A martial art that doesn’t harm the hands?
I am a (very!) amateur musician who is looking to learn a martial art in order to improve my fitness, as treadmill is the most tedious cardio on Earth. But I’m looking to get more serious at learning to play (piano and keyboard), so frankly I can do without a permanent injury to my fingers or knuckles. I’m 33, and in the UK nobody over 35 will be taken on to learn boxing, so that’s pretty much out.
Anyone know of a martial art, Western, Oriental or otherwise that offers good conditioning and maybe, as I’m putting the effort in anyway, some ability to protect myself against maniacs on the street without busting up my hands? I might add that I’m not a thug and don’t want answers from fifteen year olds keen to start a flamewar over whether a Tae Kwon Do expert would ‘totally destroy’ an Aikido master! I’m a peaceable guy and if I can just hold my head a bit higher on a dark night that’s enough of a bonus.
Any style that involves using gloves for most of the training will be safe for your hands, so in this case Kickboxing or Thai Boxing.
Internal styles are an alternative for their initially soft approach but it will take a (long) while before you are effective in defending yourself on the street.
There are other styles such as Wing Chun, Silat or Aikido that by their own nature develop effective self defence skill without the need of training hard on puches so they could be for you.
Other factors like your taste for one or the other styles will also have to play an important role in your decision, together with the availability of a good master at short distance. In fact I recently wrote a little post on this topic last month.
Please check http://www.martialwhat.com/martial-arts-for-self-defence-are-they-useful/
Best Regards
Massimo Gaetani
Jogging – What To Do When You Physically Can’t Jog At Your Next Work Out
Do you find that jogging puts wear and tear on your body at times? Even though jogging is great for weight loss, sometimes the impact can leave you in enough
pain that running won’t be an option at your next work out.
It gets very challenging to run on a daily basis because we may need longer to recover. Even if equipped with the right clothing for the weather or the right
sneakers to jog with, the body just says “no”.
However, we should ask ourselves, “What can we do if we can’t run?” In my opinion running is the most effective exercise for burning fat. In turn, I’m less
optimistic with my weight loss goals when I can’t run. However, we can always choose an alternative exercise……..
If you want a formidable workout with lower impact, give elliptical machines a try. Elliptical machines became popular because they provide much less impact
on the legs when training and give you a good work out (if used correctly).
Elliptical machines can challenge the determined trainee to get an intense work out. If you decide to use an elliptical machine as an alternative to jogging,
you won’t need to worry about the payoff (or lack of) for skipping your daily run.
If you don’t know what an elliptical trainer looks like, think of a stair climber crossed with a treadmill. It provides trainees a natural, flowing motion
while sweating it out.
Interval training on the elliptical machine provides one approach for optimal fat burning. Some elliptical machines at the gym include pre-programmed courses
you can choose from. Setting the overall resistance level should be the only effort you need to make for your workout. Correct use of the machine will
provide your body enough of a challenge to burn fat optimally.
Many elliptical machines include high tech features such as a control panel that allows any dedicated trainee access to important information such as
calories burned, time functions and a heart rate.
Elliptical fitness machines are used in gyms for many years. People are buying them for their personal home gyms as these machines become more affordable.
So if your knees, legs or feet hurt too much from jogging, consider taking the day off from jogging and get on an elliptical machine for your next work out.
You’ll reduce most of the impact on your legs and you’ll get the results you need.
John Purfield
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/jogging-what-to-do-when-you-physically-cant-jog-at-your-next-work-out-55758.html
How To Maintain Your Exercise Bike In Peak Condition
Many people have made the decision to get in shape. Quite a few of these people, after careful consideration, decided that a stationary exercise bike is the right piece of equipment to help them achieve their fitness goals.
The appeal of an exercise bike is clear. With it, one can exercise in his or her own living room anytime they wish. No matter what the weather is like outside, you can still enjoy all of the health benefits an exercise bike can offer. Regular exercise on a bike will improve your cardiovascular health, your endurance, and strengthen and tone your muscles. Plus, using it burns calories faster than walking on a treadmill.
It would truly be a shame if one day, during an intense workout, a resistance band snapped leaving that expensive exercise bike all but useless. The importance of proper maintenance for your exercise bike becomes apparent. It only takes a couple of minutes to thoroughly inspect your bike and you don’t even need to be mechanically-inclined to save yourself from the frustration that comes with a broken exercise bike.
The maintenance of your bike is more or less the same no matter what kind of bike you own. The mechanisms for an upright bike (the kind that most resembles a real bicycle) are essentially the same as a recumbent bike (the kind that’s lower to the ground and has a bucket seat). The only difference is in the layout of the mechanisms.
A great preventative measure that should be taken to protect your investment is the proper storage of the bike. An ideal storage location is one that’s relatively free of excess moisture and dust. Because of the sophisticated computers and heart-rate sensors, a clean and dry storage area is essential.
Wear and tear is normal for a well used bike, but to prevent unnecessary damage, you should oil all moving parts that are not too close to computers or sensors. Also, be certain to check all nuts and bolts for looseness. Just one loose bolt is enough to seriously damage your bike and potentially yourself, so make a weekly habit of checking for loose hardware. If you should discover a frayed cable or strap or an otherwise damaged part of the bike during your inspection, it would be wise to discontinue using the machine until you can repair or replace the part. Consult your exercise bikes’ owners manual to find the manufacturers parts list and order form should a part need to be replaced.
While most exercise bike manufacturers offer some sort of warranty for wear and tear, it’s easy to avoid unnecessary downtime by employing the preventative measures presented above and in your owner’s manual. If you always remember to treat your product with care and common sense, it will give you years of reliable performance.
Summary:
Wouldn’t it be a shame if one day, during a workout, a resistance band snapped leaving your exercise bike utterly useless? Find out how to avoid that frustration now.
Brooke Hayles
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/how-to-maintain-your-exercise-bike-in-peak-condition-54228.html