As you read this, imagine how it feels to lose 20 pounds.
My clothes no longer fit, and I got a whole new wardrobe. I
have tremendous energy compared to how I used to feel. In
the middle of the day I don't feel like I need a nap. I
sleep less but much more soundly. I feel so lucky to have
walked into my gym 4 months ago.
Practing martial arts has changed my body and my entire
life. I had let work and stress take its toll. I had way
too much body fat and my doctor told me every year I was
losing 2-3 pounds of muscle from sitting at a desk and
never exercising. I started slow doing cross-training
I took a little bit of karate, and found kickboxing to be
what I really enjoyed right off the bat. My cardio went
throught the roof and the pounds of blubber started to
drop when I began a style of aerobic kickboxing that did
a lot of kickboxing combinations. Imagine how much energy
it takes to throw a 4 punch combination followed by a kick.
You can practically feel the calories being incinerated!
For those people who know and care about who need to lose
weight or get in shape, encourage them to check out martial
arts. I had a membership at a traditional workout gym. It
was stuffed with little skinny chicks reading a magazine as
they did 4 inch reps on the stairmaster. There were guys
in their forties walking around in pyjama-style pants and
tank tops from the eighties. They'd crank out 10 reps of
curls with terrible form, then go to the mirror and flex
their guns and spread their lats. Oh boy what fun to hang
around that place.
I find the dojo has a much more inclusive atmosphere. At
the health club no body spoke. I'd walk the treadmill and
stare at the tv screen with the rest of the bored sheep,
counting the minutes until we could leave. Not at the
martial arts gym. Teamwork, comraderie, and support is
everywhere. My motivation to train is higher than I can
ever remember. It's made all the difference!
About Author :
Yoshi Kundagawa is a freelance journalist and manager
of MartialArts3000.com He covers the
mixed martial arts industry on his free blog at the site.
