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Informative Articles

Choosing The Right Martial Art
Every day new martial arts are born and other disappear. They look so different yet so alike. When choosing a martial art for yourself or for your children it is sometimes very difficult to pick the right one. If you choose the wrong martial art for...
Jujitsu: History, Philosophy And Methods
Brief History: Jujitsu is a 2500 year old unarmed combat discipline that has its roots in ancient Japan. The exact date on the creation of this martial art form is hard to trace but techniques resembling that of Jujitsu had already been...
Kendo: A summary
http://www.international-kendo.com Kendo, which literally means "way of the sword", is the Japanese art of fencing. Kendo was created by the samurai during the Kamakura period (1180-1230) so they could hone their skills without killing each...
The Secrets Of Martial Arts Exposed
The secrets of Martial Arts exposed This is a controversial topic. So in order not to offend anyone let me say this. Everything in the Martial Arts realm is good in its own context, but when people preach that Judo is a realistic form of self...
Women In The Martial Arts
I was born in West London in 1963, my father was very involved in the martial arts and a dan grade in Karate he was also a dealer in ancient Japanese arms and armour, although my father has an antiques shop in London's Bond Street, my home was more...
 
Physical Fitness - Is Your Workout Missing Something?

Copyright 2005 Mike Adams

Hiking along a rocky trail, two of the three friends carefully picked their way from rock to rock. But one leaped from rock to rock, bounding by the others like a gazelle running and leaping from rock to rock. Never missing his footing, the others wondered at his almost supernatural grace and skill. "How does he do that?" they thought.

When most people think of physical fitness, they think of strength and cardiovascular fitness. If they are really thinking about it, they'll add flexibility to the list.

But there's something few people think about when working out, a missing component of physical fitness. You can't get it just by lifting weights or running on a treadmill.

The missing component is agility.

Agility is what let my friend run rings around us, leaping from rock to rock along the Pedernales River in Texas. Agility is what you see in top athletes who make great skill look effortless. Agility is what helps a ballet dancer make it look effortless. Agility is how Jackie Chan can still do martial arts even while he is rolling over tables, bouncing off walls, leaping between the rungs of ladders.

I didn't understand that until years after the hike along the Pedernales River. Now, after doing martial arts for almost 30 years, I understand. When you watch someone who moves with grace and skill, you're seeing agility.

Have you ever had an experience where you felt clumsy?

Have you ever fumbled the ball, or tripped over your own two feet?

Or have you ever seen someone who is in great shape, but they just can't coordinate, they can't move?

The missing component of physical fitness is agility.

If you just do weights or


cardio, you're not going to develop agility. If you want agility, you have to move, and you have to adapt on the fly to changing (and often intense) situations.

Some sports and fitness activities promote agility more than others. For me, martial arts gave me agility. I've been dong WingTsun Kung Fu(TM) for 25 years, and martial arts in general for almost 30. I have to be able to adapt to what an opponent is doing quickly and perfectly. I have to seize the advantage, gain and maintain dynamic control. I have to stay balanced and graceful even while moving rapidly and adjusting to the changing dynamics of sparring.

Many other sports really develop agility as well. Basketball, tennis, soccer, hockey, skiing, snowboarding... they all develop and require agility.

If you're not doing something to develop agility, today is a good day to start. You'll be amazed at the difference increased agility will make in feeling physically fit. Before long you'll move with the grace of a cat, you'll bound like a gazelle.

Don't just lift weights and do cardio - get out there and do something to increase your agility as well. Get together with some buddies for basketball. Go play some tennis. Take up martial arts. Agility will give you the ability to actually DO something with all of the physical fitness you've been developing. You will feel better and move better, and you will probably have a lot more fun than just running on a treadmill or lifting weights!

About the Author

Mike Adams owns WingTsun Kung Fu schools in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa - Dynamic Martial Arts: http://www.dynamicwingtsun.com/
Mike also runs Fitness.com, an online fitness equipment catalog: http://www.fitness-catalog.com/

 

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Your personal guide to the exciting world of martial arts. Locate schools, organizations, styles and much more.
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Martial arts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Martial Arts Clubs.com is a directory of martial arts clubs worldwide. It is free to register a club and free to search for a club.
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BudoSeek! Martial Arts Community
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Content Menu
  • 2 minute fitness

  • 7 ideas to take your fitness training outside

  • 8 technical aspects of the martial arts

  • about no rules full contact fighting

  • advanced military technology in the martial arts

  • advantages of martial arts for kids

  • aikido sensei derek eastman biography part one

  • aikido the derek eastman sensei biography part four

  • aikido the derek eastman sensei biography part three

  • amazing kung fu martial arts history

  • are the martial arts still under development

  • are you combat fit

  • a gorgeous flooring for yoga and exercise tatami interlocking mats

  • a martial arts website using mind body and spirit

  • a natural bodybuilding do 769 way of life

  • before you buy that self defense product

  • black belts and good wine

  • bodybuilding sins that cause back pain and missed workouts part 2

  • british aikido board controversy

  • british aikido board national nepotism seminar

  • british aikido board national nepotism seminar 2004

  • capoeira the brazilian martial art

  • childhood obesity

  • choosing a self defense martial arts school a parents guide

  • choosing the right martial art

  • choosing the right self defense class

  • creatine is just more than a supplement

  • de mystifying fly fishing

  • diet and exercising for weight loss

  • early days of british aikido

  • eden rocks shore dives in grand cayman

  • examining martial arts styles

  • exercise personalities whats your type

  • fitness in five minutes a day

  • five things you dont and should know about stress

  • florida state university study prompts humane self defense training class

  • fun games for children training in martial arts

  • health is your greatest asset

  • herbal plasters and ointments used for pain relief

  • high energy food

  • history and fundamentals of karate

  • how to choose a martial arts school

  • how to choose a self defense product

  • how to defend against a knife dont use the stuff taught in the dojo

  • how to eat all you want and still lose weight

  • how to empower yourself with self defense

  • how to get certified in scuba diving

  • how to keep yourself fit on vacations

  • index

  • is aikido a martial art

  • is aikido a martial art part 1

  • is aikido a martial art part 2

  • is aikido a martial art part 3

  • is aikido a martial art part one

  • is aikido a martial art part three conclusion

  • is aikido a martial art part two

  • is a treadmill the right exercise equipment for you

  • jujitsu history philosophy and methods

  • karate a history

  • kendo a summary

  • kendo dojos

  • kenshiro abbe sensei 50th celebration

  • kenshiro abbe sensie 50th celebrations

  • kick your body into 2nd gear in 3 easy steps

  • kung fu history and basic principles

  • learn about krav maga israels secret martial art

  • l carnitine deficiency

  • martial arts and the bible

  • martial arts in each season nature in training

  • martial arts mind body and spirit presented online

  • martial arts webmasters time to optimize your site

  • martial training as a timeless portal

  • my top 15 non traditional muscle building fat scorching workouts

  • newest martial arts study today

  • new book positive aikido

  • oriental herbal plasters and ointments for pain relief

  • physical fitness is your workout missing something

  • pilates exercise more than just a core workout

  • positive aikido

  • positive aikido part one

  • positive aikido part two

  • positive aikido the book

  • proprioceptive training a key to sports success

  • reasons to join a martial arts class

  • rebounding to better health

  • reflex speed for tennis martial arts basketball

  • rotator

  • safety awareness self defense circle of safety

  • scuba dive the florida keys

  • scuba diving at grand cayman islands stingray city

  • self protective strategies yield positive outcome

  • strategy as applied to warrior citizens

  • stress elimination

  • tae kwon do is great for all ages

  • tai chi for the masses and others

  • targeting your balance for better workouts

  • tatami flooring for yoga martial arts and judo schools

  • tennis humor the gift of making people laugh at the game of tennis

  • the 7 keys to martial arts speed

  • the aikido biography of sensei henry ellis

  • the aikido biography of sensei henry ellis 5th dan

  • the bao way offer fitness and self defense

  • the benefits of martial arts training

  • the best long running las vegas shows

  • the best martial art

  • the biography of sensei derek eastman part 1 of 2

  • the biography of sensei derek eastman part 2 of 2

  • the british aikido board national nepotism seminar

  • the degradation of fitness science one example

  • the difference between karate and tae kwon do

  • the great british aikido controversy

  • the history of darts

  • the history of kali and escrima

  • the kenshiro abbe 50th celebrations

  • the kenshiro abbe 50th celebration event

  • the martial arts and self defense emotional response and reaction

  • the origins of ti chi

  • the plight of industrialized man

  • the reality factor

  • the relationship between yoga meditation and self hypnosis

  • the secrets of martial arts exposed

  • the spread of submission fighting techniques

  • training traditional martial arts

  • traveling with scuba dive gear and equipment

  • weight loss customize personalize spice up

  • what are board shorts the new bermudas

  • what are hard style and soft style martial arts

  • what the heck is an exercise modality and why should i care

  • where to get your martial arts and self defense equipment

  • which boxing gloves will you buy

  • women in the martial arts

  • yoga teachers prepare for the new years rush part 1

  • yoga teachers prepare for the new years rush part 3

  • your first chair yoga class in a senior center

  • youth sports goal settings

  • you have to try this workout