Tai chi

Spiritual balance is an important component of any martial arts form. Martial arts expert and celebrity fitness trainer Harshal Mehta says, “We begin tai chi by breathing in deeply and taking energy from the earth and air to cleanse the entire system.”

This practice not only helps to improve the respiratory muscle functions, but also helps the lungs remove toxins. He explains, “The blood flow is guided by the chi (energy). The tai chi movements guide the energy so that more oxygen enters the blood. Because of the continuous slow motion, fresh blood cleans, repairs and nourishes every part of the body. Also, the waist-turning movements of this martial art increases the flow of blood and urine through the kidneys and the tai chi breathing method delivers more oxygen and removes larger quantities of carbon dioxide.”

Krav maga

“The Israeli military combat regimen krav maga follows the Zen philosophical quest where the practitioner of krav maga is so engrossed in his performances that it’s only him and the combat. The concentration is so strong that it turns off the analytical mind for a few minutes, pumping in a fresh stream of blood, thus cleansing the central nervous system,” says Vicky Kapoor, a krav maga expert.

Yoga

People perform yoga but often forget kriya, which is a vital cleansing routine. Yogic kriyas like jal neti, sutra neti, vamankriya and shankhaprakshalan help in removing the toxins and wastes from the body.
“In jal neti, water is poured through one nostril and taken out from the other nostril. It is done using a special kind of neti pot. This helps cure sinus infection and allergies. Similarly, sutra neti, which is performed using a cotton thread, helps stimulate the nerves and is good for eyes, ears and nose,” explains Payal Gidwani, a celebrity yoga expert, who asserts that yogic kriyas have to be done under the guidance of an experienced trainer.

To improve the digestive system, shankhaprakshalan is very efficient. “It is effective for those who have a troubled stomach. It is comparatively difficult and needs days of practice to master. However, vamankriya is a simpler way of cleansing the throat and the chest, where salt water mixed with warm water is used for removing the mucus lining from the body,” she explains.

Source: Deccan Chronical

They Are Taking Self-Defence Lessons To Fight Attackers

Sinchana B A

Bangalore: The number of aggressive crimes against women in the city is on the rise, a case in point being the spate of home-alone murders. Along with strict policing and home security, self defence has also become necessary.

With this view, several institutes in the city have begun self-defence classes specially tailored to suit the safety needs of women. These programmes focus on making women more alert and aware of their surroundings and impending danger.

According to victims of attacks and self-defence trainers, the most common mistake that women make is to think, ‘it cannot happen to me’.

“These programmes change this attitude and make women more aware of possible dangers. The focus is not on complicated, acrobatic moves, but on teaching women simple, easy-to-execute techniques that help them save themselves,’’ says Manasi Mohan, of a leading self-defence training institute in the city.

These sessions, which are more like workshops, have found favour with a number of companies, who are getting women employees to enrol in these classes. Asthithva, a 5-year-old institute, holds workshops called ‘Give It To Them’ (GIIT). These 4-hour classes are conducted by Ashwin Mohan, a city-based kickboxing and martial arts expert.

“We’ve conducted 950 classes this year, and in each class we train 30-35 women.” said Manasi Mohan.

, an instructor in Krav Maga Institute, which conducts a special 3-hour programme for women in the corporate sector, said: “Our programme focuses on knowing who the attacker is, why he is attacking and what his gameplan is.’’ Many corporate giants, including Cisco, are his clients.

Jagruti, a trainee at this institute, says while the regular weekend classes involve intense training, the workshops teach students basic self-defence techniques.

Some institutes also give special training to defend oneself in a constricted environment, like a car, or in restrictive garments like sarees. Though these institutes teach the students how to defend themselves from an aggressor, a part of their training also comprises how to tactfully avoid potentially dangerous situations.

SAFETY FIRST

• If you are being followed, do not guide the person to your house unless there is someone at home who can handle the situation
• Women living alone are seen as soft targets, so do not advertise the fact that you stay alone
• A fist-fight with a man is strength-onstrength, and the odds are heavily against you as men are stronger. Strength-to-weakness would mean your fingers in his eyes or throat, or your foot in his groin
• Carry chilli powder, pepper spray or penknives. Even deodorants can work as a distraction
  Think of every object as a weapon. If you cannot use the object to hit the attacker, throw it on him and use the split-second gained to attack
• Wear restrictive clothing only when you have no reason to expect danger. Otherwise, wear clothes that maximize freedom of movement
• There’s no such thing as fighting fair. Use every method you can to protect yourself

MYCATPRESS

Fitness training gives way to martial arts

Posted online: Sunday, December 05, 2004 at 0000 hours IST

Sometime back, 80 women employees at the Oberoi underwent training in Krav-Maga, an Israeli martial art form. Says Nidhi Chauhan, director, HR, The Oberoi,” This technique highlights the aspect of self-defence and also stresses on physical fitness and personality development.” Ms Chauhan also underwent the training. “After undergoing the course, I am able to cope with work pressure much better.”

Krav-Maga forms an important component of the armed forces training in Israel. Says Commander Avi Moyal, director and senior instructor, International Krav-Maga Federation, Israel, “This technique focuses more on confrontation rather than shooting. For example, women are faced with adverse situations every day. They get pushed around, jostled and eve-teased when they board a bus or train. Krav-Maga helps women get out of such situations. It helps them to remain calm and be self-confident.”Mr Moyal has protected Michael Jackson and Madonna. He has also developed a special pepper spray for situations where weapons can’t be used! Mr Moyal has also taught self-defence courses to the prime minister’s office staff in Israel.

Martial arts expert Vicky Kapoor recently opened one such fitness centre in Saket, New Delhi. Mr Kapoor is an official representative of the International Krav-Maga Federation in India. Over the last one year, Mr Kapoor has conducted several Krav-Maga training sessions for women from all walks of life.

“Delhi is becoming the crime capital of the country. It is necessary for women to know some form of self-defence techniques,” he remarks. Krav-Maga can also be a stress buster for harried corporate executives. “This form of exercise helps take out aggression and frustration that one experiences during work hours. Apart from physical well being, Krav-Maga also helps in building self confidence,” he adds.

The fitness centre in New Delhi will focus on workouts minus gym equipment. The studio will offer workouts and exercise programmes on Krav-Maga, kick boxing and karate among others. The charges for Krav-Maga are Rs 1,400 per month (12 classes).

Advocates claim martial arts as a therapeutic form of exercise. It lays emphasis on strength and performance. Music, dance and acrobat techniques combined with martial arts occupy an important place in Chinese theatre. Thanks to Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, martial arts is finding a lot of takers across the world.

Martial arts can be useful in real fight situations as intense mental control is a key requirement. Tai chi or shadow boxing is very popular with the elderly in Hong Kong. Shadow boxing is also popular with tourists who find it an excellent means of relaxation. Tai chi is usually performed at dawn in parks or gardens. In Hong Kong, Victoria Park is a popular venue for Tai chi workouts.

Martial arts unveiled

The Oriental way of life revolves around balance and harmony. There are more than a 100 styles in martial arts. Traditional Chinese theories of natural science and religion along with symbols have been incorporated into Chinese martial arts, extending its scope beyond military and self-defence purposes.

• Self-defence/professional: This category is limited in focus. There is a use of force to resolve a violent situation and this includes styles like Krav-Maga. The training may range from a weekend combat course for the general public to a close quarter combat.

• Tournament/sports: Martial art styles like taekwondo are demanding and challenging and require great dedication and intensive practice.

Kick boxing on the other hand, combines elements of boxing, martial arts and aerobics which help in physical conditioning and toning. It is a safe and injury free workout and comes in very handy during emergencies.

• Spiritual/health: These are gentler forms of martial art forms that focus on developing inner peace and harmony. Tai chi, Ba-qua and Hsing-i are some of the more popular ones. Perfection is of utmost importance here. At times, it may take years to perfect this art form.

Tai chi is an ancient form of exercise in slow motion. Twenty minutes of Tai chi every morning will leave your refreshed. It helps balance the yin and the yang.

—Reported by Aparna Ramalingam

Source: Financial Express