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The Pros and Cons of Self-Defense for Kids

The gamut of martial arts as a group of sports has proved an invaluable means of crossing cultural barriers. From Brazil’s Capoeira to Korea’s taekwondo, martial arts are taught and performed all over the world, often providing kids with an insight into the culture where the specific sport originated, while simultaneously they develop self-defense tactics and get fit too!
Some of the longer established organizations promoting well-supervised martial arts training include Yang’s Martial Arts Association, or ‘YMAA’ and NAGA, the North American Grappling Association, both bodies which accredits martial arts schools. By applying strict criteria before being willing to extend endorsements to individual establishments, such organizations endeavor to keep standards high. Schools which have received this approval exist in Poland to New Zealand, Italy and the United States.
As a fount of new friends, and a place to gain leadership skills and strategies for tackling bullies, classes for kids in karate and other martial arts are often a good idea. Those who have concentration difficulties can benefit from the discipline of the drills. Self-esteem can be raised through sparring, and many adults who were sent to self-defense classes in childhood now recognize the advantages in terms of increased confidence.
Realistically, however, if a child were to contemplate using the skills taught in order to fight off a would-be abductor, they could scarcely succeed. An adult’s strength and size will virtually always overpower the attempts of any but the most well-built child. No matter how well-drilled that child may be in fight moves, the odds are stacked against him. Whilst self- defense classes are a viable option when selecting sports to take up, touting them as possible training in combating real-life adversaries could be considered irresponsible.
Issues of physical size and shape aside, kids’ involvement in martial arts often has the unlooked-for benefit of opening the mind to other philosophies, eastern or otherwise. Perhaps the time has come to make the most of these barrier-busting opportunities and to hold the first international martial arts congress for kids.

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Filed Under: General, Martial Arts Tagged With: , , ,

Understanding the Rules and Regulations To Football

Ryan Valentine scores the goal that keeps Wrex...
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I enjoy professional football but have seldom understood all of its rules, regulations and penalties. The rules of the game can differ from play to play and can often be complex in nature, so having a basic understanding of this sport can make for a more enjoyable game whether you’re at the stadium or your local pub.

The Field

Knowing your football field is the first step to understanding this sport. The length of the field is 120 yards long and its width is 53 ½ yards. The goals are 100 yards apart with 10 additional yards at the end of each zone. The zone is where the goal posts are and kicking the ball through the goal posts is a sure way to score points and depending on the play even win the game. Every five yards the field is divided by yard lines and the 50 yard line is directly in the middle. Before each play both teams are provided enough space to line up on both sides of the football. To guarantee this, the football is always placed on what is known as hash marks prior to each play.

Football Format

There are four quarters in a football game and each quarter has a measurement of time. Both teams contend with each other to score the most points within the given time frame. For example, when a team member has possession of the football he can pick up yards getting him closer to the end zone as long as he doesn’t run out of bounds. If he makes it to the end zone without running out of bounds or being tackled he scores points for his team. Once a player is tackled or out of bounds the whistle is blown, the clock stops and it’s onto the next play.

Penalties

There are several penalties that govern a game and can cause for a loss of yardage. Here is just a couple you should know about:
False Start: If a football player moves right before the snap it will cost his team five yards.
Pass Interference: When a defender prevents his opponent from catching the ball after it’s in the air.

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Filed Under: Football, Sports Tagged With: , ,

The Health Benefits of Martial Arts

There is no question that the various forms of martial arts including Kenpo, Taekwondo, Karate, Judo, Tai Chi, and Kung Fu, are excellent ways to learn how to defend yourself. Did you know that they also provide you with extensive health benefits as well? As with many other sporting activities, marital arts provide your body with an all over workout.

Physical Fitness and Mental Calm

The aerobic qualities of martial arts raises your heart rate, increasing the amount of calories you burn. If practiced frequently enough, martial arts can be a great way to lose weight. For instance in one kickboxing session, an individual could potentially burn up to 1000 calories. Along with the direct fitness aspects, martial arts are also an effective way to reduce stress.

The repetitive nature of the techniques along with the attention to breath contribute to increasing your bodies endorphin levels and reducing the stress hormone- cortisone. Other physical benefits include improved brain functioning, decrease in blood sugar and blood pressure levels, and increase in blood supply to your cells and tissues. Overall these benefits can assist your body in fighting off diabetes, increasing heart health and preventing certain types of cancers.

Flexibility and Control

Yoga, an ancient eastern spiritual and physical practice is also widely touted for its increase in a person’s flexibility. Surprisingly enough most martial arts practices also offer an excellent way to warm your body while increasing its flexibility. Various stretches actually increase the effectiveness of marital arts techniques, tight muscles don’t’ have the range nor the preciseness in movement that limber ones do.

Overall, martial arts offer its participant’s way more than just the ability to protect themselves. A frequent practitioner of any of the various martial arts forms will discover that they are a leaner, calmer, and more flexible person than before.

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Filed Under: Fitness, Games, Sports Tagged With: , , ,

American Kenpo – A Brief Introduction

American Kenpo
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While Kenpo is a Japanese/Chinese version of karate that developed in Hawaii, the American version of Kenpo was developed by Ed Parker and was developed by a series of his masters, most notably Master Chow, in the 1940′s. Kenpo can also be spelled kempo and means “fist law” or “china hands”. It is a blend of the original Shaolin arts and Karate. There were three forms of Kenpo that Ed Parker taught. One was the Kenpo Karate which he taught to his students in Provo, Utah. A second was called Chinese Kenpo, that he wrote a book based upon chinese-influenced moves called Secrets of Chinese Karate. A third form was American Kenpo and this is the style we will focus upon today.

When Ed Parker died on December 15th, 1990, he left no successor, so it is said that American Kenpo is in decline and the martial arts style that he created is only being taught by two of his students today. Ed Parker was known as the black-belted Mormon and he taught his style to many of the students in BYU, in Utah and later in Pasadena, California.

There is a Kenpo creed that says “I come to you with only “Karate” – empty hands.I have no weapons; but should I be forced to defend myself, my principles or my honor; should it be a matter of life or death, of right or wrong; then here are my weapons – “Karate” – my empty hands.” That creed was developed by Ed Parker in 1957. He founded the Kenpo Karate Association of America.

Kenpo techniques are taught in a three part series. The Ideal, the What-If and the Formulation. The reasoning behind teaching a technique in such a way is that one never knows exactly how an opponent will react to a certain technique. Techniques are taught as techniques.

In American Kenpo there are several degrees of belts, White, Yellow, Orange, Purple, Blue, Green, Third Brown, Second Brown, First Brown, and First through Tenth Black. The final phase is called Shodan.

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Filed Under: Martial Arts Tagged With: ,

Endurance Athletes Have Special Nutritional Needs

Most endurance athletes cannot eat the same foods that sedentary people eat, and expect to maintain a high level of performance over a long number of years. Their nutritional needs are significantly different, and need to be addressed for maximum performance. For purposes of explanation, an endurance athlete is a person who maintains elevated breathing and heartbeat rates for a significant period of time, most often two hours or more.

There are many sports whose participants are endurance athletes, even if they do not realize such. Marathoners and triathletes are obvious examples, but have you ever considered that a backpacking hiker, carrying a heavy load over many miles for extended periods of time, also qualifies? Folks who walk across a country, or row a boat across an ocean, or swim the English Channel, or engage in any prolonged activity which involves little in the way of rest, are all in the same group. Mountain bikers, trail runners, rock climbers, and even backcountry skiers, all need a special dietary intake to replace nutrients lost during prolonged sweating and exertion.

Replacing essential nutrients is the pivotal step necessary to both maintaining one’s performance level over a long period of time, and recovering as quickly as possible after prolonged exertion. This raises the question, ‘What are essential nutrients for endurance athletes?’ The answer is straightforward – the primary electrolytes, plus protein, the antioxidant vitamin E, zinc, and the B vitamins.

Most simply, the major electrolytes are calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and chloride. Supplements can provide the daily recommended amounts, which are challenging to derive from foods alone. Zinc and the B vitamins both help with the conversion of food into usable energy, while vitamin E has been shown to reduce cellular damage caused by strenuous exercise.

Introducing these nutrients into one’s diet via supplement form, combined with a varied diet, can aid physical performance during exercise. This process can also cut one’s ‘sore muscle’ phase after a lengthy workout or race, shortening the time required before another workout can begin. For any aspiring or practicing endurance athlete, addressing nutritional intake is a key step to improving performance.

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