|
|
6 Fun Fitness Activities...
Exercising
and staying fit doesn't have to mean hard work. Simply being active will help
you get or stay in good shape. So with that said, here are some enjoyable
activities that can help with your fitness goals too.
...
Aquatic Fitness The Move To Water Exercise
At the Canyon Ranch Health Resort in Tucson, Ariz., guests find healing in the water. The resort's 11,000- square-foot Aquatic Center features three Watsu pools, a cross-training pool with conditioning equipment, two aquatic therapy pools...
Can Bleeding Gums Kill You?
Article Size: 841 words (body). Pre-formatted to 60 character width. Article also available in .rtf and .pdf formats You may republish this article, but must keep the resource box and copyright at the end. ...
Getting Started on a Weight Loss Program
One of the biggest battles being waged daily is the battle of the bulge.
If you are one of those facing a weight problem, take comfort in the fact that you
aren't alone, and making small changes in your lifestyle will reap you big rewards....
Never Fail at Fitness Again, 5 Reasons Programs Fail
If you are like most Americans, by now the majority of your New Year's resolutions have fallen by the wayside. Unfortunately, sticking to your new exercise program was probably one of the first things to go. It's not that you don't want to get in...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eight Fitness Tips For The Combat Realist
Forget being the toughest guy on the planet. It's pretty easy for martial artists to adopt complacency and begin to rest on their laurels. Not you? Well, if the circumference of your waist is large enough to hide the knot of your black belt, this article may be for you. Even if you are in top condition, read on if you want to look lean and feel your best as a combat warrior. I'll make it real easy for you. I promise you won't have to execute ten thousand kicks or hold a sword over your head while standing on broken glass. Lets face it; you'll never stick to your work out plan if it reminds you of torture. So, instead, I'll give you eight simple instructions designed to maximize your combat performance while maintaining good health and longevity. I've managed to remain fit after three decades in the martial arts and you can do the same.
Tip. #1 Warm up with slow motion exercise and speed up gradually as you loosen up. This process has become more important as I've gotten older. Before and after an exercise session, you should perform a general stretch routine to help break up adhesions and feed the muscles with blood to help speed recovery. The combination of flexibility and strength together will make a significant difference in effecting your technical performance. As strength training builds muscle it limits the overall range of motion. Stretching can counter this effect by limbering up muscles as they become larger.
Tip. #2 It may be necessary to reshape your attitude and perspective. In our cravings for perfection, we sometimes place a heavy emphasis on rank, titles, or goals that don't necessarily relate to meaningful life-goals. Aim higher at achieving a sense of over-all health and self esteem in addition to competitive rigors. It's easy to avoid what is necessary to take care of yourself and to take short cuts. Martial arts are a discipline, which should compliment your lifestyle of fitness and long life. Instead of rationalizing your un-healthy choices or using past accomplishments as an excuse for not making the effort, take responsibility for yourself. In other words, exercise accountability.
Tip. #3 Martial arts are generally not the most efficient aerobic activity. This is primarily because as you get better at it, you learn to pace yourself during the execution of moves. Stacked against other aerobic exercises, martial arts activity scores low because the practitioner is usually not in constant motion. So, change that by engaging in non-stop aerobic exercise for 30 minutes at least three times a week. Your heart will love you. To avoid boredom and gain maximum calorie burning, try to diversify your sessions every week or two. In violent conditions, normal breathing is altered which can adversely affect your performance. Good conditioning is not only beneficial for your physical well-being, but also reduces panic, distress, and anxiety.
Tip. #4 I know it may be hard for all you young readers to believe, but in my day it was frowned upon by masters to combine weight training with martial arts. The 60's and 70's are behind us now and well-researched weight training has become an important tool for thousands of world-class athletes. Remember, exercise increases physical reserve. You may need to call upon that reserve in a life-threatening encounter. Conduct intense weight training exercises such as the barbell curl, tricep extension, bench press, etc., for 30 minutes to an hour, two or three times a week. Consider exercises that target the internal and external obliques such as torso twists and weighted crunches. It's these abdominal muscles that help you change direction quickly during grappling, increase kicking power, and help absorb the impact of a blow. When you lift weights, you tear myofibrils, the tiny sinews of tissue that make up the muscles.
It takes a couple of days for muscles to repair themselves and it's during that period that you actually become stronger. You don't have to be a mad man when you work out, just remember to work furiously with little rest between exercises while conducting each move with precision and good technique. Gym's are great, but make sure to develop routines that provide a workout without specialized equipment so that you can remain fit when your on the road or can't make it to a facility. Push-ups, crunches, and chair dips are high on the list.
Tip. #5 Every martial artist knows that practice makes perfect. Depending on your goals, the trick to performing well as a technician is to retain worthwhile combat strategies via repetitive practice until they become natural instinctive reactions. In English; good technique + practice, practice, practice = skill. The benefits of being well rounded and active are going to contribute to your overall fitness but won't be enough to keep the fat off. It's true; physique does not make a good martial artist. That 's why we see so many porky masters who are pretty tough. However, if you want peak performance you'll need to take off excess flab. Reducing weight is by far the easy phase in weight control. Eat less, exercise more, and wallah! However, maintaining ones target weight is the tough phase. This is achieved with a sustained life style program. Once this is established, you'll wonder what life was like without it. More muscle and less flab will translate into improved fighting prowess, a better instructor image, and a happier you.
Tip #6 The accepted regimen these days is to eat a fist full of food, six times a day. That is, a chicken breast, yogurt, or whatever, in portions about the size of that lethal knuckle sandwich of yours. For each body pound, consume approximately ten calories, one gram of protein, one gram of carbohydrates, and at least .6 oz of water. In all, you'll be eating six small meals that contain about 200 - 400 calories each depending on your weight and drinking lots of water (almost a gallon). Of course, restrict your fat intake and remember your multivitamin just in case your diet doesn' t give you what you need. You may not feel any different taking a multivitamin but believe me; your body will make good use of it. I focus on taking my carbs in the morning when I need the energy. My protein is consumed after workouts, and I avoid eating late at night.
Tip #7 Relaxation is the key to optimum performance in martial arts. Rest and work compliment each other. Do yourself and your body a favor and rest. You need the down time for peace of mind and your muscles need time to grow and recover between workouts.
Tip #8 Work on yourself from the inside. Avoid addictions and general bad behavior. There are few things as ugly as a martial artist who lacks character. It wouldn't hurt for you to consider some personal introspection. In fact, being a better person can relieve stress and help you feel a whole lot better. Exercise can make a difference too. I believe that these primary influences will ease tension and stimulate creative thinking and overall alertness.
That's it. In time, you'll bump up your metabolism, burn fat, think more clearly, build muscle mass, and perform better at your art. What more could you want? Well, okay, you have me there. But if you genuinely want to see some results, I encourage you to stick with these tips for a few weeks and make the improvements that I know you deserve.
About the Author
Robert Bussey is one of America's pioneers of martial arts, Ninjutsu, and reality based personal protection. His lifelong commitment to his work has made a significant contribution to the stream of strategic practices throughout the world. He can be reached at: http://www.busseystyle.com
|
|
|
|
|
Aerobic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Jump to: navigation, search. Look up Aerobic in ... Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerobic" ... |
en.wikipedia.org |
  |
Aerobic exercise - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
Aerobic exercise includes any type of exercise, typically those performed at ... In general, aerobic exercise is one performed at a moderately high level of ... |
en.wikipedia.org |
  |
Aerobic Exercise |
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) defines aerobic exercise ... The important idea behind aerobic exercise today, is to get up and get moving! ... |
www.gsu.edu |
  |
Turnstep.com |
Turnstep is a large community of aerobics enthusiasts featuring over 10000 patterns, an active bulletin board, and more. |
www.turnstep.com |
  |
Aerobic Respiration |
Aerobic respiration is the release of energy from glucose or another organic substrate in the presence of Oxygen. Strictly speaking aerobic means in air, ... |
www.purchon.com |
  |
AFAA – Aerobics & Fitness Personal Trainer Certification & Group ... |
AFAA offers personal trainer certification, group exercise certification and other fitness certifications for fitness professionals. |
www.afaa.com |
  |
Jacki Sorensen's Aerobic Programs SuperSite |
Fun aerobics classes for a complete workout. Jacki Sorensen's Aerobic Dancing, Workout and StrongStep classes are throughout the US and other countries. |
www.jackis.com |
  |
The Cooper Institute |
Nonprofit research and education organization dedicated to preventive medicine. Information on training, certifications, and products. |
www.cooperinst.org |
  |
BodyTrends Health & Fitness: Search |
At BodyTrends Find thousands of health, fitness and exercise products from top manufacturers. Offering related fitness articles and advice. |
www.bodytrends.com |
  |
Carmen Electra's Official Aerobic Striptease Strip Workout |
Carmen Electra's Aerobic Striptease Workout Video. |
www.aerobicstriptease.com |
  |
Aerobic Exercise |
A program of regular aerobic exercise can help you avoid chronic diseases ... To strengthen your heart, you should do aerobic exercise intensely enough to ... |
orthoinfo.aaos.org |
  |
Bush Aerobics - Miniclip Games - Play Free Games |
Help President Bush get fit and ready for his day. |
www.miniclip.com |
  |
Aqua-Aerobic Systems |
Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc. provides wastewater treatment systems for Aeration, Mixing, Filtration, Controls, SCADA, Biological Processes, Membranes. |
www.aqua-aerobic.com |
  |
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Aerobic |
Aerobic. Printer-friendly version · Email this page to a friend. Contents of this page: ... Aerobic organisms · Aerobic organisms. Definition Return to top ... |
www.nlm.nih.gov |
  |
Aerobic, Exercise and Fitness Videos by Cathe Friedrich |
Geared towards the advanced home exerciser with information about Cathe Friedrich's aerobic and fitness videos. |
www.cathe.com |
  |
Aerobics, Aerobic Spot, Step, Kickboxing, Choreography, Strength ... |
Fitness center offering exercise classes, step aerobics, kickboxing, fitness tips, and strength training. |
www.aerobicspot.com |
  |
ExRx Aerobic Conditioning |
ExRx.net is a resource for the exercise professional, coach, or fitness enthusiast. |
www.exrx.net |
  |
Aerobics Music - Step Aerobic Music - Exercise Music - Fitness Music |
Aerobics music for aerobic exercise workouts and fitness classes - the largest selection in the world! |
www.aerobicsmusic.com |
  |
Jumpybumpy....aerobics music and fitness videos |
Instructor portal offering aerobics and step choreography, videos and music, conventions and workshops, trainer listing. |
www.jumpybumpy.com |
  |
Step aerobics choreography, videos, music, terms at Stepcenter.com |
Step aerobics choreography (hundreds of animated moves and patterns), videos, step language dictionary, aerobic music board, training tips, aerobic links ... |
www.stepcenter.com |
  |
|