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The art of fighting

15-03-2021

2021

Exercise

Want a workout that makes you sweat and has a little street cred? Try a kick-arse martial art. Trust us, you wouldn't want to run into these moves in a dark alley. Women’s Fitness; issue 0813; p130 - 133; Text Available

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captionTHE ART OF Want a workout that makes you sweat and has a lit tle street cred? Try a kick-arse martial ar t. Trust us, you wouldn’t want to run into these moves in a dark alley FIGH T ING D I D YO U KN OW? The word ‘martial ’ is derived from Mars, so martial arts literally translates to ‘art of M ars’. The ea rliest forms can be traced back to China more than 4,000 years ago. Trivia night queen Veronica always felt threatened by ‘Did you know?’ spots FI0813_ Sport fit - Martial artsP130 - 130 2013-06-20T13:15:35+10:00

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captionwomensfitnessmagazine.com.au womensfitnessaustralia @womensfitnessmag @womensfitnessau 131 Sport t LET’S FACE IT, sometimes running up and down a netball court or walking up endless imaginary stairs on the elliptical trainer just doesn’t cut it. You want a solid workout, sure, but you also want to feel something. The martial arts tick these boxes plus plenty more. Killer total body workout? Check. Stress release? Check. Learning skills that could save your butt in a sticky situation? Ch-ch-check. “If it’s a killer bod you’re after, muay Thai is the martial art most likely to deliver. [ But] you need to be tough.” Aikido Say what? Eye-kee-doh WHAT IS IT? Created in the 1920s by Japanese martial artist Morihei Ueshiba, aikido is all about blending with the motion of the opponent and redirecting the force of the attack rather than blocking it head-on. In English, aikido means ‘way of the harmonious spirit’ and the aikidoka (the fi ghter) is expected to care as much about her attacker’s wellbeing as her own. Uh-huh…WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: Aikido is perhaps the most appealing martial art to watch. “My fi rst impression was it looked very powerful and beautiful with the fl uidity of the movements,” says Sydney-based instructor Peggy Woo, 42, who took up the yoshinkan style of aikido 19 years ago.Expect a total body workout, as aikido strengthens the core muscles and improves posture, fl exibility and coordination. “There is constant movement in aikido, so your stamina and endurance also improves,” she explains. The added bonus? Age, size and fi tness levels are no barrier. WHY YOU MIGHT NOT: There’s a lot of fancy footwork, so the steps can be challenging for beginners. “People also need to understand that, like any martial art, aikido takes practice and patience,” says Peggy.FIND OUT MORE: There are 16 aikido styles, so Google a club near you. Also try aikido.org.au “Doing martial arts really gives you a strong sense of yourself, both physically and mentally. You learn

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caption132womensfitnessmagazine.com.au womensfitnessaustralia @womensfitnessmag @womensfitnessau WORDS LAURA GREAVES PHOTOGRAPHY GETTY IMAGES Karate Say what? Karra-tay WHAT IS IT? If you’ve seen The Karate Kid movies (and if you haven’t, what have you been doing with your life?), then you’re already familiar with the modern incarnation of this ancient martial art. Developed in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan in the 14th century but only reaching the mainland in the 1920s, karate is a ‘striking art’ that uses punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, as well as open-hand moves. The World Union of Karate-Do Federations recognises eight distinct styles; some also teach grappling, throws, joint locks, restraints and vital point strikes.Karate can be practised individually as an art, a sport or as self-defence training. Karatekas (fi ghters) practice in a dojo, or training hall, and their progress is marked by a series of coloured belts, with beginners wearing a white belt and butt-kicking experts sporting black ones.WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: Brisbane acupuncturist Sarah George, 33, has been training in Goju Ryu karate since the age of eight and credits the sport with improving her coordination. “I had two left feet and was a terrible dancer, and I couldn’t catch a ball, so that counted out most team sports,” laughs Sarah, now a black belt. “Karate was an excellent sport for a child without any coordination or sense of rhythm due to its repetitive nature and need for concentration,” she says.Karate packs a real punch – pardon the pun – in terms of o ering a vigorous physical workout. Training sessions include a mix of cardio, strength and fl exibility exercises, and the intensity can be adjusted depending on how unfi t or new you are. “It’s amazing the amount of sweat you can break doing what seems like a simple set of moves when you’re focused and have the right muscles switched on.” But what Sarah loves most is the meditative aspect. “Karate unifi es body movements and the br

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captionwomensfitnessmagazine.com.au womensfitnessaustralia @womensfitnessmag @womensfitnessau 133 WORDS LAURA GREAVES PHOTOGRAPHY GETTY IMAGES Sport t Get the martial arts look 4 1 Lorna Jane pants, $95.99 2 Lululemon sports bra, $69 3 Adidas hand wraps, $9.99, from The Iconic 4 Adidas mitt and gloves pack, $79.99, from The Iconic “All that striking is fantastic for building upper body strength.” Lucy Liu & Uma Thurman, Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003) & Vol. 2 (2004) Fight like a girl! Nothing says awesome quite as much as these kick-arse women of the big screen. Hilary Swank, The Next Karate Kid (1994) Michelle Yeoh, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) Ziyi Zhang, House of the Flying Daggers (2004) Kendo Say what? Ken-doh WHAT IS IT? If you were to choose a type of martial arts based solely on the impressiveness of the gear, it would be kendo. Kendoka (fi ghters) wear protective body armour, including a stylised helmet called a men, and a traditional Japanese-style jacket with wide-leg trousers. So chic.Kendo is a Japanese form of fencing using two-handed bamboo or wooden swords (called shinai and bokuto) that was originally pegged as a safe form of training for Samurai. The key aims, as laid out by the All Japan Kendo Federation in 1975, are to mould the mind and body and cultivate a vigorous spirit. The sport is still in its infancy in Australia, but it’s getting increasingly popular with the ladies – it’s estimated about 15 per cent of local kendoka are women.WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: Two tickets to the gun show (the arm variety)! All that sword wielding and striking is fantastic for building upper body strength. Once you’re all armoured up, you’re encouraged to go hard at your opponent – one of the major philosophies of kendo is competing with a full spirit, even if winning seems unlikely – so an energetic cardio sesh is guaranteed. Kendo is also excellent for sharpening mental focus and training competitors to remain calm in stressful situations.WHY YOU MIGHT NOT: Even with