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What are Martial Arts | Miracles USA Taekwondo | Taekwondo Training

In martial arts “martial” stands for name Mars, who was the god of war of Roman.

Martial arts are one the method of fighting without any weapons. It basically likes Kung Fu, Judo, and Karate.

These different styles are designed for one purpose in defending against threats and physically defeating opponents.

You can see tae kwon do training videos to know more about martial arts.

Different types of martial arts:

Striking styles [stand-up]

•   Karate

•   Kickboxing

•   Boxing

•   Krav maga

•   Tae kwon do Lake Hiawatha

•   Kung fu

  Grappling styles

•   Wrestling

•   Shootfighting

•   Russian Sambo

•   Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Low impact styles

•   Taichi

•   Baguazhang

•   Chi gong based styles

Weapons based styles

•   Kali

•   Kendo

•   laido

MMA [a hybrid sports styles]

•   MMA

 Benefits of martial arts:

•    Martial arts help you learn self-defense.

•   Improve self-esteem.

•   Improve confidence.

•   Martial arts also improve the balance, flexibility, posture, and strength.

•   It also helps in improve muscle tone.

•   It also helps in losing weight.

•   Martial arts also teach stress management, increase willpower and improving concentration.

•   Some martial arts trainers suggest martial arts can use as spiritual practices, peace, wisdom and bringing balance.

 Why are martial arts important?

 ·        Towards hold you secure and include all the period ‐ We fundamentally hear different stories in excess of rape, murder, kidnapping, homicide, burglary as nicely as other people within just the news every single day. Inside reality, it is scary towards move outside by itself at evening. Sad to say, it is additionally real that there are days that oneself require towards. As a result, it would be wise if oneself notice how in the direction of guard yourself versus negative people. There are a major number of men and women out there who can induce oneself injury and damage oneself, nevertheless if by yourself understand some self-defense insider secrets like punching, avoiding a punch and kicking, then yourself contain much better options of retaining on your own secure all the period. In New Jersey tae kwon do academy can provide classes of martial arts which help you to learn how to protect yourself.

·        Strengthen your self-confidence - knowing that you learn self-defense secrets and techniques or moves will surely deliver on your own some variety of increase in your morale. By yourself will undoubtedly financial gain self-assurance that by yourself in no way understood yourself experienced. The truth is that it feels exceptional in the direction of notice that oneself can shield you from anyone, every time of the day.

 ·        In direction of enhancing your bodily and psychological electricity - Undergoing working out inside of martial arts will seriously make improvements to your actual physical and psychological strength. It is a thing that will preserve your muscle tissue nutritious and strong. You may perhaps establish harmony, speed, and general physique coordination. Learning martial arts is nearly anything that will seriously teach you how in the direction of being fierce. Nevertheless most critical of all, it will undoubtedly educate on your own how towards be effective in experience the opponent or assailant.

 Adults and little ones should seriously occur forward to learn self-protection. You help them to watch tae kwon do videos these videos can help them how to protect yourself in difficult situations.

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Tutorials of tae kwon do videos help you to understand about martial arts special techniques, stance, footwork and many more.

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Famous academy of taekwondo Caldwell NJ

Our grand master has teaching taekwondo Caldwell and self-defense for over 40 years, he has a lot of experience in martial arts. For more detail contact us 973-558-1569, and visit this website http://spavloutaekwondo.com/taekwondo-in-caldwell/

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LIVE video of tae kwon do training videos | Miracles USA Taekwondo

See our live video of training, Is not all about training martial arts but our trainers also focus on discipline, obedience, kindness, and patience. For more detail visit  http://spavloutaekwondo.com/

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Taekwondo Training - 5 Tips to Training Harder, Longer and More Often

Taekwondo is perhaps one of the hardest Martial Arts sports there is, and Taekwondo Training is one of the hardest training types you are going to find in with world of Martial Arts sport. Being an Olympic Sport has meant that the level of Taekwondo all over the world has improved, as every country, big and small, as looked to increase their chances of winning medals at World and Olympic Level.

If you are an aspiring international Taekwondo Athlete, you need to be able to train hard, train for long times and train often. Here are 5 top tips for you to be able to do that at any level you want to.

1. Improve Sprint Fitness Improving your fitness is necessary in all sports, not just Taekwondo. But what most people do not realize is that Taekwondo is a Sprint Sport, not an endurance sport. Instead of running for hours and hours, you need to concentrate on your sprint speed. Running 100m, 200m and 400m sprints not only make you fitter, they also make your kicking faster. Once you become good at sprinting these distances, your fitness will improve, your bodyfat will drop even more and your kicking speed will also increase. All good things for a Taekwondo athlete.

2. Take Enough Protein Taking protein, either in the form of meat or in a protein shake, is necessary for all Taekwondo athletes. Protein is the building blocks for muscle. When you train, you break down your muscle and in order to train harder, longer and more often, you need to repair your muscles quickly and recuperate fast. A protein drink after training is ideal. Also having a higher protein meal an hour or 2 after that is good for you too. You need to have enough protein in your system for your body to be able to repair itself. If there is not enough protein, then your body starts to eat itself, taking protein from muscles in your own body.

3. Stretch Now this might seem a bit obvious for Taekwondo athletes, but many do not realize the importance that stretching has for recuperation. When you stretch, you not only get the blood into your muscles to flush away all the waste products of your training, but it also brings in nutrients and protein to help it recuperate even quicker. Tight muscles take longer to recover from training. By stretching them you improve the blood flow to them, making it easier to get good stuff in, and bad stuff out.

4. Visualize Yourself Fitter Now this may seem a bit Woo Woo, but it has actually been proven that people who visualize themselves successfully training and winning actually increase the likelihood of doing it dramatically. When you visualize at night time, just before going to sleep, you are actually telling your subconscious mind what to do your body while you are sleeping. If you have trained a lot, you are programming your mind to repair your body and muscles quicker because you are expecting what it is you visualized. If you visualized winning a championships or tournament, or even a sparring session in your Taekwondo School, you mind will be programmed to recuperate your body quicker because you told it to.

5. Get Quality Sleep We all need sleep. When we sleep we recuperate and repair our bodies from training. Sleep is necessary for your success in training. If we do not recuperate we over train and we are not effective in training or competition. By getting quality sleep, we give our bodies that extra boost it needs to be able to train harder, longer and more often. By visualizing before we go to sleep, we also increase our chances of getting quality sleep. So these two combined have an even better effect together than if we did them separately. The higher the quality of sleep, the less need we have for spending time in bed. That means we can do more in the day, and we are actually refreshed when we wake up. Quality sleep also makes us happy too, so it is very important indeed!

With these simple steps you can improve your training performance a lot. This overview will help you get an understanding of what you need to do. If you want to know how to do it, then you can get a lot more info at The Taekwondo Coach.

Carl Evans is Strength and Conditioning coach in Liverpool John Moores University (one of Europe's leading Sport Science institutions) and is also one of the experienced coaches at http://www.thetaekwondocoach.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4917762

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Are You Thinking of Learning Taekwondo?

Taking up the art of Taekwondo is very rewarding. Outlined below is a brief overview of the style so you will be better able to assess whether the style suits you.

What Is Taekwondo?

Taekwondo is a fighting art from Korean that was forged by years of history and tradition. The art of Taekwondo is still fairly young, having been created in the 1950s however it was more a formalising of traditional korean fighting practices that have much deeper routes. This combination of new and old makes for an interesting style as it is always evolving.

Taekwondo History

Taekwondo is like most of the traditional arts having evolved over hundreds of years. As you progress with your technical learning you will also absorb the rich heritage and interesting past of this Korean art. For further information please visit the links below.

Features and Benefits

Punching, blocking and kicking techniques are the bedrock of Taekwondo but there are also additional elements such as respect and control that make it ideal for kids. Later in the students study aerial maneuvers are taught that are the signature moves of the art. The new student will get other quicker benefits such as feeling fitter, being more flexible, and increasing self-confidence.

Taekwondo Belts The new student starts at white belt and progresses through 10 Kups to reach their black belt of First Dan. Beyond this the student can progress through the Dan rankings. The Kup grades alternate between a solid colour belt and a stripped belt in the order below:

- 10th Kup White - 9th Kup White with Yellow Stripe - 8th Kup Yellow - 7th Kup Yellow with Green Stripe - 6th Kup Green - 5th Kup Green with Blue Stripe - 4th Kup Blue - 3rd Kup Blue with Red Stripe - 2nd Kup Red - 1st Kup Red with Black Stripe - 1st Dan Black

How Long To Achieve Black Belt? A club that is affiliated to a recognised body (such as WTF or ITF) should not give a black belt sooner than three years of regular training, there are clubs who can do it quicker but the ethos should be that the student has to earn the black belt not be given it.

Typical Training

A standard lesson should always include a 10-15 minute warm-up and stretching after which it can consist of any combination of the three fundamental elements of Taekwondo training (see below). If the session has been hard then a warm down will probably be necessary at the end.

Basic techniques (Kibon)

Basic techniques include various different punching, kicking and blocking techniques either performed on their own or in combination.

Sparring (Kyorugi)

Depending on the style this can be full, light or non-contact. However the student should progress from rigid basic sparring up to full freestyle as they advance in skill, beware a club that gets you full sparring from day one.

Patterns (Poomse)

Poomse are a sequence of set moves, they consist of multiple techniques designed to simulate a fight with multiple imaginary opponents but performed in a graceful way. As the student progress through the belts they will learn one pattern for each belt starting simple and getting more complex until they know 10 patterns for their black belt.

Conclusion - The above is a brief introduction to Taekwondo, if you feel it is for you then research the clubs in you local area and pick one that suits you and that you are comfortable with, an example of a good club site is Taekwondo Club Site for more on the history of taekwondo visit worldtaekwondo.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3184459

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The Unique Values and Tenets of ITF Taekwondo

ITF Taekwondo or the International Taekwondo Federation is an internationally recognized organization which promotes the growth and practice of the traditional martial art form of Taekwondo across the world. Founded in the year 1966, ITF Taekwondo has emerged as one of the leaders amongst various other international taekwondo organizations like the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), American Taekwondo Association (ATA), European Taekwondo Union (ETU) and many other global organizations. The main mandate of the ITF is to carry out world tournaments and promotions, maintain the teaching standards as well as ensure a correct and fair certification and ranking system amongst taekwondo schools.

The Value System behind the Vision of ITF Taekwondo

The ITF Taekwondo was founded on the core philosophy of creating world peace and unity. This is why while most people might associate Taekwondo and other forms of martial arts with violent and aggressive behavior mainly due to wrong media perception but the basic value system of taekwondo is more about developing inner strength and core human morals.

When you initiate yourself into the learning of taekwondo through a school certified by the ITF Taekwondo, you will be first taken through an oath ceremony which is practiced to ingrain the value system of this martial art form in the mind and hearts of the students. Here is a summary of the main principles that every student of the ITF Taekwondo has to adhere by under all circumstances:

· Mutual Respect- Taekwondo is based on the belief system that for any form of teaching to be productive in a larger sense there has to be mutual respect between a student and the instructor.

· Right Action- By becoming a student of ITF taekwondo students learn to develop their own strength as well as use the force of their opponents against them. Like all martial arts. Taekwondo is also a very powerful tool which is why students take the oath of never using the skills and techniques of taekwondo for any misuse or personal motivation of gain by harming another individual.

· Upholding Freedom and Justice- The main aim behind the teachings of taekwondo is to promote students towards a path of freedom and justice in their day-to-day lives. This martial art form teaches students to be more open in their thought and their perception of others and give up judgmental and negative beliefs as one of these are the most common causes of conflicts in the world.

· Practicing Peaceful Living - All students of the ITF Taekwondo vow to be a promoter of world peace by practicing peaceful living in every aspect of their lives. This oath stems from the basic philosophy of taekwondo teaching that if every one of us would take the responsibility of being peaceful in our day-to-day living the world would naturally transform into a less violent and more beautiful space.

ITF taekwondo has defined its teaching and learning principles under five basic tenets which must be followed and imbibed by all their students. These tenets are courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit. When these five tenets are fully embraced by taekwondo students it not only translates into becoming a proficient martial art practitioner but also as a fully complete and holistic human being.

Trevor Dicks 7th Dan is the founder of Pacific International Taekwondo (Aust) and Pacific Sun (NZ). He teaches people of all ages and from all walks of life, from confidential training for high profile individuals to regular classes for children and adults. For more information on ITF Taekwondo and related training classes visit http://www.pacificinternationaltaekwondo.com.au/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7246013

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5 Steps to Choosing the Right Martial Art for You

One of the questions I get asked most frequently, in several different variations is about which martial art an individual should study. Generally which Miracles Usa Taekwondo art, and more importantly which school to choose are fundamental decisions someone should make. My answer is usually something along the lines of, choose the school and the system that you are going to stick with and stay with it for the rest of your life.

The reality is that the answer is going to be different for every person. What I will attempt to do in this article is give you a set of general guidelines. I will talk in very broad terms about different martial arts, and what to look for in a school. Ultimately every teacher, at every school, in every system is going to be completely different.

1. Dispelling a common myth Just like with religion and politics, many people honestly believe that what they do is the best thing in the world. One only has to make a cursory study of the psychological principle of cognitive dissonance to see why this is so. So many schools out there claim to be teaching, the ultimate, deadliest, most secret, guarded system of self defense ever invented by the gods of combat. To be quite blunt they are full of crap. In one respect, much of this stuff is a marketing stance. Heck, everybody wants to study the best thing in the world. If such a thing existed everybody would study it. Some martial arts schools can become very cult like as well, and this is where the cognitive dissonance comes in. The practitioners actually believe their marketing stuff. The truth is that style is not going to fight for you you are. Every person is different and there is not one best system for everyone. It would be quite scary for me to face a sumo wrestler in combat, but it would also be silly for me to expect to take up Sumo and be good at it. Claims of superior systems that can make you as deadly as a Navy SEAL in 24 hours also stem from American culture. It is unfortunate that we of the MTV and Internet generation are always looking for a shortcut, a quick fix. It makes many of us miss a lot of very valuable and important stuff.

2. Let start with you If I can help you answer a few key questions about yourself and your interests, you will have done most of the work toward picking out a martial arts school that is best for you. First and foremost, what do you want to get out of martial arts training? Yes, yes, I know you want to learn self defense put that on the list. But people study martial arts for a variety of reasons. You want to get some exercise, you want to meet new people, you want to get rid of stress, you want a new hobby, and you think the uniforms look cool. Really think about it and write down your reasons. Everything is valid and your reasons are your own. Then I would prioritize your reasons which ones are more important than others. Maybe getting into shape is your main goal if so, that may help determine a place to study.

3. What style? Now, let talk a little bit about systems or styles. A system is just the type of martial art you will be studying like Karate, Kendo, or Kung Fu. The differences between styles may also help you to determine where to look. The main difference between most martial arts style is focus. Some arts like taekwondo fairfield nj focus on large kicking movements, while others like Kendo focus on a particular weapon. Body type and interest (as we discussed before) will help you think a little about style focus. For example: I am built like a fireplug short and wide, am somewhat slow and am very interested in the self defense aspect of training. Ketsugo Jujutsu turned out to be the best style for me as it focused on unbalancing the opponent, the kicks were low to the ground, and the fighting in close where we short guys excel. Beyond focus is a scale of formality to informality. To me formality is a measure of emphasis on things like training etiquette, ceremony, style of dress, method of addressing seniors etc. Many Japanese and Korean styles are very formal. On the far end of the informal scale you might have a cardio kickboxing class at local gym. On the far end of the formal scale you might have a style like Kendo which places a lot of emphasis on appearance and etiquette. Neither formal nor informal is better or worse; it is a matter of preference. I personally enjoy some of the formalities of traditional Japanese martial arts. For me they build character and shape a strong state of mind that carries over into day to day life. For others, the formalities may be difficult to grasp and they may wish for something less formal. The following is a list of styles I have arranged from most to least formal. This arrangement is from my own best knowledge and is neither absolute nor inclusive. Many would rightfully disagree with where I have placed things on the list, but this is meant to be a general guideline. Again, every single teacher in every different school is going to be different. This is meant as a starting point: -Formal Kendo / Kumdo Aikido Tae Kwon Do Karate Jujutsu Kung Fu Silat Ninjutsu Tai Chi / Bagua / Hsing-yi Arnis / Kali / Escima Capoeira Kickboxing Boxing -Informal While youre on the web already, it would pay off to do some research. Look up a few sites for a few of the styles I have listed here. Get some general information about focus and formality. See what strikes you as interesting. Make a small list of styles you might be interested in pursuing.

4. Practical Issues OK, now you have done some soul searching and some research and you have a list of styles you might be interested in learning. Now we have to talk a little bit about lifestyle. If Kendo interests you, but the nearest school is 200 miles away it may not be a practical choice. You can certainly look through your yellow pages to find schools close to you or ask people you know if they know of any schools. A word to the wise: friends will always try to get you to come to their school and may get offended of you don;t or if you visit and then don;t want to sign up. That definitely something to consider. Some practical things to consider are school location and proximity to home / work, costs and your ability to pay dues and other fees, class schedule and how it fits into your schedule. Other things may also be important to you like parking, and facilities write them down. You should narrow down your potential list of schools based on your criteria, but you should still plan on visiting more than one to give you a sense of comparison.

5. Choosing a school The following are a list of things I suggest you look for when choosing a school or instructor. To me, these factors are more important than any other of the above factors and can make or break your martial arts experience. When you call the school, are all your questions answered, and answered honestly? Sometimes someone will answer the phone that may not be able to answer all your questions. They should pass you on to someone who can , or have someone call you back. Every school out there should offer at least one free trial class before you sign up. How else can you determine if you want to study there? Your best bet is to try out several different schools to give you some comparison.

When you visit the school, is the practice safe, or are students allowed to train in dangerous ways or without proper supervision? Is the school itself hygienic and free from unsafe conditions? Do students and teachers show respect toward everyone? This extends beyond formal bowing and address to making sure everyone is learning and nobody is being abused. Be prepared that many schools these days require a contract like a health club. Make sure you are clear on the terms of the contract if you do decide to sign one, and do not be afraid to walk out if you are uncomfortable with the terms. Be very wary of cult-like schools that try to up-sell you to intensified black belt programs and the like. While some of these may be legitimate, there are many scam artists in black belts out there. You should be very clear about what you are paying for up front. Do the teacher and senior students display a lot of skill in the art they are teaching? This may be hard to determine since great taekwondo parsippany nj artists are often very subtle. However, the teacher and students should display knowledge, skill, and balance which might be more obvious. Most importantly, trust your instincts. If something about the school doesn;t sit right with you, then it probably isnt right. Look out for the fast talking salesman who tries to sweep your concerns under the rug. Remember that choosing the right teacher and the right school is more important than the actual style. If you choose a school that you enjoy, study with a teacher you like, and train with students that inspire you you are likely to stick with your martial art. The longer you stick with it the better you;ll get. Hopefully you will discover a very positive lifelong journey that will shower hidden benefits on you as my martial art has upon me.

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Tips for Adults Trying Karate and Martial Arts Classes

There are many reasons to try out an adult karate class. Number one - it's fun! But also, more importantly, martial arts is a fantastic way to relieve stress from home and work life, get in shape, lose weight, build muscle, learn self defense, and make new friends.

Many people, at some point in their lives, have thought about doing martial arts. They know someone who has taken Miracles Usa Taekwondo classes, they've seen it in movies, or they've even just thought, "that would be so cool!" Most people don't realize just how easy it is to start taking classes in a martial arts program. There are so many great programs available now. So how do you decide where to start?

How do I figure out what style of martial arts to take?

Many people sit and stew over what style of martial arts they should be looking for. There is karate, kung fu, taekwondo, hapkido, aikido, jiu jitsu, krav maga, kempo karate, and the list just goes on and on. It really doesn't matter what style of martial arts you do though. It's more important to find a karate school that is close to home, affordable, and that has trainers who genuinely care about your goals and progress in the program. Any well-run taekwondo fairfield nj program can help you burn fat, learn self defense, and relieve stress. So you just need to find a facility that matches your values and is in a convenient location. You're probably thinking that this is easier said than done right? Well here are some tips on how you can find exactly what you are looking for without wasting time and money.

How do I find the right program for me?

Tip #1: Ask your friends: If you have any friends who have tried out a martial arts program, ask them about it. If they had a great experience at a karate school then chances are you will too. They can tell you about their experience, and if it sounds like something you want to look into then you can narrow your search down dramatically. If you don't know anyone who has taken karate classes don't worry, the next tips will help you find a program to try.

Tip #2: Use google or another map service: You want to start with programs that are in a convenient location for you. So just type in the phrase "karate programs near me," "karate classes Sandy, UT," or something similar in google maps (or another online mapping service) and you will be able to look at just the studios that are near your home or work.

Tip #3: Check out their website: After you have found a spot near you, check out their website. Most karate schools have their own website with basic information about their program. This a great way for you to learn more about the history of the school, the philosophy and values of their program, and you can see what most people go to them for. If you want a program that will help you reach specific goals, like losing weight or learning to defend yourself, then you can look for that on their page.

Tip #4: Look for online reviews: Every martial arts school is going to toot their own horn on their website, so if you don't know someone who has trained at a facility it's a good idea to look for online reviews. This will give you a chance to hear from other people about their experience in the program. As always with online reviews, be careful about how far you take them to be pure truth. But if a program has several positive reviews then it is probably worth checking out.

Tip #5: Look at their Facebook page / Youtube channel, etc.: Most karate schools have Facebook pages, Youtube channels, Twitter pages, and lots of other accounts on social media sites where they like to post things about their program, their students, and other things going on in their school. See how they interact with their clients online and you will have a better idea of how they interact with their clients in person.

Tip #6: Go check out the facility: You can't spend your whole search just at the computer - go check a school out! You are never going to know for sure if a program is right for you until you actually go to the facility. Drop in during their normal hours and see if an instructor or an assistant can give you more information about the program.

Tip #7: Ask for an introductory or trial program: If you like everything you see online and in person at their facility, then ask if they have an introductory special. Most karate schools have a special for new students to taekwondo parsippany nj try their classes out for a week or two to make sure that the program is something they want to do. The best way to know if you are going to be happy training in a martial arts program is by simply taking some of their classes.

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3 Major Motives in Direction of Discover Self Safety

Some people may perhaps feel that learning Blended Martial Arts is one particular route of relocating toward discover self-defense. Within fact, this is can be true yet it does not automatically mean that yourself virtually require to experience decades of training taekwondo parsippany nj toward be capable towards safeguard on your own against completely wrong people. Yourself may well retain the services of varied weapons together with a taser, stun gun, pepper spray and many others for self-defense. Hence, the idea of taking towards shell out numerous several years of martial arts performing exercises is not essentially accurate. Nicely, on your own could possibly constantly challenge you via learning lots of varieties of martial arts together with Karate, Taekwondo, Wushu, Kung Fu or even boxing. On the other hand, if your self need, oneself may perhaps additionally exactly learn the principles moves.

Yet another extensively preferred misconception above self-defense is that it is merely for higher education relocating ladies who need to have in the direction of secure them selves in opposition to impolite adult men. Nicely, this is not true actually since all people, which include adult men, want in the direction of find out self-defense.

Right here are a few good reasons why your self ought to master self-defense:

1. In the direction of preserve on your own risk-free and protect all the season. We usually pay attention alternative reports concerning rape, murder, kidnapping, homicide, theft as perfectly as some others within the information every single day. In truth, it is intimidating in the direction of go outside by itself at night time. Even now, it is much too accurate that there are occasions that oneself require toward. For this reason, it would be good if oneself realize how toward secure on your own from negative individuals. There are a heavy range of Those out there who can result in oneself hurt and problems oneself, nevertheless if your self understand some self-defense insider secrets including punching, avoiding a punch and kicking, then oneself have better chances of keeping your self protected all the period.

2. Enhance your self-confidence - comprehension that oneself discover self-defense tricks or moves will actually offer you your self some sort of enhance within your morale. Your self will absolutely financial gain confidence that your self never realized you had. The fact is that it feels ideal towards recognize that oneself can shield on your own in opposition to every person, each time of the working day.

3. Toward increase your actual physical and mental vitality - Going through performing exercises within martial arts will seriously strengthen your actual physical and psychological strength. It is a little something that will retain your muscle tissue nutritious and powerful taekwondo fairfield nj. You might produce harmony, speed and total entire body coordination. Understanding martial arts is anything that will genuinely prepare by yourself how to be intense. Yet most essential of all, it will undoubtedly coach yourself how in direction of be powerful towards experience the opponent or assailant.

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Which Martial Art Is For Me?

Those of us old enough will remember trying to find a martial art club was almost impossible. Many clubs trained in backstreet gyms and halls, were often just a small group of friends. If you knew someone training already, it was easy to get in, if you didn't, well, it was virtually impossible. Fast forward to the early 70's. It was at this time that the 'Bruce Lee Phenomenon' hit the West. Enter The Dragon, a major Hollywood backed film, hit the silver screens. It was explosive, here was a guy who could do almost magical things, at blistering speeds, and so, as a direct result of that film, so was born the modern age of martial arts in the West.

Clubs began to spring up everywhere, people flocked to be trained so they could be like Bruce Lee! The reality of that was somewhat harsher! Soon, may realised that to reach even a fraction of Lee's ability required years of painstaking practise!

The first martial art to really explode as a result of Lee's film was Karate. With schools already well established in the UK, they capitalised on the phenomenon by coming out of the back streets and into the school and church halls etc. Adverts sprang up, and all of a sudden, you could find a club to train at! Karate is perhaps one of the most well known of all the martial arts, with a rich history and tradition spanning centuries. And so Karate clubs began to boom, along with other martial art styles, which began to gain interest from a Western culture suddenly smitten with the lure of Eastern mysticism and legends.

Inevitably, this boom faded, people left because it was too hard, that to get anywhere was a lifelong commitment, not something achieved in a matter of weeks or months, but years of hard graft. And so, clubs lost members, but not to the extreme levels that they disappeared back into the dingy training halls of earlier years. Many thrived with a steady increase in students, losing others along the way, but retaining sufficient to keep going.

Then, as with the Bruce Lee films, along came another Hollywood Blockbuster that was to push martial arts back into the public domain...Karate Kid. The film was simple, a young lad being picked on by a group of Karate school bullies, boy comes across a Japanese janitor, who just happens to be a master in Karate....Mr Myagi. It was a wonderfully simplistic film, where, I am sure we all remember, the young lad, 'Daniel san' was taught the rudimentaries of Karate through washing a car! 'Wax on, wax off'.....marvelously clever analogy, from which he learnt everything he needed to do Karate! Of course, it is not that easy in reality, but here we had a film, which spawned 2 sequels, that suddenly showed that training was not only hard work, but could be fun as well!

And, what this film did that no other film before it had done, it attracted Children to the martial arts! It was truly a catalyst in the meteoric rise of martial arts clubs across the world, with parents rushing to sign up their kids to learn about this wonderful way of looking after yourself, of learning respect and discipline, and making their children better people for when they finally enter the world as Adults. Karate was the main benefactor of this boom, obviously I guess given the film's title, but the knock on effects were felt right across the various martial art styles. Popularity rose through more films, with stars such as Jackie Chan, who, with his unique blend of undoubted skills and comedy, made Chinese martial arts seem fun to learn. And so there we have it, a very brief history of the rise in popularity...But! Here we are in 2008, and despite all the publicity, do you know which martial art is which? I hope the following will give you some guidance:

Karate - Probably one the most recognised. There are several styles, which I will not elaborate too much on here, suffice to say that each does have it's differences, but each also has many of the same characteristics, namely a focus on traditional etiquette, discipline and hard work. Karate (meaning Empty Hand) is a very traditional martial art, where you will certainly learn respect for others. The main styles are Shotokan, Wado Ryu, Goju Ryu, and Shitu Ryu, though there are a great many more. Karate has also become one of the most 'bastardised' styles. There are a great many schools and organisations whose Chief Instructors have studied many of the styles, and have combined this knowledge to develop their own systems. These Organisations have developed their own curriculums and grading syllabus. Essentially they are still Karate, and, with the right club or organisation, you will learn a great deal about yourself.

Taekwondo (or Tae Kwon Do) - This is a Korean martial art, thousands of years old, but only really becoming popular in the past 20 or 30 years. The modern concept of Taekwondo was developed by General Choi in Korea during the 1950's. Today, there are two styles, ITF (International Taekwondo Federation) and WTF (World Taekwondo Federation). Both teach the same basic ideals. Taekwondo (meaning the way of hand and foot) is, predominantly, a martial art based around kicking techniques. Very spectacular and effective techniques, but those learning Taekwondo will also learn valuable hand techniques, and self defense. ITF Taekwondo is much closer to the original concept of General Choi. The WTF style has developed more into a Sport, and is, in fact, a recognised Olympic Sport. ITF sparring is semi contact, whereas, if you fancy your chances, the WTF style concentrates on full contact.

Judo - Judo means 'The Gentle Way'. It is a very modern art, and, in fact, is not really a martial art, but a sport. Judo is, however, a very effective self defense art, teaching you how to put locks and holds on an opponent, and how to throw. There are no kicks or punches in Judo. A well established Olympic sport, it offers an alternative to more traditional 'combat' style martial arts.

Kung Fu - A Chinese martial art. There are hundreds of styles available, the most popular today being Wing Chun. Bruce Lee was a famous exponent of Kung Fu, but he also studied many of it's various styles and developed his own Jeet Kune DO (JKD), a method of fighting that used real life street situations to develop an effective method of attack and defense.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - This is the fastest growing martial art style in the world today. Japanese Judo and Ju Jitsu masters exported their martial arts to Brazil around the 1940's and 50's, where it quickly gained popularity. A Brazilian family, the Gracies, took this knowledge and developed it into one of the most effective ground fighting systems known today. Although similar to Judo and Ju Jitsu, the Brazilian art concentrates much more on getting your opponent into a submission by locks, holds and chokes. It is, to many, a much more realistic method for the street, where rules do not exist.

MMA - Not really a martial art as such. MMA means 'Mixed Martial Arts'. It's origins are again Brazil, where it is known as Vale Tudo. Today, MMA, or perhaps you would know it better as 'cage fighting' is a huge sport, dominated by the UFC, Pride and Cage Rage. It has, for many, become an alternative to boxing. MMA is a 'no holds barred' sport, whereby opponents can punch, kick, elbow, knee and wrestle each other into submission, or, get a knockout. Very explosive, and certainly not for the faint hearted! Those in MMA will have also trained in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, as well as Karate, Taekwondo or other martial art style, hence the term Mixed Martial Arts.

Kickboxing - Probably the second largest participant club sport in the world. Developed by the Americans as an alternative to Boxing, Kickboxing is, as the name suggests, a Boxing sport, but you are also allowed to kick. Training is hard but rewarding. As well as traditional boxing techniques (jabs, hooks, crosses, ducking and weaving etc), you will also learn a variety of kicks, most of which derive from Taekwondo in style. In fact, many Taekwondo clubs will also run their own Kickboxing clubs, as the two styles compliment each other extremely well.

Choi Kwang Do - Another Korean art, this concentrates mostly on the practical side of 'what works in reality'. Kicks, generally, are not above the waist, and you will learn a variety of hand techniques, all designed to work 'on the street'.

Tai Chi - Another Chinese art. Often thought of as an 'old people's' martial art. Whilst it certainly lends itself well to the older generation, in my personal opinion, it should not be overlooked. It teaches meditation and relaxation, but also it teaches you to focus your inner energy, or Chi, very effectively.

In some ways, it is sad that, as a result of the modern age, there are also some excellent, but increasingly forgotten martial arts worth investigating. Aikido and Hapkido (Japanese and Korean respectively) have become victims of the increase in popularity of the more explosive martial arts. These are predominantly self defense systems, but incredibly effective. If you aren't sure, watch some of Steve Segal's early films. Segal is a world recognised master of Aikido, it is one of the single most effective martial arts for self defense, but, sadly, it receives little publicity nowadays. It's principles are the teaching of using your opponents own momentum for your own gain, it also teaches pressure points and restraints. Even if you study one of the more popular styles, Aikido or Hapkido are definitely worth considering as a second martial art.

Today, choosing which martial art you want to do is actually much easier than you think. A great many clubs will offer you a first lesson free, so take advantage of that fact, and go and try as many as you can. In this way, you can find out which one suits you best.

I will give a couple of words of caution!!

1. Do not be tempted to sign up to a membership or any payment plan on your first lesson, or even in the first 3 or 4 lessons. Make sure it is right for you first!

2. Avoid buying any uniform for the same period. Otherwise, if you decide it's not for you, you will have wasted your money.

3. Go along and watch a few classes first, before actually trying. Most clubs will let you watch. You will get a different perspective on the class teachings this way.

4. Talk to other members, or even the Instructors. Nobody will mind you asking questions. Believe it or not, the vast majority of clubs are not interested in just taking your money only to see you leave. They want you longterm, because they genuinely want to teach you and see you develop.

There are, unfortunately, plenty of organisations out there who will happily take your money. The 'McDojo' as they are derogatorily referred to by our American friends are out there, waiting for the unsuspecting student or parent. These will try the hard sell, some even go cold canvassing onto the streets! Don't be easily tempted by promises of a Black Belt in a few weeks or months, it simply doesn't happen that way.

So, how long will it take to get a Black Belt? Well, on average, you should allow a minimum of 3 years, and that is based upon a lot of hard work, and regular weekly training, at least twice a week! And remember also, a Black Belt does not mean you are an expert! On the contrary, getting your Black Belt is merely akin to completing your apprenticeship of learning...Once you get your Black Belt, the real learning starts, it is your doorway to a wealth of knowledge and experience that awaits you on the other side.

Too many people look at trying to grade every 3 months, which is fine. But, it is not how quick you get your Black Belt that counts, it is EARNING your Black Belt that will make it most satisfying.

Learning to defend yourself, and others, is only one aspect of Martial Arts, but Martial Arts is not about learning violence. It is, and remains, one of the most effective methods of fitness in the World. It will teach you confidence, respect, both for yourself and others, you will learn discipline and above all, you will learn how to become a respected and well rounded individual.

And when you do decide which martial art to practise, don't be afraid to check out just where you can get your equipment. Often your Instructors can supply you the equipment you need, but if you feel their prices are too high, check out the Internet of a Martial Arts Magazine for guidance. Instructors do, on the whole sell to you at the same price, but unfortunately some like to try and make a fair nit more if they can. Fortunately, the boom in Martial Arts has also seen a boom in the choice of Martial Arts Supplies available. So, whatever you do decide to practise, you will also be spoilt for choice as to where you can go to kit yourself out! 

So go on, give it a try, and you will never look back! Steve Turner Black Eagle Martial Arts Equipment

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1047781

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How to Choose a Martial Arts School - Considerations For Making the Right Decision

Martial Arts Houston: How To Choose A Martial Arts School - Considerations for Making the Right Decision

Whether you are a parent wanting to sign your child up in martial arts classes, or you are interested in training yourself, the basic principles in choosing a martial arts school are the same. You first have to decide what you want to gain by taking martial arts, and then you have to find the best school and instructor that best matches that need. Let's take each step one at a time.

STEP 1: DECIDE CLEARLY WHAT YOU WANT YOU OR YOUR CHILD TO GAIN FROM MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING

This is a crucial step that is sometimes overlooked. People have different but very good reasons for wanting to take up martial arts training. There are quite a lot of benefits that martial arts training has to offer - here are just a few:

Self defense

Develop an overall sense of well being and self confidence

Lose weight

Gain flexibility and coordination

Acquire more discipline

And more...

Why do you want to train in martial arts? Maybe your reasons include all of the above, and that's fine, but try to find the one or two reasons that are most important to you. For example, are you looking for just a little light recreation? Then a community center program may suffice. However if you want all of the benefits martial arts has to offer, like self-defense or personal development, then you are going to need a full-time professional school. Deciding what you really want is a very important step in choosing the best school for you.

STEP 2: PICKING THE SCHOOL AND INSTRUCTOR THAT BEST MATCHES YOUR NEEDS

After you have decided what you want from your training, the next step is to find the right place. There are several factors you should consider in choosing a school. You will want to consider things like; finding the right instructor, the cleanliness and distance of the school, the price for classes, finding a suitable style of martial art, and safety considerations. Let's look at each of these factors a little more closely.

What is your impression of the instructor?

You should realize that a big factor in choosing the right school is really choosing the right instructor. Here we are talking about the instructor's personality and teaching style. It's tough making an informed judgment about a person in a brief meeting, but usually you are going to have to trust your gut here. Intuition and first impressions, while not always correct, often turn out to be true. Be sure to visit the school, meet the instructor and have a look around.

How does the instructor greet visitors and how do they treat the students?

A professional school will have a friendly atmosphere, lots of smiles and be well kept. You'll feel comfortable with the personnel and the facility. While this may not end up being the closest school to your house, when it comes to your safety or the safety and education of your child, an extra ten-minute drive can make a world of difference in the outcome.

How advanced should the instructor be? Should they have a lot of titles and trophies?

Contrary to popular opinion, finding the best martial arts champion doesn't mean you have the best teacher. Just because an instructor has a lot of competition wins does not always mean the person is a good teacher. Likewise, just because someone has received a high rank within an art doesn't make him or her a good teacher. This is a critical point to understand. One can be a "natural" at martial arts, meaning they just pick it up really quickly. This type of person can go on to be a great champion with many medals and trophies, but of course, this is no guarantee at all that they will be able to effectively communicate and translate to others what comes to them quite easily. There are many examples of great competitors who are actually poor teachers. Clearly, a school owner or chief instructor should be a black belt or the equivalent depending on the art. Beyond that though, the rank of the instructor will actually mean very little to your classroom experience or the quality of your classes. What an instructor has accomplished is not as important as what he or she can do for you. It's a whole lot more important to find an instructor who cares about the students and makes them the focal point instead of seeking all the attention for himself or herself. Titles and trophies signify excellence in competition. So titles and trophies are great, IF that same person is also a good teacher. So if you can find an instructor with great credentials, medals, belts, etc., who ALSO cares about his or her students and is able to effectively transmit that information over to them - then you have the best of both worlds.

Is the school clean?

This is an important one. Dirty gyms can transmit staph and a lot of other nasty things that you would rather not find out about. Good gyms however are vigilant about sanitizing their equipment on a regular basis. Don't be afraid to ask how often the instructor has the equipment cleaned and sanitized. Sometimes you'll know everything you need just by looking around. This doesn't mean that the school has to be as immaculate - a little dust here or there doesn't hurt anything. But if you see filthy mats or blood on the walls, it's time to look elsewhere.

How far away is the school?

The best school in the world won't do you any good if it is too far away for you to make classes regularly. Consider the traffic as well. It might even be a good idea to make a "trial run" drive during the times you will be traveling to class. Is the class schedule suitable? Ask to see the schedule and be sure that you are able to attend comfortably at least two times per week. Also pay attention to the duration of the classes. In today's world, it's just very difficult to devote more than an hour to an activity for any length of time and studies on attention spans have shown that 30-60-minutes is about the max for most people.

How much should I expect to pay?

Paying for martial arts lessons is really a lot like buying a car or anything else. You frequently get what you pay for. Cleanliness, professionalism, quality, safety and individual attention is what usually separates the higher end schools from the cheaper schools. Most schools charge what they think they are worth. So if you want the best instruction, you should expect the price to be higher than normal. So what's normal? In 2007, the average price in the United States for martial arts training was approximately $100 per month. Schools in smaller towns will charge less, and in cities where the cost of living in general is a little higher, so too will be the case with martial arts classes. For those who want the very best for themselves or for their children, expect to pay around $120 a month or more. Just like private academic institutions and universities exist for a certain group of people who want the best academic education, in a similar way these higher end martial arts programs are for those who want the safest and most professional service available for their martial arts training.

You should also be aware that offering classes with 6 or 12 month agreements is common practice in the martial arts industry. In fact, in our experience, schools that have such agreements are usually better maintained, better run, and of all around better quality than the cheaper "monthby- month" schools.

What style of martial art should I choose?

This answer here depends on what your goals are. If you just want a little light recreation, then most tae kwon do schools would be fine. If you only want a cardio alternative and don't care at all about self-defense, improving your self-confidence, and things of this sort, then a typical "cardiokickboxing" class at your local health spa might be just the thing for you. If you are only interested in preserving an old oriental art form, with perhaps a little self-defense as a side consideration, then a traditional kung fu, karate, or tae kwon do school would suit you.

However, if you are looking to really increase your fitness level or get serious about self-defense training, here is one word of advice: When it comes to serious conditioning & self-defense, martial arts styles are NOT "all the same".

This is a controversial question, and there will certainly be those who disagree with what we say here, but we think the style or discipline taught matters a lot if you want serious training that can give you the best in conditioning and self-defense. Perhaps the most famous martial artist ever, Bruce Lee, recognized the limitations in the more traditional forms of karate, kung fu and tae kwon do. Lee thought many of these arts held on to outdated, impractical techniques and training methods out of a groundless respect towards "tradition", while ignoring the fact that there might be newer and better ways to do things. We agree with Bruce Lee's assessment. In our opinion, the more contemporary martial arts like Muay Thai, Jeet Kune Do, Krav Maga, Kickboxing, Grappling, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Boxing and Wrestling are a great deal better when it comes to conditioning and realistic self defense.

Is martial arts training safe?

Generally speaking it is, yet it can vary depending on the school you choose. Most schools are very safe and go to great lengths to insure the safety of its classes. Other schools are rougher and can have a military-like atmosphere where only the strong survive. An almost exclusively adult male student body and "fighters gym-like" atmosphere can help you recognize these schools. You should know that past insurance ratings rank martial arts as safer than golf in the number of injury claims. That doesn't mean you're not going to get sore or occasionally bruised, it just means that serious injuries are not very common in most martial arts schools. This can be particularly true for schools belonging to a professional organization which emphasizes the importance of safety.

Finally, while claims against schools are very rare because the training is very safe, many schools are not insured, which is a mistake. Make sure your school is insured and the instructors are attending seminars and workshops on teaching safe classes.

If you are interested in moving further, feel free to check out the resources at www.MartialArtsDVD.com for home based training martial arts training programs.

Scott "Bam Bam" Sullivan is a professional MMA trainer, Muay Thai instructor, and holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. With over 25 years of martial arts experience to share, he is the owner of http:www.MartialArtsDVD.com and is also the owner and chief instructor of Bam Bam Martial Arts (http://www.BamBamMartialArts.com) in Houston, TX. He and his wife reside outside Houston with their seven beautiful children.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4887493

[jeremywilson24-blog]

A Lot More Material Upon Choosing TKD Mats

TKD mats or taekwondo fairfield nj fluctuate from the other every month mats applied within just the gyms. Purchasing the completely wrong model of mat for practicing the artwork style can transform to be problematic in the lengthy run; at it can't Deliver you the straight safety and grip that oneself may perhaps will need for training unique actions.

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The interconnected mats with simple design provide a seamless suit. There are a large amount of various mats that oneself can just take towards. For instance, some of the scorching favorites out there such times are merged martial arts. These mats are built up of ethylene vinyl acetate foam which is resilient and thick, offering a gentle layer of the cushion concerning the floor and on your own.

The TKD mats come with textured close which features your self much better traction for the doing exercises. They even come with a massive selection of colours for on your own toward choose in opposition to. A single of the main advantages of the martial arts mats is that they are uncovered toward be light-weight fat for consider downs and basic mounted up. Oneself can pick towards include the complete floor or precisely one aspect of the ground and they can be even efficiently delivered.

Some of the other gains of the TKD mats are that they can be effortlessly cleaned with the support of a little drinking water and furthermore a tender cleansing product. If a single particular side of the mat results in being ruined on your own can too turn that element of the mat around against the model refreshing looking piece and if it has been damaged taekwondo parsippany nj also badly then yourself can decide on in direction of replace that exclusive element of the mat without having even consuming in the direction of order a total clean mat.

No matter what sort of mat oneself choose crank out sure that your self carry out some reports on them as a result that oneself comprehend the variations of the mat will perform far better for you. The TKD mats look fantastic all about for any place or any design and style of performing exercises. On your own can even visit any local MMA faculties or martial artwork fitness center in direction of recognize extra over the mats applied. Recognize the place they individuals flooring masking and what may be an wanted mat for your training.

[jeremywilson24-blog]

Fighting Fit - Martial Arts and Weight loss

If your goal is to improve your fitness or lose weight but you need to do something more exciting than jogging on a treadmill to keep you motivated, perhaps you should consider doing a martial art like boxing, kickboxing, karate, or judo.

In this article we list the top 10 reasons to consider doing a martial art for fitness and weight loss to help you decide if doing one is right for you.

1. Doing martial arts for weight loss

It's no coincidence that gyms, personal trainers and producers of exercise videos and DVD's are now heavily incorporating training techniques and exercises from a wide variety of martial arts in their workouts.

Boxercise, Tae Bo, Cardio-Kickboxing, Kung Fu Aerobics, and personal trainers using punching bags, focus mitts and kicking pads in their sessions are just a couple of examples of how martial arts training is being used in cardio workouts for fitness and weight loss.

Because martial art training is typically high intensity and usually lasts for at least an hour in most cases, it burns a maximum number of kilojoules or calories per workout and is therefore great for anyone who wants to lose weight and lose it fast.

2. Doing martial arts for fitness

Most martial arts incorporate exercises and drills that improve cardiovascular fitness and endurance, help build muscle strength and improve muscle flexibility so they are perfect for anyone wanting to improve their overall fitness.

Cardiovascular fitness improvements require us to regularly elevate our heart rate for extended periods and most martial arts training can help us do that.

Improving the strength, size and shape of our muscles requires us to regularly subject them to some form of resistance training. Martial arts training helps provide this training by requiring us to perform exercises like push-ups and squats using our own body weight for resistance.

Improved flexibility is a natural byproduct of martial arts training because most, if not all styles of martial art incorporate stretching exercises in their workouts.

As a result of providing all of these fitness benefits, martial artists like boxers and kickboxers are widely regarded as being among the fittest athletes in the world and practitioners of karate, judo, etc are considered among the strongest pound-for-pound and most flexible athletes in the world.

3. Doing martial arts and self-defense

One of the most obvious benefits of doing a martial art is that it provides us with the fitness, strength, skill and techniques necessary to protect ourselves from being attacked by others who are out to harm us if the need should ever arise.

Like an insurance policy, we hope you're never in a position to have to use your martial arts training to defend yourself, but it's great to know this ability is there just in case.

Because they are primarily concerned with elevating our heart rates to burn energy and improve our fitness, many of the workouts listed above like Tae Bo, Boxercise, etc don't really provide this benefit to the same extent as doing martial arts training with a dedicated teacher in a martial arts school that only provides one service - to teach you a specific martial art.

Many people mistakenly believe that because they punch a focus mitt 50 times during a session with their personal trainer that they know how to punch properly and can therefore defend themselves if they need to. This is a big mistake and we hope these people never find themselves in a situation where this belief is tested.

Unless they've had many years of martial arts training themselves, most personal trainers and gym instructors will not be able to offer advice about your punching and kicking technique, they are only really qualified to hold the focus mitts or kick-pad for you while you punch or kick them.

Remember, while probably great at what they do, these trainers are more like aerobics instructors than specifically qualified martial arts instructors.

4. Doing martial arts and self-confidence

In addition to providing us with the ability to defend ourselves, one of the greatest personal benefits that martial art training provides is a high degree of self-confidence.

This self-confidence partly results from the knowledge that we are much better equipped to defend ourselves given that we have done some martial arts training, but it also comes from a sense of achievement once we begin to master the techniques taught to us and the new confidence that results from feeling fitter and stronger and looking fitter and stronger.

Given that one of the first things to suffer, and one of the hardest things to reestablish afterwards, when we become overweight is our self-confidence this benefit is of particular value to those of us who have a weight problem.

5. Doing martial arts to improve body balance and coordination

As well as helping us to become fitter and stronger, martial art training typically involves the mastery of a range of techniques that requires us to be well-balanced and have superior body coordination.

In learning to master these techniques we naturally improve our balance and our coordination which helps us with other aspects of our daily life.

6. Doing martial arts for variety

Martial art training provides great variety in two ways.

Firstly, martial arts training sessions themselves have great variety built into them by including warm-ups and cool-downs, stretching exercises, strength building exercises, cardio exercises and exercises designed to improve and teach us a wide variety of techniques.

This variety is great for our mind as well as our body.

Secondly, there are such a wide variety of martial arts to study that we should be able to easily find one that suits our particular goals and interests.

Whether we prefer to do a martial art that primarily revolves around striking or grappling techniques or a perfect mix of both, or we want to study a highly technical or very simple style, the choice is great.

7. Doing martial arts teaches discipline and provides motivation

Everybody knows that studying a martial art requires and teaches discipline.

Because it is also goal orientated, training in one of the many martial arts also provides a great deal of motivation.

Lack of discipline and motivation are the most often quoted reasons for weight loss failures and for this reason, doing a martial art for weight loss and fitness may help many of us who lack the required discipline and motivation to achieve our weight loss goals to overcome these common barriers to success.

8. Doing martial arts for spirituality

One definition of spirituality is "Activities which renew, lift up, comfort, heal and inspire both ourselves and those with whom we interact."

Martial art training has been practiced by millions of people over many centuries because among other things, it has a great ability to spiritually uplift us.

As well as forging a better connection between our mind and body, it also has the ability to forge a better connection between us and our world and us and others.

9. Doing martial arts training is relatively inexpensive

Compared to joining some gyms and hiring some personal trainers, training at a martial arts school or dojo is relatively inexpensive.

Many martial arts schools charge a very modest monthly fee for training and the beauty of this is you can train when and as often as it suits you.

In addition to low ongoing training costs, buying a uniform and any equipment you may need to train in most cases will be relatively inexpensive as well.

10. Doing martial arts has a social aspect

Many people who start doing martial arts training for weight loss, improved fitness or self-defense end up enjoying it most for its social aspects.

As well as training and learning with others with similar goals, many martial arts trainees help encourage and motivate each other and end up becoming very good friends.

Many martial arts instructors too have very friendly dispositions and foster a fun and friendly environment in which to train which endears them to their students who typically also become close friends.

Conclusion

If your goal is to improve your fitness or lose weight but you need to do something more exciting than jogging on a treadmill to keep you motivated, perhaps you should consider doing a martial art like boxing, kickboxing, karate, or judo.

In this article we listed the top 10 reasons to consider doing a martial art for fitness and weight loss to help you decide if doing one is right for you.

Scott Haywood is the editor of Australia's leading weight loss and healthy lifestyle website weightloss.com.au

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/188403

[jeremywilson24-blog]

The Resolution of Paradox - Life Mastery Through the Traditional of Martial Arts

My career in the martial arts started in 1964 with irony. I studied a martial art normally categorized as "soft" judo, but found that in application there was a lot of "hard". Judo provided the toughest workout of any sport I had ever practiced including football. I had more sore muscles, more muscle strains, and more bruises in judo than in all my other sports combined. And, in contest application, the concept of harmonizing energy or using the other person's strength against him was all but invisible. It was struggle, plain and simple. Later I added the "hard" art of karate and the "soft" art of aiki-ju-jutsu to my repertoire. Unifying them made me realize that at times karate can be soft and aiki can be hard. Teaching emphasis was one thing, application another. One's personal interpretation of and skill at the art also had an effect on the resulting "hardness" or "softness".

The apparent dichotomy of hard and soft was being homogenized and unified within me as a martial artist. Other major themes (long vs. short range, straight vs. circular movement, internal vs. external energy, traditional vs. modern practices, etc.) seemed also to be in conflict and yet existed within one martial artist, one method of instruction, one school, one style, or one art--this was a paradox. But I did not accept it as a true paradox since I believed that paradox is a statement of our own limitations in understanding. Something cannot be black and white at the same time, in the same sense, in the same context. That they may seem to be paradoxical but are actually ironic. Apparent paradoxes then should be able to be resolved.

F. Scott Fitzgerald once said that the highest form of thought was to be able to hold two conflicting ideas at the same time. I do not agree. Conflicting ideas produce inadequate understanding, indecision, inaction, thus inadequate achievements. But apparently conflicting ideas which are resolved within the thinker--now that's something else.

Certainly mastery and "high thought" are not achieved simply by taking a few conflicting ideas, figuring out how to resolve them to one's own satisfaction, and then promoting oneself to twelfth dan (traditional ranks go up to only tenth dan which are very rare and are usually awarded to very experienced, very elderly, and usually very wise practitioners of the martial arts). Instead, mastery of any subject, especially those like the martial arts which are fraught with perfectionism, dedication, true believers, fidelity, and multitudes of methods and emphases --mastery of these arts means that the ironies and apparent paradoxes of that study must be understood and resolved.

Karate and Aiki each present us with a philosophical "paradox" when applying them in self-defense. Karate says "Do not fight until pushed to the limit. When there is no other choice, then fight full-out, to the death if necessary." Aiki says, "Harmonize with your opponent and try to frustrate his aggression or, if necessary, control it through the use of his own overextended balance and strength." If pushed to the limit Karate resists while Aiki accepts and redirects. And yet a technical direction in each art seems to contradict the philosophical route each prefers. Karate insists that the first movement should always be defensive. Aiki suggests that one can catch an opponent more unaware and off-balanced if one "attacks the attack". Yet Karate is often seen as an aggressive art; Aiki is seen as a defensive art.

Of the perceived philosophical choices between Aiki and Karate, I tend to prefer the more peaceful Aiki route. But I realize that (a) a single perception may not accurately portray the art as a whole and (b) even if it did, sometimes a person is given no choice but to stand up for himself and resist! Aiki's peaceful "redirection philosophy" means very little ethically if one does not have the cannon of karate "fight to the finish philosophy" in one's arsenal. You do not choose a peaceful harmony if that is your only choice!

Similarly, there are challenges within the martial arts community which must be met one way or another: with resistance or with acceptance. Many martial artists are unnecessarily critical of each other, perhaps showing a lack of confidence in their own art, or, more precisely, in themselves. You can see this in the letter section of any martial arts magazine in any given month. Some who may appear uncritical politically, perpetrate a watered-down version of a martial art, inflate their credentials, make false claims about their history, abilities, etc. They don't criticize, they brag. Another version of those who provide the fuel for martial controversy are the sales-oriented martial artists who care more about selling superficial knowledge and recognition than offering deep understanding and qualified skill. When these people present themselves in the martial arts, it is like a challenge not only to the livelihood of hardworking legitimately qualified martial artists, but more fundamentally to the reputation of the martial arts in general. But how do we meet this challenge with the philosophy of Aiki or Karate? If one uses "karate" to directly oppose because one feels "pushed to the wall", one also becomes one of the criticizers of which there are far too many--a voice in the multitudes which cannot be distinguished. If one takes the more tolerant Aiki approach, one sees the quality and benefits of martial arts study gradually being eroded and the meaning of a black belt becoming ludicrous. What a paradox!

Not only is the idea of resolving paradoxes important to individual mastery but the method toward mastery may just be what we, as a society, need to balance our philosophical extremes. Great masters of the martial arts, notably Funakoshi (karate), Kano (Judo) and Ueshiba (Aikido) intended the study of their art to be a method of improving the individual so as to eventually influence society. They saw their mission as one of spreading their art so that the more individuals would improve, the more improved individuals would populate a society, and the more common ground the individuals in a society would have. Yet if this martial method gets corrupted not even the individual can improve, and certainly society can not be effected in a positive way. I would like to submit that individuals do have an influence on society but not by force of numbers alone, rather by positive example and by creating ideas and technologies which philosophically influence other individuals and thus indirectly influence their societies. I think the masters of the previous era might accept a small variation to their theme of peace and harmony through the martial arts: the martial arts provide one method by which paradox can be studied and eventually resolved. In my opinion, it is the method of resolving paradox which is the key to personal mastery, and a philosophical change in society.

The martial arts are a relatively insignificant sub-culture in a world of political extremists, religious paradigms, and self-improvement methods. As a whole, one cannot say that the very study of any martial art makes one a better person or improves society directly or indirectly. Martial arts are not a direct means to a given end. Rather, martial arts offer one method for personal challenge and self-discovery through which time mastery can be attained. It is during the attainment of mastery that methods of resolving paradox are discovered. Those individuals who have reached the high goals of inner peacefulness and personal worth may choose to reach for yet higher goals outside themselves. These are the people (martial artists or not) who will change the world. Major philosophical changes have come from the influence of methods and experiences of much less significance than the martial arts. But for practicing martial artists, traditional budo may just be the most appropriate method of life-mastery and then of social renaissance.

Everyday we are confronted with experiences which are, in the larger world view, insignificant, yet these items challenge us with indecision because they make us face philosophical paradoxes.

Three teens in a banged up sedan zip into a parking place by entering the parking lot against the flow of traffic. Should one oppose them? Or should one say to oneself "teens will be teens" and tolerate it? Opposition would be difficult if the teens did not take kindly to verbal discipline, since there are three against one, and words would probably not influence their driving or parking habits in the long run anyway. Yet tolerance of little incidences like these encourages their repetition. The offenders convince themselves they can get away with inconsiderate behavior on a regular basis. Repetition of such behavior without any retribution creates in the offended party, an unconscious sense of disorderliness and, more importantly, helplessness to protect what one perceives to be a socially accepted right. In short, one takes a relatively insignificant situation and raises it to symbolize deeply important philosophical principles.

Should we tolerate the little things which challenge our individual rights or personal safety? Should we take the chance of opposing too soon and become like fascists? Resolving paradox, even in seemingly insignificant matters, is itself no insignificant matter. Ultimately, in this example, the paradox unresolved comes down to a permissive versus a restrictive society. By what guidelines does one choose the balance? I do not propose that in a little column about training toward martial arts mastery, I can offer the answer to this most difficult of questions or even more minor situations which are emblematic of these questions. Rather I intend to show that the traditional martial arts, properly studied, lead those who wish to achieve higher goals than learning how to punch, kick, throw and lock, to the confrontation with paradox. And that it is the resolution of that paradox whether it be through opposition or redirection, that makes one a master of one's art, one's self, and ultimately gives one a framework by which to tackle much wider philosophical problems.

Ultimately, paradoxes reduce to "What Should Be vs. What Is." Either we are logically stumped because our reasoning, although faultless, is confronted with an equally faultless yet opposite reasoning (Light it has been proven is both waves and pulses simultaneously), or we are ethically confounded because our ideals, no matter how carefully parallel to apparent human nature, always seem to be frustrated by those who take advantage of them ("Treat them with discipline and they hate you; treat them with love and they take advantage of you, thus becoming undisciplined.")

What Should Be vs. What Is: is it the ultimate paradox or is it just a larger cousin of the little ironies we face (and resolve) every day? In the martial arts such frustrating questions do not occur to the everyday practitioner. If they occur at all, it is to the experienced and dedicated martial artist who has more years in his/her art than most students have in their entire educational career. "What Is" in the martial arts is, for the most part, short term students studying a catalogue of physical movements in order to feel better about themselves. "What Should Be", at least to this author, is that students become artists, who during the years of mastering their art, confront the ironies and seeming paradoxes and use these confrontations to master themselves and the living of their lives. How does one resolve the paradox of What Is vs. What Should Be in the martial arts? By helping create a path for some of the short term students to become long term students, for some of those studying physical movements to stumble into the grotto of intellectual and emotional self-development. And how does one do that? One begins by writing this article.

A martial artist since 1964, Tony Annesi holds black belts in judo, aiki-ju-jutsu, karate, and has studied numerous other arts. As early as 1977, Annesi received the title of Ichiban Deshi no Soke (#1 student of the stylistic leader) in aiki-ju-jutsu from Albert C. Church, Jr. In 1984, the Goshin-kai International, a French federation, and the International Brotherhood of Martial Artists, a German-based organization, both decorated Annesi for his dedication to the martial arts. In the same year, Annesi was appointed soke-dai (inheritor designate) of the Kamishin-ryu martial arts, a position he resigned in 1988 due to a conflict in leadership styles. In 1989, he founded BUSHIDO-KAI KENKYUKAI, a federation for the development of innovative traditional martial arts and shortly thereafter founded BUSHIDO-KAI BUDOYA to help broaden the martial education of practitioners worldwide.

In addition to writing the regular column The Dojo Files for Inside Karate Magazine, Annesi has written articles for Self-Defense World, Inside Kung-fu, Black Belt, and The International Fighter. Shihan-renshi (master instructor) Annesi has taught martial arts for over 30 years and is featured in Corcoran and Karkas's landmark reference, Martial Arts: History, Traditions, People. More articles, DVD samples and other interesting material are available at http://www.bushido-kai.net

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Three Primary Good Reasons to Understand Self Defense

Some us citizens might believe that learning Blended Martial Arts is 1 direction of transferring in direction of master taekwondo hanover nj self-defense. Within truth of the matter, this is can be accurate however it does not always imply that by yourself really want in direction of suffer several years of training in direction of be equipped in direction of defend by yourself in opposition to erroneous persons. Your self may perhaps employ assorted weapons which includes a taser, stun gun, pepper spray and some others for self-defense. For that reason, the principle of consuming in the direction of shell out number of yrs of martial arts exercising is not essentially true. Very well, on your own might normally concern your self through finding out a lot of styles of martial arts including Karate, Taekwondo, Wushu, Kung Fu or even boxing. Sad to say, if on your own need to have, on your own may moreover accurately learn the fundamental principles moves.

A different broadly preferred misconception regarding self-defense is that it is merely for faculty relocating girls who require towards guard by themselves in opposition to impolite gentlemen. Properly, this is not accurate virtually for the reason that all people, including adult men, will need toward discover self-defense.

In this article are a few factors why you must study self-defense:

1. In the direction of hold yourself secure and cover all the period - We basically listen alternative stories in excess of rape, murder, kidnapping, homicide, theft as properly as many others within just the information each individual day. Within just fact, it is intimidating in direction of go outdoors alone at night. Still, it is moreover accurate that there are occasions that your self need in the direction of. For that reason, it would be sensible if your self realize how toward safeguard oneself in opposition to bad individuals. There are a huge quantity of us citizens out there who can trigger oneself harm and problems yourself, yet if your self understand some self-defense insider secrets which include punching, protecting against a punch and kicking, then by yourself have improved prospects of preserving your self protected all the season.

2. Make improvements to your assurance - understanding that you study self-defense secrets or moves will seriously present oneself some variety of boost inside your morale. By yourself will surely profit confidence that your self by no means knew yourself experienced. The real truth is that it feels fantastic to comprehend that yourself can shield yourself in opposition to everybody, when of the day.

3. In direction of increase your actual physical and psychological power - Undergoing exercising in just martial arts will certainly enhance your bodily and mental strength. It is everything that will hold your muscles nutritious and powerful. By yourself may establish equilibrium, rate and overall overall body coordination.

Studying martial arts is nearly anything that will undoubtedly practice you how in direction of be fierce. But maximum crucial of all, it will definitely coach new jersey tae kwon do on your own how in the direction of be powerful in the direction of deal with the opponent or assailant. Grown ups and children should really surely arrive forward to study self defense.