Archive for March, 2009

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Kick, Punch, Chop, Get in Shape

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

While some people will inevitably look at martial arts as pertaining purely to fighting and strength, the fact is that more and more people are looking to the immense range of martial arts as a method of keeping fit. And they aren’t stupid, because it really does work. Take a master of karate and put them up against the toughest street brawler you can find, and the martial artist will win with such ease as to embarrass their opponent. The reasons for this are numerous. Not only is the karate expert fighting “smarter”, but the principles they have learned in order to get to that level are ones which tilt the balance firmly in their favor.

By learning a martial art, you learn a lot more than just how to hit someone in a way that really hurts (although if it is required, experts still have that in their locker). It teaches you about breath control, clearing the mind and focusing on the self in such a way that you are always ready to stand and fight. This requires both physical and mental exercise, and when the body and mind work together as martial arts teach, there is a devastating combination. To reach such a level takes discipline, and if you have discipline you are already well on the way to your ideal physical condition. Plus you are versed in self-defence, which is never a bad thing.

You don’t need to have a full understanding of the mystic background to how a martial arts black belt works in order to use it as a keep-fit regimen. As long as you enrol in a class with a good teacher (or sensei) and pay attention to what is taught, you will pick up what you need in order to really up your levels of physical fitness to a point where you can stand and fight someone if needs be – but more importantly you will have upped your levels of physical and mental discipline in a way that can improve every aspect of your life. Look for a class today – karate, judo, tae kwon do or any other – all have valuable lessons to impart.

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Pilates – Try It, You’ll Have a Ball

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

One of the most popular methods for keeping fit in today’s society is Pilates. Developed in the late 20th century, it is a method of exercise that is designed to work on the flexibility of the human body – a major point of difficulty for many, who through jobs which involve being in a fixed position for much of the day lose a lot of their body’s suppleness and can find themselves with back and neck problems. Something which any sufferer can tell you really infringes your quality of life. If you can’t move quickly, you lose out on a lot of fun and in the meantime you will have trouble with even the most basic motor functions.

At its most basic level, Pilates is lying on a big beach ball doing exercises. To its adherents it is a lot more than that. Its inventor, Joseph Pilates designed it with the principle of mind over matter at its core, allowing the body and the mind to fuse, and letting the body move with grace and balance in a way that other exercise regimes did not address. Along with breathing exercises, Pilates encourages the body to flush away waste toxins that are linked with fatigue. The overall effect of the exercise regime that is involved in Pilates is to improve the individual on a number of levels.

It certainly seems to work. Pilates is growing in popularity all the time, and there are few gyms or leisure centers in the world that do not have a Pilates group operating at least once a week. At its best when associated with other exercise regimes, Pilates is something that has really taken off, and with a lot of satisfied customers, it would appear that Joseph Pilates was on to something when he designed it. Born in 1880, and plagued by illness and poor fitness as a child, by the age of 14 Pilates was posing for anatomical charts as an example of what the body could look like with the right exercise regime, and when he died he was 87 years of age. So he was doing something right.

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Just Keep Swimming, Swimming, Swimming

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

When sports players are recovering from injuries, they are often put through training that involves spending time in the swimming pool. There are a few good reasons behind this – first of all, it provides support and soothing for recovering muscles. But just as importantly the water provides them with resistance, which is excellent for building up muscles and making the sportsman (or woman) more ready to return to the competition field. If you have ever broken a major bone, you will have had to wear a plaster cast. When that cast comes off, the muscles in the area appear wasted and dead – without a lot of exercise they just will not be the same as they were.

Even if you have not had a major injury – and even if you have been injury free all your life, swimming is an excellent way of getting into shape. If you go for regular runs, you need to make sure that so many factors are right – pace, surface, footwear and running style. If they are not in tune you can pull muscles, damage ligaments or tendons and several other potential nasty injuries. While it is worth getting a running regime going for cardio-vascular exercise, swimming is one way to get fit where all you need is a swimming costume and access to a pool. Once those are in place, you’re away.

In comparison to running, swimming is a very safe way to get in shape. You have the low impact of water rather than hard, concrete surfaces that exist in most towns, or the treadmills in the gym. In the early days of your training regime, swimming is an excellent way to build towards the right shape, strength and fitness levels. You may well find that you really enjoy it too. There is something incredibly soothing about moving about underwater and letting it wash over you. It’s like a giant bath, only you are not going to accidentally pull the plug.

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You Are What You Eat

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

There are many drawbacks to having a poor diet. Not only will constant takeaways and microwave meals cause you to put on weight, they will have an effect on so many other parts of your make-up that you will suffer more than you can possibly believe. The effects on the waistline are the first that people will notice, but you will also have less energy, your skin will suffer and there is plenty of evidence to suggest that your mental well-being will be affected as well. Your body needs the nutrients that fresh food provides, otherwise it will suffer. You would not buy a new sports car and then put gravy in the petrol tank, would you? You have to make sure that you give your body the fuel it needs too.

Fresh fruit and veg are vitally important. The range of vitamins and minerals that they provide will allow you to function at a greatly increased level, having an effect on all sorts of things from bones to eyes – for example, if you eat bananas regularly you will find that they allow you to function at a higher level for a prolonged period. This is because they contain lots of potassium, which is good for slow-release energy. If you ever watch Championship tennis matches, you will see players eating bananas between games. This is because over the course of a match, a declining energy level can see a player lose performance and be at risk from injury. Keeping the energy coming prevents this.

For your body to function well, you also need to get lots of fiber. Fresh fruit and veg are a good source for this too, while brown and wholemeal bread are also packed with fiber, as are cereals and baked goods with a lot of bran in them. But whatever the issue that you are seeking to address via your diet, make sure that you don’t concentrate on it to the detriment of other areas. This will just move your problems to another area – and after some time you’ll be looking for a way to fix that, too.

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Work It Out For Yourself

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

Getting fitter is never going to happen by itself. It will require a lot of work and discipline on your behalf, and it may also necessitate you spending a bit of money. It will be worth it in the long run when everybody you meet is passing comment on how trim you look. It’s just a matter of taking that first step. For most people, that step is to join a gym. The many different options on offer at the gym of your choice will make a great big dent in the excess flab you are trying to lose, and anyone who is looking to address specific areas on their body will appreciate the range of machines and programs that allow you to concentrate on problem zones.

Don’t get drawn into the old trap of paying for a gym membership and then saying to yourself “That’s that sorted out” – and then never going, or just going every month or so. If you are paying out for a gym membership, then you should try to get there at least once a week. Work on the areas that you feel need the most work, and when they have been addressed go for an all-over workout in order to maintain a trim shape. You will find that the effects are far from just being cosmetic. You will have more energy and drive, and will really notice an all round effect on how you feel physically. Plus, exercising releases endorphins – the body’s “happy chemical” – so you will feel better in mind as well as body.

Do not let it become all that you do, though. Sticking to a strict gym regime may give you a better body shape and more of the body’s natural boosts, but there are risks to going so often that it becomes an obsession. Pro sports players spend hours in the most expensive, technologically advanced gyms in the world, and still some end up the victims of over-training. You may find that your frame is uncomfortable with the amount of muscle you build from exercising, so take it slow and don’t overdo it. When you follow your own pace and let your body benefit from being allowed to have a rest, you will get a true feel for what you need.

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