviate. Training in a traditional Kung Fu school permits people to train their minds and bodies, develop real self-defense skills and preserve some link to martial tradition, folklore and culture. Furthermore, the confidence one gains from knowing real self-defense skill filters through all aspects of that person's life thereby providing access to a more relaxed and pleasurable lifestyle.

Must-Have Safety Tips

1. Trust your intuition. Go with your gut instinct.

2. Make noise. Don't be embarrassed to scream and yell.

3. Fight dirty. Don't hesitate to bite, scratch and hit below the belt.

4. Steer clear of potentially dangerous situations, such as going to isolated settings and walking alone late at night.

5. Keep practicing your self-defense skills with drills and classes; don't get rusty.

6. Always keep your eyes open. Don’t be oblivious to people and things around you.

7. If you feel uncomfortable about a person or situation, walk away immediately.

8. Leave non-essential credit cards at home and never flash your cash.

9. Be wary of giving money to beggars. Professional criminals watch where you keep your money and then pickpocket you later.

10. Carry a working cell phone with you at all times.

11. Wear clothes and shoes that give you freedom of movement.

Out door exercise tips.

Do not wear expensive jewellery or carry a lot of cash.

If possible, exercise with a partner or a dog.

Try not to wear headphones — they will impair your ability to hear an attacker.

Bring some form of identification with you. If you have no place to carry it, write your name, emergency contact and medical information in your shoe or on an article of clothing.

Exercise in familiar, populated areas and vary your routine.

If asked for directions, be sure to stand a full arm's length away from the car.

If you think you are being followed, head for the nearest public place.

Always have your door key ready before you reach your door.

Car Tips

Keep your car in good running condition.

Try to park in well-lighted, populated areas.

When approaching your car, look around to confirm that no one is following you and have your key ready.

When you enter your car, immediately lock your doors and turn on your car before putting on your seatbelt.

Never pick up hitchhikers or offer a stranger a ride. This includes nice strangers who seem genuinely in need of help.

Keep all doors locked and windows up when driving at night. Be especially cautious at traffic stops.

This article written by Kiran Sawhney is also at
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=fa32a4f1-7f52-4fee-99e6-95b2da21d8fc

1 comment:

  1. I LOVE this post you Wonder Woman you!

    You say all these lovely things about me but... I hope you understand that I hold you in the highest esteem. You are truly awe inspiring. And you glow with prana Kiran.

    I box at a proper boxing gym and also practise bits of Muay Thai.

    Your safety tips are perfect. I think you need to repost this post hon... just as a reminder post, particularly during this social festive season...

    ...and absolutely fight dirty. Use elbows, not fists, move backwards when expected to move forwards, scream, bite, gouge, whatever...but FIGHT.

    ReplyDelete