Enduring the Pain of Exercise.

Over the years I have heard that many people don't like working out because it hurts. It is something that I haven't been able to relate to because it is such a part of me to work out that I accept the pain. Recently, however, I had to stop exercising for almost two months (I haven't done this in ???) due to tendonitis and a sinus infection. Upon returning to my work outs I noticed how much it hurts!!
Here's the thing, though. I also noticed that while I had to endure the pain doing my kung fu, cardio or weight training I also began to fell so much better for the rest of the day. My body was more energized and alive. I felt stronger, tighter and my mind was clearer. My attention was more focused and I was able to concentrate much better. This isn't to say that you ignore ALL pain- If you are injured, stop!
To me this was almost a revelation since I had, almost, taken for granted how much exercise does this. I just never paid attention to it. Those of you who don't like the pain...get over it. Bear with it and you will reap many benefits that are far beyond the hour (or so) of pain that you might endure. It is called a work out for a reason- If it were easy everybody would be extremely fit!

Exercise Against Heart Disease and Cancer

More Clues on How Exercise Can Protect Against Diseases of Aging

Research suggests another avenue by which exercise guards against heart disease and cancer: telomeres

By Katherine Hobson

December 1, 2009 - U.S. News & World Report

Exercise can't stop the years from ticking by, but it certainly appears to protect against some of the diseases of aging. The latest evidence: a new study showing that the white blood cells of endurance athletes had longer telomeres, the tiny, protective units of DNA that cap the end of chromosomes like plastic shoestring tips and grow shorter as cells age. The study, published online by Circulation, may explain how exercise can protect against two big killers: heart disease and cancer. "Younger" white blood cells may be able to more efficiently clear out both abnormal cells that may progress to cancer and the plaques implicated in heart disease.

The exercise-heart disease connection is commonly known. Fewer people know that exercise appears to prevent at least some kinds of cancer—predominantly a disease of aging. Scientists have their eyes on several mechanisms, including changes to a number of hormones that are essential to the body but also can fuel cancer growth, says Stephen Hursting, chair of the division of nutritional sciences at the University of Texas-Austin. Caloric restriction can reduce those growth signals and so—though probably by a different route—can exercise, he says. Inflammation and immunity are also thought to play a role in cancer, and exercise seems to tamp down the one and boost the other.

Moreover, specific cancers are uniquely affected by exercise. The reason the odds of colon cancer, for example, are reduced by exercise is probably that it decreases the amount of time food spends in the digestive system, lessening contact between the gut and carcinogens in food. It's thought that breast cancer is encouraged by both inflammation and estrogen exposure, says Christine Friedenreich, leader of population health research at the Alberta Cancer Board in Canada. Exercise cuts the amount of estrogen circulating in the system and may cause changes in the menstrual cycle that reduce exposure to the hormone over many months or years. (One note on cancer and exercise: It's not entirely clear how much of its positive effects are attributable to its melting away of body fat, so you're wise to focus on losing weight as well.)

Somehow, exercise also seems to preserve brain function as you age, too. There's evidence from animal studies that exercise may help generate new neurons, which may give your brainpower a boost, says Arthur Kramer, a neuroscientist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Vigorous activity also may contribute to the creation of new blood vessels in the brain that help forge connections between neurons. It appears, Kramer says, that exercise not only slows negative changes to the brain but also gives you some cognitive reserves, so that even if the plaques implicated in Alzheimer's disease do appear, they don't have the same impact that they would in a couch potato.

Exercise Helps Work Productivity

Even if you feel that you have to work very hard to make sure that you make your money to pay your bills, you should exercise. Studies have shown that your work productivity is better in all ways when you exercise regularly. Missed days due to illness go down. You work with a clearer mind. You are more relaxed. Here are a couple of the studies that I have found:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/25603.php
http://www.fittogethernc.org/WorkplaceWellnessAbout.aspx
If you aren't healthy enough to enjoy the fruits of your labors, why bother?

"Loving Yourself" and Obesity

This one may anger some and is not "politically correct" but read through it before you get upset:
I recently saw an interview with a current obese movie star. She was saying how she had been on multiple diets since she was 21 (she is now 26) and never was able to lose the weight. She realized that she has to love herself and who she is. (I also feel that being too thin isn't healthy- I had a runway model who was 6' tall and 135 pounds. Her body fat was 29%- Too FAT!) This is totally fine with me. What I have issue with is that it implies that she is going to accept being obese and not continue to do those things that might help her lose weight or, at least, keep her in some healthy condition.
Please, if you are obese, DO NOT STOP EXERCISING and eating properly. I want you to love who you are but that has nothing to do with accepting that you are obese!!! You should do whatever you can to be as healthy as you can. If you have followed this blog you know that one of the main "long term goals" you should set for exercise is that you "make exercise a regular part of your life for the rest of your life" and not that you lose weight! If you base your life this way you will get yourself into the best level of fitness that your body can be regardless of your weight. Your exercise can keep you internally healthy even if you don't lose the weight.
An article that I read says that "Greatest Loser" competitors are being prevented from speaking out against some of the "loss" tactics employed by the show. One former contestant who lost 130 pounds and has since gained them back is being kept from speaking out.
Please keep in mind that a UCLA study showed that "People on diets typically lose 5 to 10 percent of their starting weight in the first six months, the researchers found. However, at least one-third to two-thirds of people on diets regain more weight than they lost within four or five years, and the true number may well be significantly higher, they said."
Weight loss should be gradual and not rapid (unless there are life threatening conditions). This allows for your body to adjust to its new metabolism and size. This link says it all:
http://www.weightlossforall.com/fat-loss-max-week.htm
In conclusion, you SHOULD love yourself and who you are but you should also try to get yourself into your best physical health possible. Exercise regularly (there is a form of exercise for everybody!), eat right and do what you can to maintain your health. You can always improve your health!

Stretching & Flexibility

Here's a study that just came out that dispels many things that I thought about stretching:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/phys-ed-how-necessary-is-stretching/

Keep in mind that they even say that stretching & flexibility should be specific to your needs.

More on Health Care Issues

While not really "exercise" this is something that exercise is directly related to so I will continue to put out thoughts about them. I am constantly looking at different opinions and articles on this issue and find or am directed to many that express some interesting points.
This first is one that is close to irrefutable about how obesity increases health care costs. It also mentions childhood obesity:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-halvorson/point-4-americans-are-obe_b_355281.html
This second one is one that my brother sent to me. It shows how the "Greatest" country in the world doesn't have the "greatest" success in health care, BY FAR! It gives some interesting numbers as to why we NEED reform:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/opinion/05kristof.html?_r=3&em
What do you think?

New Health Care Proposal

I just read where the President Obama wants to set up a system similar to car insurance where everybody has to have it so that there are no 'free rides' and it balances the costs. If that is the case, then the plan should also be like the auto insurance industry in that they offer 'accident free rate reductions' if you don't have accidents- If someone is fit (I am a personal trainer, 12% body fat, never smoked or done drugs and don't drink, exercise 6 days per week, eat properly, etc) and continues to do those things to keep their health, they should be given a reduction in their premium. I find it ridiculous that if I go to GA Blue Cross to set up a plan that I would pay the same premium as someone who is 50 pounds overweight, drinks, doesn't exercise, etc!!!
Where is the fairness in that???

"Junkie"

A MAJOR part of getting fit is your diet. Here's a study that gives new meaning to the term JUNKIE:
http://www.grist.org/article/scientists-claim-junk-food-is-as-addictive-as-heroin

Do People REALLY Want Kung Fu?

"Kung Fu" is the term that is associated with Chinese Martial Arts. When I get calls inquiring as to what I teach many people will tell me that they want the fitness, self defense and philosophical aspects of Kung Fu and then ask "How long does it take to 'get it'? This question couldn't be more 'wrong'. The term kung (energy) fu (time) is not the word for Chinese martial art but a term that means more- The attainment of a high level of skill hard work over lots of time. It can be applied to martial arts, golf, soccer or cooking. When people call me asking for Kung Fu, I make sure that I use that meaning so that they 'get it'. But I think that today's society and people don't want to spend time developing skills. You can see this in sports- Most young basketball players, while having tremendous athletic ability, don't have 'true' skills of free-throw shooting or bounce passes, etc. Or in music where many don't even know how to play instruments or read music. In the general fitness world, everybody wants to lose weight immediately and find the fastest way to lose. What they don't understand is that if they just work out properly and regularly they will not only lose weight but they will get fit and make fitness their lifestyle.
When you set out to begin your journey into getting FIT you should be sure to develop your kung fu and make the journey and long term vision your goal, not the short term fix or immediate gratification! You will not only be more able to overcome those short term frustrations but you will develop a more sound foundation for lifelong change and success!

Fintess Profile

The linked article has many ideas that I agree with so I cheat on this blog and use some body else's writing:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kari-henley/enhance-well-being-find-y_b_332108.html

Everybody Should Practice Tai Chi Chuan

Just woke up this morning and practiced my Wu (family name) Tai Chi Chuan (Grand Ultimate Fist) slow and fast forms. It feels so good to do this practice the first thing in the morning. The slow, focused, relaxing postures of tai chi chuan energize yet relax, they focus yet clear your mind and balance your out for your day. Many people only know of tai chi chuan frmo seeing it in documentaries about China. It is one of the oldest forms of exercise and practiced by many. It is also a very effective form of self-defense but many practitioners and, even, instructors don't know this! It is one of few forms of exercise where you can improve and get stronger at until you are well into your older years. Tai chi chuan is non-impact, doesn't strain your heart- It strengthens it, it improves your balance, coordination, focus. Tai chi chuan can lower your blood pressure. It is self-defense that requires no muscular strength, only proper practice. It is not easy to learn and once undertaken you will learn that you will always be learning and practicing and improving.
When you look for an instructor you should make sure that they are knowledgeable and don't only teach the common "24 Step International Form". Does the instructor know it is a martial art and understand the applications? Are they 'picky' in their teaching? Tai chi chuan requires what we call exactness, which is just what it says! And, contrary to what many hear, it is not easy to learn. It is, and should be, challenging. It may not be very physically difficult (though many would give a different opinion on that since your definition of physically challenging may be different) but it is mentally.
Take a few tai chi chuan classes with an open mind and remember that the question you shouldn't ask is "How long does it take to learn it?"

Picking A Good Personal Trainer

This is a longer blog than I feel a blog should be but this is also a very important topic and I want to spend sufficient time to give you as much as I can so that you can make a better choice.
Every trainer claims to be the best. How do you choose one who knows what to do and applies that in his training. If you don't know about fitness, how do you know if the trainer does?
There are some things that you can look for to give you a better idea who you should choose.
Does the trainer have certification? This doesn't guarantee that they apply what they know but it gives you an idea that they should know what they are doing.
Does the trainer have a degree in exercise physiology or kinesiology?
How long have they been a trainer?
Are they or have they been an athlete? Careful here since I have seen many athletes who don't know there stuff or just don't know how to train. I do feel that your trainer should be someone that has been or is still an athlete since they will know what and how things should feel. When I tested for my certification I couldn't believe how many people were getting certified who had just started working out, learned that they liked it and decided that they wanted to train others. This isn't a 'bad' thing, they mean well, but just won't have the idea as to what you might expect when you train since they haven't been there.
Client references?
Once you get past these initial checks you should schedule to meet with the trainer and, if they do this, a trial session. This is really the time to find out if they are for you. Chemistry between you and the trainer will be almost as important as their ability.
There are certain fundamental rules in training that if your trainer doesn't follow them, you should just stop right there;
Does he instruct you in HOW to do the exercise mechanically? I don't just mean show you the exercise but describe why, what is working and how? A good one to catch many trainers with is the act of placing the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth during exercises, especially abdominals/core work. Many trainers aren't aware of how important this is to your stability!
Does he watch you do the exercise? I have seen many trainers who just look around and don't focus on you. Funny as it seems I have seen some texting while training. I also don't like trainers who take on two or more clients at a time unless they are veteran clients.
Follow the basic rule of largest muscle to smallest muscle in training. You should always train from your legs to either your back or chest to arms then abs!!! If you work your abs, which are your core support for all other exercise, first then you are at a much greater risk of injury due to the 'weakest link' concept.
How often does the trainer change the routine? The concept of periodization is important in training. As your muscles adapt to an exercise they will plateau in development and then you should change your routine. For sports it is also important for in-season and off-season training so that you don't burn out during the season. But I see many trainers changing the routine every time. It is called a routine for a reason. You can do some different exercises with each session but nothing so drastic that you can't measure your progress. If you are building your strength portion and do squats, you should do them regularly (once or twice per week) for the period (about 6-8 weeks). Then you can change to a more complex movement. Doing totally different exercise every time might keep it more interesting but doesn't allow for your body to grow into the program and develop the skills. When you learned to play an instrument you didn't change from piano to guitar to drums to violin to flute every time?
Do the exercises progress from stability to strength to movement to function to plyometrics? Do the exercises make sense? Many trainers are using highly advanced exercises for clients before they have even evaluated the clients' level/ability. Plyometrics aren't for a beginner. The progression of exercise is one that develops a base of strength then control and then function and power. Many trainers use multi-action movements to get you to seem like you are doing more work. Some are good, like a clean and press or power clean but they are also more advanced. Some, like a squat with curls are just, in my opinion, not really worhtwhile- You can squat far more than you can curl so why would you even do this action? It is also an action that you don't really perform in sport or in life.
When you are finally deciding on your trainer just don't get blinded by the talk or flashy and keep it simple. Your first work out should be to determine your level and set basic technique and not to show you how fancy your work-out can be.

Choosing a Good Kung Fu Instructor

When I judge a Kung Fu tournament and see the students who do 'something' that isn't close to kung fu I wonder, "How did these people find their instructor? How did the instructor get there"?
Many Kung Fu instructors teach some blends of martial arts or just something that they made up after a few years of learning. It looks good but has no substance. How do you find out about the instructors background and ability? Is what they are teaching legitimate? Does it work?
There are certain things you should look into to determine the quality of an instructor or school.
Do your research- Look at what they say they are teaching. Is it "traditional" or "contemporary"? If it is traditional, there should be background on the style they teach. This will give you information as to whether the instructor is teaching the actual style. I have seen many teachers claiming that they teach Ying Jow Pai (Eagle Claw, the style that I teach) who don't even teach the basic concepts of the style, much less the traditional forms (if someone from NYC teaches Ying Jow and someone in Greece does, also, they should have common forms and, at least, common techniques and concepts). There will be a lineage. Are the instructors in the lineage legit?
If it is a "contemporary" style you have a harder time since there will not be as much "background to research. There might be information about the instructor- Did they learn any traditional styles? Did they compete in any major tournaments and perform well? Do the current students do well in tournaments? A Contemporary style might be something like a mixed martial art style or a 'personalized' name added to a 'Traditional" style name. When looking at one of these, know what YOU want to get out of your training; Fitness? Self-defense? Tournament fighting ability? There are some good "Contemporary" styles out there. Jeet Kune Do is a good example of a "Contemporary" style in that Bruce Lee created the concepts in the '70's. The principles work when put to use in fighting which is what the 'style' is supposed to be for. The problem with it nowadays is that there are many 'fraudulent' instructors out there who aren't teaching the legit system. They may have read Bruce Lee's book and applied it to what they had known prior.
Don't be fooled by 'demonstrations' that in instructor does with his students. Try a class. See how it feels for yourself. Use your common sense and intuition. If it doesn't feel right, don't! Do they press you to join?
A Martial Art should be something that teaches you the ART- Usually forms and there are certain things that are universal in forms; Stances (srong and balanced), focus, meaning
and FIGHTING- A system is only as good as the practitioner BUT there is one thing that holds true regardless- DOES the technique work when applied properly?
I hope this helps you in your search.

Ridiculous Exercises

This blog is more of an opinion but it is still based on practicality and functionality of exercise. With all of this craze towards 'integrative' exercise and new and challenging exercises, what the heck are half of these exercises for??? I have seen some trainers doing the wildest things. We can start with a very simple one that I see very often. I call it the "Doggie Leg Lift"- This one is where the exerciser is on hands and knees and lifts their leg out and up as if they were a dog doing it's 'business'. I know what this is 'for' (outer thighs) but come on! A- It is so unfounctional, B- It is minimal in effect. My solution would be to stand on a small platform with the uninvolved (non-used side) leg. The other leg can be lifted to the side or back. If you have resistance from a cable machine or bands or, even, manual. Another is the "Doggie Kick Back". Again, it is not functional and, I feel, very ineffective. Your glutes are VERY strong. How many of these can you do? Even if a plate is placed on your foot. My favorite single leg glute exercise is a split squat- Place the non- working foot on a bench (more advance can use a ball). The foot on the floor performs like a lunge.

Now on to the point of this. These trainers are getting so fancy that they are forgetting basic concepts of function, measurable performance and safety. If the exercise is so fancy, does it replicate your daily activity or sport? Is is something where you can gauge your performance level? Could it cause a traumatic or a harder to measure and determine chronic injury. Is it too fancy and involved for your fitness level? Many ab exercises are good but the person doing it isn't ready for it. They use compensatory muscles. This can lead to chronic problems later. If you don't really know how to determine if the exercise is good or not try this rule:
Would your trainer use/do this exercise??? I have seen many trainers take their clients through work-outs that the trainer wouldn't do for their life. The trainer is giving in to the commercial demands of the business and not training! Do your research. If you want to train for a sport, look up how to train for that sport. If it is just for general fitness and you don't have time to research, just use the "would your trainer do this rule".

You CAN'T Spot Reduce!!!

Let's put this out there in very simple language:
YOU CAN'T SPOT REDUCE!!!! (without lipo)
That bit of fat under your arms or inside your thighs will not come off by doing thousands of triceps extensions or thigh adductions. Your fat comes off in reverse order that you put it on. It's that simple.
If you want to remove the fat from any specific area on your body you just do what you do;
EXERCISE and eat properly!! Keep consistent and intense enough and things will happen.

Kung Fu and Keeping Your Cool!

After watching Serena Williams lose her cool and, thus, her semi-final match at the US Open I thought about how much Kung Fu has helped me in 'keeping my cool'. One of the reasons I started training in kung fu aside from fitness was that I have an extremely bad temper. I felt that the principles of kung fu would help me learn how to control it. It still amazes me how correct that thought was. Especially since I picked a Sifu who epitomizes the idea! I also saw that training, in general, should be intense and also has this affect.
One major part of Kung Fu is that you learn to fight. In Eagle Claw Kung Fu your main goal is to control your opponent through locking them by joints or muscles. This requires tremendous self-control as you want to be able to apply just the right amount of strength and pressure so as NOT to injure unless you need to. In order to do this one must truly attain Kung Fu (high level of skill attained through hard work and time). My Sifu (teacher- Grand Master Leung Shum) always said that when fighting you should keep a slight smile on your face. This helps you stay relaxed. It also can disarm any opponent since they won't know what you are thinking and can also see that you are relaxed. The way you get to this point is through intense training annd repitition of techniques. It also requires a large degree of high intensity fighting, as closely simulating the real thing as possible. In many cases I recommend that a student competes in full-contact fighting to get even more realistic. If you can handle this over the years, when a real life situation arises, you are much calmer and will react in the manner that you trained.
All of this can help you in real life with no fighting. If you are threatened, whether physically or just mentally, you have been put through far more stress than the average person. Your sense of 'time' slows down and you don't make those snap reactions that get you into trouble. Your calmness can affect your opponent and the will, in turn, also calm down. This will deescalate the situation and you may not even have to fight. If it is just a mental situation, the same principles apply since, in many cases, a person will try to intimidate you.
In your training you should push your limits physically and mentally. If you do, then any stresses that come at you in your every day life will seem minimal and not affect you as harshly. You will remain calmer and deal with the situation better.
In conclusion, when you train, whether in Kung Fu, Tai Chi or just fitness training, you should put your body through as intense a work out as you can at the time. Your physical AND mental body will get stronger! This will allow for you to deal with daily stress in a much better manner.

It's KUNG FU not Karate!!!

Alright, I was getting into my car with my uniform on. BOTH have Eagle Claw Kung Fu written BOLDLY on them. A lady who was going in to the house next door to mine asks if I teach Karate. I answer the school phone with "Eagle Claw Kung Fu, may I help you?" People ask me what style of Karate I teach?
I understand that most people don't know that there is a difference. It is also known that Karate is more commercially successful than Kung Fu. THAT is my main (certainly not the only) reason why I get so perturbed by this. In my trying to run my business it is very important to have my identity. Being Kung Fu and not Karate helps in that. In this day of internet searching, if people know that they are looking for Kung Fu and not Karate, it will also help me in finding me in search engines.
Now for the other reasons- Physically and philosophically, there are differences between Kung Fu and Karate. (One thing to note is that, in general, Kung Fu is the 'father' of Karate and most other martial arts. These others derived from Kung Fu so please don't think of Kung Fu as a style of Karate.) Most of these are generalizations but the ideas are there:
1- Kung Fu is more of a finesse art while Karate tends to lean towards muscle and strength.
2- Kung Fu tends to take longer to learn. This ties in with the finesse/strength- It is much easier to use power than 'perfect' technique. The words "kung fu" don't mean martial art. The word 'kung' means time and 'fu' means energy. When together they mean a high level of skill derived from hard work over time. The name tells you it will take time. When people call and ask if I teach the philosophy of kung fu, I tell them that I teach (as much as possible given Western condition) traditional Kung Fu.
3- Kung Fu is more circular and fluid than Karate. Again, this ties in with finesse.
4- Kung Fu is Chinese while Karate is Japanese. Enough said?
Please don't think this is a 'cut' on Karate. I respect all martial arts and Karate is a fine art. I just need to clarify that there are differences (since the general Western press doesn't do this) to help me in my business and to, simply, educate the general public.
When you talk with others about martial arts, you now have a basic understanding of this and can further help educate on the differences and, maybe, help more people come to my classes for Kung Fu!
THANKS!!!

"New" Look at Autism

While Autism is not Fitness, it does affect our CHILDREN and their health so I feel it important to post this article/link for you:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/why-current-thinking-abou_b_275753.html

Please read this and pass it on at anybody who has a child with Autism or Add or similar "Disorder"!

ABSolutley Abs Seminar!

I will, finally, be doing another ABS Seminar!!!
Saturday, September 26
1:00pm- apx 2:30pm
Cost: $5 for Eagle Claw Student, $10 for Non-Students
Location: Eagle Claw Kung Fu Center
976 Jefferson Street NW
Suite C
Atlanta, GA 30318
Phone: 404-944-4103
This will cover everything you need to know about abs. It will debunk myths and teach you how to evaluate where you are in your ab strength and develop a program to get stronger.

Cosistency Is Key

In your journey to getting fit the most important aspect is CONSISTENCY. If you don't practice or train regularly you will never progress. Not much needs to be said on this since it is so clear. Muscle atrophy begins in about seven days. If you only train once per week, you will be fighting this every day. Another thing consistency will do is foster that your practice/training will become habit. You will being to 'crave' the work out and it's resulting endorphine high! Not a bad thing.
Be consistent and the rest will begin to fall into place!

Dedication and Commitment

When beginning and exercise program you must determine your level of dedication and commitment. How much do you want it? To what levels are you willing to push yourself? What levels of pain will you endure? How important is all of this towards reaching your goal(s)?
This young lady made such a commitment that I can only marvel at her:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAY_d9vsY14
Alexis Page trains under a friend of mine (Wendy Hilliard). She has determined that she will endure a 2+ hour trip (each way) to her facility. She will endure 4 hour work outs. All of this is because she wants to compete in the 2012 Olympics. She still has her education in mind- She is an A student.
My own training brother (Sifu Michael Aronson in Houston) has a 16 year old student who travels 60 miles each way to train with him.
How far (physically and mentally) do you wish to go? I wrestle with this quite frequently. After suffering through a horrible year in 2002, I lost a lot in my general fitness level. When I finally came out of the fog from that year (about 3 years later) and saw how much I had lost, I had to asses how much I wanted to work to get it back. Many questions came/come up (I still haven't resolved this fully!):
1- To what level of fitness do I want to get back?
2- How hard do I want to train?
3- If I wish to get back to my earlier levels, HOW do I motivate myself?
4- Can I get there?
5- Can my body handle it?
6- I have done all of those hard work-outs, why do them again? I don't have anything to prove!
It is on my mind during every work-out.
The key thing here is that I still work out. While I am doing this I will push myself each time. If I get to a max level, great, if not, at least I did my work-out!
Many people make excuses for not exercising; They don't have the time. They don't have a gym. They have too many injuries. If a 12 year old girl can travel almost 5 hours per day and still maintain her grades (watch the video, she is a well spoken and well mannered young lady- I KNOW Wendy wouldn't have it any other way) you can find the time and make a way to exercise for, at least, a half an hour! You probably aren't going to the Olympics or, even, be a Kugn Fu master but if you don't exercise you won't be working enough to afford the health care that you would need because you lost your health from not working out!

This Is (A) Stupid Exercise

When you are working out, if you or your trainer have you do an exercise that makes you ask this question, then do question it! Even in Kung Fu training where we can come up with a lot of very original exercise we must be aware that many of these exercise might just be ineffective or, more importantly, possibly lead to injury.
One good way to determine if the exercise is good or safe is does it follow basic exercise guidelines. If it is a leg exercise, make sure that the knees don't go past your toes, your back can retain it's normal lordotic curve and does it really work the muscle that you THINK it works! A few good examples of this are 'plie' squats and kneeling kickbacks.
'Plie' squats are where you do a squat with your feet turned out as in ballet. These are supposed to work your inner thighs but do they? Your inner thighs are adductors (bring your legs closer together). In the plie squat you really don't bring your legs that much closer. Besides, your hips are in a contraindicated (putting you at increased risk of injury) position. Also, since many who do this exercise have the goal of teir inner thighs, why do one of the major muscle reducingbuilding exercises? There are far more effective and safer ways to work inner thighs. My favorite is to stand on a board or weight plae near a low cable pulley. Place the other ankle in an ankle strap with that side towards the pulley. Without holding on to anything, pull the cable towards you to bring your legs together. It is very challenging!
Kneeling Kickbacks are where you get on hands and knees and kick back with your foot. It isn't one that will really risk injury but if you aren't using any weight, are you really working? You could do over 100 of these and keep going. Yes, you would feel a 'burn' but that only means the muscle is using some fuel but not getting any stronger. The gluteus is one of the strongest muscles in your body. If you were to do a legs press you could do far more than your body weight. You would be far better suited to work your glutes muscles by doing lunges or split squats.
The next 'most abused' thing is balance balls and boards. Do these really improve your strength and balance. I have read far more evidence that they don't than they do. Here's one article:
http://media.cybexintl.com/cybexinstitute/research/Truth_on_Fit_March09.pdf
It reinforces what I am saying.
In conclusion, I almost always (I get 'fancy' when the person is a well trained client/athlete, they have no preconditions and I have assessed the exercise for effectiveness over risk) go for the KISS method of training- Keep It Simple Stupid. I know it gets boring but you won't have to go running to the doctor in two years with a chronic injury!

Exercise as a Part of Your Life!

This should be your goal in your exercise program. You need to make exercise a regular part of your life for the rest of your life, PERIOD! When you can do this you will no longer need to worry about whether you lose 20 pounds or can bench 350. Those are good as benchmarks but not goals. (What would you do when you reach them?) When you make exercise your goal, you will begin to make it a habit. You will start to change your lifestyle to one where your health will be your PRIORITY! If you have your health you can do ALL of the other things that you enjoy or need to do more efficiently and with more energy. You will be happier (exercise releases endorphines which are a natural high) and better able to enjoy those people who you enjoy being with. And they will enjoy your health.
Studies show that job performance increases with exercise:
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20050608/exercise-may-boost-performance-on-job
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8160459
http://faculty.css.edu/tboone2/asep/Wattles2.pdf
So, even if you are so driven by that dollar, you will be better served by exercise.

Kung Fu of Control(ling anger)

One thing that I emphasize in my teaching of Eagle Claw Kung Fu is that the essence of it is to CONTROL your opponent through the use of the locks, sweeps, take-downs and other techniques that we specialize in. When people ask if I teach 'philosophy' in my class I tell them that it is but not overtly. Here is one of the main areas where that applies. For those of you who DON'T study Eagle Claw or any martial arts, this philosophy still applies!
When teaching Eagle Claw and how to use it in a fighting situation, I must make sure that the student knows how to maintain a level of calm and relaxation when they are confronted. We in Eagle Claw say that if you must fight 'keep a smile' on your face (this is one of the first things we teach in Tai Chi). Sounds funny but think of the ramifications. If you can smile when someone confronts you, they will be offset or confused by your reaction. You WILL be more relaxed- studies have shown that an 'angry face' makes people's blood pressure rise- See "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell.
Physically, you need to be relaxed to 'catch' someone's hands or arms as we do in Eagle Claw. One way that we bring this about is to spar without gear. When a student puts boxing gloves on, they almost immediately start punching as hard as they can. Our goal is not to punch but to control (this is far more compassionate and SAFE- no broken bones or blood- to both parties) our antagonist and, thus, the situation. How can we control our opponent if we cannot control our own emotions? Ww MUST train enough to know that our technigques can and will work, have the confidence in our ability to use them and then we can stay calm. Take this out of martial arts; If you are a new driver and hit a patch of ice you painc since you haven't experienced this before. If you grew up in Minnesota you calmly turn the wheel in the proper direction and continue. Fighting and confrontational situations are similar. Self defense is also. If you have never been hit, you panic when you do and then all of your training goes out the window. When we train we do our best to go as intensly as possibly without th einjury- It is not easy but that is why training is so focused.
I ask all of my students to put this to the test by competing in full-contact fights against others in tournaments. While not actual fights (there is gear and rulse) it gets one a little taste of what it is like to have someone trying to take off their head.
In closing (I can go on a long time about this topic), if you know how to defend yourself and aren't in a state of false confidence (many schools don't test their students in a valid way) when you are confronted you will be able to remain calmer. You will not lose control of your mind set and this, in turn, will make it much easier to deescalate the situation. You may not even need to use your physical techniques- As Bruce Lee said "the art of fighting without fighting".

Training On Your Own

This one is something that I address personally everyday. As a martial artist there is nobody in Atlanta who knows anywhere near what I do in Eagle Claw; The drills and partner forms alone are enough. Much of this has to be done by myself imagining a partner. Even training my forms and other exercise is usually done solo. While I COULD do some of my workout with my students, I feel it is my obligation to give them my TEACHING time and not get my thing going. With my weight training and cardio-vascular exercise it is the same- No work-out partner or trainer/instructor standing over me to get me and keep me going. How do I keep myself training and pushing myself to improve?
First I say that it ties in to my long term goal- Make Fitness and exercise a regular part of my life for the rest of my life. Once I established this I now need to live up to it. NOT easy. But, after many years of regular kung fu training and exercise I now have it in my body and mind to train. It is something that I do out of habit. I feel 'off' when I don't. Yes, there are days where I slip and don't train at all but since I have been doing it for so long, I feel a little upset but know that a few skips in the long scheme of things aren't bad and are expected. You can't get so hard on yourself that you beat your head into the ground. Another thing that I do is to sometimes just start. My Oldest training brother, Cecil, told me one day that if I just start and go it will happen. Once I start my mind then challenges itself to keep going. My body will then take over.
How this applies to you is that you should, also, make it something that you just do. Whatever type of exercise, you have to struggle to get the habit part down. The self-discipline is something that, like your muscular strength, is developed and can get stronger. Building your CHI is the fuller aspect to keep in mind. Your CHI will get stronger as you train. When you can get yourself to train regularly and push through those 'bad days' and still not quit on regular training, you will become more focused in EVERY aspect of your life! Your CHI will be felt by others around you (in a good way) and they, too will fell good around you.

"Thick NOT Fat" is BS

This latest study says it all:

ATLANTA - Nearly 36 percent of black Americans are obese — much more than other major racial or ethnic groups — and that gap exists in most states, a new federal study finds.

About 29 percent of Hispanics and 24 percent of whites are obese, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

Racial differences in obesity rates have been reported before, and health officials were not surprised to see larger proportions of blacks tipping the scales.

But the new CDC report is the first to look at the gap on a state-by-state level, finding blacks had much higher obesity rates in 17 states and had rates about as high or higher than other groups in another two dozen more states.

Health officials believe there are several reasons for the differences. People with lower incomes often have less access to medical care, exercise facilities and more expensive, healthier food. In many places, minorities are disproportionately poor.

But attitudes about weight also are believed to be a factor, said Dr. Liping Pan, a CDC epidemiologist.

“Black and Hispanics are more accepting of high weight,” she said, adding that heavy people who are satisfied with their size are not likely to diet or exercise.

Obesity is based on the body mass index, a calculation using height and weight. A 5-foot, 9-inch adult who weighs 203 pounds would have a BMI of 30, which is considered the threshold for obesity.

The data comes from national telephone surveys of hundreds of thousands of Americans in the years 2006 through 2008.

Please note the comment by Dr. Pan (I repeat it because of it's power)- "Black and Hispanics are more accepting of high weight"..... By saying you are "Thick, not fat" this is what you are doing. My being Hispanic makes it OBLIGATORY that I bring this up in my blog about fitness and health!!!

We as ALL people, but ESPECIALLY Black and Hispanics, MUST do something to STOP accepting that being overweight is good. YES, you should love yourself EVEN IF you are overweight. That IS NOT saying that you should love yourself BEING over weight!

Keep It Simple

In your training and desire to 'overcome the boredom' you will probably look into many new, different and 'exciting' training methods. You will look at new ways to use your techniques. With Kung Fu many always look for fancy applications because they think 'it's cool'. My answer to this is to "Keep It Simple"! When you start to get fancy before you have the most basic techniques you will get sloppy and make all of your technique suffer.
In a more clear way: You are doing squats to improve your legs strength. You get bored. You see someone doing a 'fancy' version of a squat (jump squats, clean and press, etc). You decide to try one. Since you are new to lifting you haven't developed the necessary skills, strength (core, legs) and coordination to do the exercise. You seriously injure yourself.
With Kung Fu this can happen also. There have been many times when I have had to hold a student from doing 'tornado' kicks (360 rotation) because they aren't ready for any number of reasons. Or you see a student trying to apply a sparring technique that is beyond their skill level. They get hit very cleanly because they can't perform a basic block yet!
In conclusion, when you are training, whether it be in Kung Fu or just regular fitness, stay with our general princicple of not being in a hurry to get there and do the technique or exercise level that you are truly ready for. Keep it simple until you can handle it. If you aren't sure how to judge, find someone qualified who can!

Overcoming the 'Boredom' of Training

Attaining Kung Fu is just that- The attainment of a high level of skill through hard work over time. This is not easy and never expected to be. It DOES get boring. Thousands of repetitions of the same technique is just not something many people want to do. But you must remember your objective- To attain Kung Fu! Tiger Woods must have hit MILLION of balls from the tee to get such a great tee shot. Roger Federer must have done the same with his serve. Yo-Yo Ma must have done his scales, too. The basic rule is 10,ooo hours of practice! (See Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers" for more on this) How do you get through this? You must have the self-discipline. If you don't, start light with doing 100 reps per day and build from there. Nobody said it had to happen over night. We are not putting a time frame on it! Just keep another KEY concept in mind; The practice must be conscientious and exacting! If you practice imperfectly, your results will be, also. It takes, roughly 300 repetions to make a movement more 'automatic' or 'sub-conscious' so that you don't have to think about it. If you do it incorrectly, however, it takes roughly 5,000 times to correct it.
So, when you are training, be aware that this is part of the development of your self-discipline. When you are 'bored', just tell yourself "one more set" and then do it again. When exhausted and your form slips stop and come back the next day. Like a muscle, your mind needs to develop it's own strength and focus, over time. Don't pressure yourself too fast and don't get upset when you can't focus. It is all part of your development. You will get 'stronger' and develop your chi to be able to last longer.

Making The Committment, Long Term Goals

When beginning your journey to attain kung fu (kung means energy, fu means time. When together they mean 'a high level of skill attained through hard work over time'. This can apply to anything and not just Chinese martial arts) you must keep in mind what that means. You should set your mind into thinking that this will be an ongoing journey and not one that will end when at a fixed time or day. Can you ever really attain perfection? When is your skill at it's highest? You will constantly be reaching higher. Keep this in mind when you start your journey, whether it be in Chinese martial arts (the real term for them is Wu Shu but this takes another explanation for later) or tennis or football or just simple exercise. When setting your goal, make it one that will constanyl evolve as you grow and your skills grow and improve. My goal is "Make exercise a regular part of my life for the rest of my life."
Whatever you come up with to make your long term goal, do it with 'Kung Fu" in mind.

Kung Fu For Fitness

This is my true favorite thing. As someone who has been a competitive athlete in many sports- football, track, soccer, basketball- and has been a personal fitness trainer for 20 years, I will say that NO work-out has been as fulfilling and complete as Kung Fu. Doing Kung Fu (the true meaning is 'high level of skill attained through hard work over time') has gotten me into the best all-around physical shape of my life. I can still run 4 miles in a hlaf hour, I can do a full split, I am able to do (last time I tested) 82 push-ups in one minute. Yet, most of my training has come from doig Kung Fu. How is this? There is a training principle called 'specificity of training'. This means that you get strong in the way that you train. If you bike a lot, you will get improve at that but not, necessarily at running. Swimming will not help your running. Bench pressing 350 pounds will not help you sprint. Nor will it make you punch harder. Kung Fu and all of it's different motions has so many that I could take almost any sport and show a kung fu method/technique that would simulate an aspect of that sport and could be used to improve it. You will develop am awareness of your body that only dancers and gymnasts have. Balance, coordination, flexability, endurance, explosive power, core strength and so many other physical areas will improve. Concentration, memory and your ability to relax under stress will all improve. Add to this that you will learn to defend yourself in physical and mental confrontations.
Look for a good kung fu school and give it a try. You just may find something different that has enough variety to keep you interested but enough stability to allow for you to see your progress.

What REALLY is Exercise?

Just one the phone with someone who was talking about how her family is so out of shape and all. She then proceeded to tell me the same stuff that many are now saying- If only they would just walk down the block and do SOMETHING, they would not be in such bad shape. Well my take on this is that is a cop-out for not WANTING to do the work and put the actual effort into exercise! There are STANDARDS that are out there as to what 'exercise' is if you only look. I'll give the basic ones now:
Cardivascular Exercise you need to maintain a heart rate of at least 60-90% of your maximum for at least 20 minutes (American Council on Exercise)
Strength- Strength is the maximum amount of weight you can lift once- The basic rule is that you need to lift so much weight that you cannot do more than 8-12 repetitions with good form.
Muscular Endurance- How many times you can lift a certain amount of weight.
If you keep to these basics you will start to be able to develop your program to suit your needs.
Don't deceive yourself and think that parking your car at the far end of the parking lot is a work-out. Or that walking in the park while on your cell phone or being on some cardiovascular equipment and reading will be intense enough. It MAY be but you should make sure that you have figured out what your target rates are.
More later.....

Welcome to The Tao Of Exercise

Hello, since this is my first time doing this I will begin by letting you know some of my background, what my goals are and a little of my philosophy.
My name is Joel Rodriguez. I am 50 years old from NYC. Now residing in Atlanta for 14 years. I am a Master and full-time instructor of Eagle Claw Kung Fu and Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan. I have been teaching Kung Fu for 20+ years. I also have been a certified personal trainer for 20 years. Prior to kung fu I was a competitive athlete (through High School) in track, football, soccer and basketball. I have always been athletic. My personal desire and motivations for my level of health and fitness are that both my Grandfather and Mother passed from diabetes. Along with that a very close friend who was an exceptional athlete gainde a lot of weight and in his early 40's had a heart attack and needed quadruple bipass! I am not going to alow either to happen to me. It is also my goal to do what I can to help others not have these happen to them.
My philosophy regarding fitness and training are very simple. To borrow the phrase JUST DO IT! Having been a martial artist for so long, my Eastern philosophy comes through here. I believe that your goal in training shouldn't be to lose weight or get stronger or any of these other 'simple' goals. My attitude is that your goal should be to make fitness and exercise a regular part of your life for the rest of your life! Just think of how deep and powerful and challenging that goal is. Your short term goal is quite simply to make each work out the best that you can do for that work out. You can use how fast you go or how much weight you lift as benchmarks but don't get so caught up in numbers. You ill have good days and bad days but if you give it your best you will always be glad that you worked out.
Most of what and how I gear myself is towards my Kung Fu (Eagle Claw Kung Fu and Wu Tai Chi Chuan) and my fitness training is geared towards 'sport specific training'. This means that when you shoul dlook at my blogs as how you can apply them to your lifestyle and workouts.
With that in mind, I hope that you enjoy and learn from what I put on here. My ideas are going to be, sometimes, controversial but I always want you to think and judge for yourself. Blind faith is not a good thing!