The Art of Tae Kwon Do

Tae Kwon Do is a form of Korean martial arts. This means that in the past, Tae Kwon Do has been utilized as a systemized method of combat and self-defense, and its roots are traced particularly to the Koguryo dynasty between 37 BC to 668 AD. Despite this though, modern Tae Kwon Do bears little or no resemblance to Korean martial arts of this time. In fact, the name Tae Kwon Do did not come to pass until the 1960s after the Japanese occupation in Korea had ended.

The term Tae Kwon Do, loosely translated means the way the foot and fist strikes. This term for the Korean martial arts was chosen to unify all the martial art schools that existed in Korea after the Japanese occupation.

Actually, Tae Kwon Do is a melting pot of martial art techniques from Japan and China, combined with traditional Korean martial arts. One can probably say that Tae Kwon Do takes the best of all the martial art schools from Korea, Japan and China and masterfully blends it into the umbrella of Tae Kwon Do. This particular martial art relies on the philosophy that one’s leg is his longest weapon, which he can use to strike his opponent at some distance. This is why Tae Kwon Do is characterized by its kicks especially in sparring competitions.

Remember that before the human civilization became global and highly technological, wars between and among dynasties in the eastern nations were done by soldiers through one on one combat utilizing the martial arts they were trained in. More than a combat technique, the reason why the word “art” is added in this term is because aside from combat training, students of certain martial arts schools were also taught academic lessons as well as philosophies, making martial arts a certain way of life.

Now in this modern day, martial arts are no longer taught for this purpose and instead, individuals learn martial arts as a sport or form of entertainment. In this regard, Tae Kwon Do is a very popular method of martial arts. It is Korea’s public sport and it has immense presence all around the globe with federation head quarters not only in Korea but in Austria and Canada as well.

Aside from this, Tae Kwon Do is one of two martial art forms that are part of the Olympics. In Olympic competition, grappling is not allowed and instead, competitions are done by sparring, where blows to the head and spine are also not allowed. As with any other martial art school, Tae Kwon Do students show their rank and progress by acquiring different colored belts depending on their level.

While belt colors and what they stand for generally vary, it is most common to begin at the white belt level and progress nine colors further to reach the highest colored belt of black. Even at the black belt level, there are still ranks and levels that are usually signified by silver or gold stripes on the black belt.

Aside from grappling which is done only in higher levels of Tae Kwon Do, and sparring, Tae Kwon Do is also known for breaking techniques such as smashing layers of bricks and other sturdy materials. This is done for martial arts demonstrations.

Foods That Boost Metabolism

Simply stated, metabolism is the process in which our bodies burn calories at rest. The human body expends energy (the burning of calories) for the process of digestion, breathing, blood circulation, the regulation of body temperature, and detoxification.

Foods that boost metabolism are high in fiber, lower in calories, and are nutrient dense. These foods are also known as whole foods and they are: fruits and vegetables. whole grains, lean meats, poultry, fish, and low fat dairy. Due to the higher fiber content in these foods, the human body takes longer to digest them, thus burning more calories, and your appetite is suppressed longer. Another benefit is the higher nutritional value.

Green tea helps to detoxify the body and is a power house of antioxidants that remove free radicals that can lead to dis-ease thereby improving the immune system. There are studies that show the compound EGCG found in green tea can increase the body’s metabolic rate.

Fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, and fish oil supplements, increase the levels of fat burning enzymes and decrease the levels of fat storing enzymes. They also help with lower blood pressure, lower LDL (bad cholesterol), and raise HDL (good cholesterol).

Proteins help build muscle, and more muscle mass helps to improve metabolism. Weight training, resistance and strength training help build muscle.

Water is important in a higher protein diet. A diet rich in protein can stress the kidneys, therefore, an increase in water consumption is needed.

Always eat breakfast. Your body’s metabolism has slowed down during the night. To rev up your metabolism you must break the fast by eating a healthy breakfast.

Eating whole foods that boost your metabolism will not increase your metabolism alone. You also need to incorporate exercise, weight or resistance training, and get adequate sleep into your lifestyle.

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5 Tips for Building Muscle at Home

I have always believed that you have a much better chance of reaching your fitness goals if you join a gym and get advice from a professional trainer or coach. However, many MuscleandStrength.com readers do not have the time, money or desire to join a gym and prefer to workout at home. I believe that working out home has a its disadvantages, but the one huge advantage it does have is…you don’t have to leave the house!

If you are one of these people that plans to workout at home then this article is for you! Like I just mentioned, you will have a far better chance of achieving your goals when you join a gym but it is possible to get into shape and build muscle without leaving your home with limited equipment.

So here at my top 5 tips for building muscle at home:

1) Don’t waste your money on “miracle” gym equipment
Getting in shape takes time, motivation and hard work. If you are not willing to put in those three things then you may as well not start. Avoid gym equipment that says “get in shape in 5 minutes a day”, or “flatter abs in 14 days”. These types of equipment are a total waste of money! You can literally do hundreds of exercises just using a set of dumbbells and a barbell, and these happen to be some of the cheapest pieces of gym equipment. If you are unsure of what equipment best suits your needs you should consult a fitness professional (see tip 5).

2) Wherever possible, use your bodyweight
If you have limited equipment, bodyweight exercises are your friend. You can potentially pack on a huge amount of muscle without ever lifting a dumbbell or barbell. Good bodyweight exercises to do at home include chin ups, wide grip pull ups, dips, bench dips, push ups and bodyweight rows.

3) Plan your diet around your workouts
If you have the flexibility of working out at home then you also have the ability to plan your meals around your workouts. Diet makes up 70% of the building muscle process so you can see how important it is. Make sure you eat a good serve of complex carbohydrates about one hour before your workout and a nutritious meal containing protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals within 1 hour of finishing your workout. You should spread your meals out evenly throughout the day. Eat six small meals throughout the day instead of three large ones. This promotes a fast metabolism and limits fat storage.

4) Avoid distractions
One of the problems with working out at home is getting easily distracted. If possible, set up your gym equipment in an empty room with a stereo so you can focus on working out and not what’s happening around the house. A friend of mine who has a home gym told me he often used to put his favorite bodybuilding DVDs on while he was training to keep him motivated. This is an awesome tip to stay motivated at home. Another tip would be to try and workout when no one else is home.

5) Consult a fitness professional
I recommend this for people who are new to weight training and home workouts. Even if you have trained in a gym before, working out at home is much different and a fitness professional with working out at home experience should be able to help you out. In addition to helping you with your home gym setup, he/she will be able to plan a good routine and give you some tips to maximize the equipment you’ve got. You should be able to get all the help you need in one or two sessions so it shouldn’t break the bank!

These are just a few important tips for those of you working out at home. If you are serious about workout out at home for the long term, I would recommend that you pick up a few more basic pieces of equipment. These include an adjustable bench, weight rack (this can be used for bench and squatting) and a good range of dumbbells and weight plates.

Abdominal Muscles and Target Fatloss – How Ab Fat IS and Isn’t Burned

There are two groups of trainees: those who know what exactly it takes to reveal the abdominal muscles, and those who wrongfully think that abdominal exercises are actually what melts the fat in the mid section.

If what you just read surprises you in any way, bare with me for a few more paragraphs in order to find out how abdominal fat is NOT burned, how it IS effectively burned and what exercises stimulate the most the process of fat loss.

Why you can’t directly use the fat from any spot you want:

The simple reason is fat has to be taken out of the fat cell and it has to enter the blood stream, from where it will be delivered to the working muscles.

You can NOT tell your body where to take the fat from. It takes it from everywhere. And since the most fat accumulates in the mid section (typical for both men and women) that’s why it seems to go away so slow.

Yes, it would be nice if a working muscle (as in working abs) could pull fat from the closest sites in the body. Here is another reason why this is not possible: there is a layer of tissue between the subcutaneous (under the skin) fat and the muscles underneath it. This layer does not allow any short cuts from the fat to the working muscle in proximity. The fat still has to enter through the general blood flow first.

Now that we got this straight let’s see how you should train effectively in order to reveal your six pack.

Three main conditions are involved: proper nutrition, proper resistance training and cardiovascular activity.

We are examining the training part of the equation, and that’s why I am not going to focus on nutrition here in this article. As to the resistance training, simply remember this:

Select basic multi-joint exercises, involving large muscle groups. Why? Because these are the exercises that positively affect your metabolic rate – they are very energy demanding during the workout, and they will also help you burn more calories for hours after doing them.

Such exercises are: squats, dead lifts, bench press, shoulder (military) press, etc. Make sure you always include one or more of them in your training routine.

The next, equally important thing you MUST do is cardio activity. This is what will actually burn the most fat.

You have two choices here: steady state cardio activity – the resistance is moderate and it doesn’t change throughout the session; and high intensity interval training activity – you cycle all-out bouts with rest periods that are at least as long in duration as are the all-out periods. A good example for such cardio activity is the sprints, followed with walking.

The first type of cardio activity, described above, helps you use the fat for energy during the exercise, whereas the second type uses mainly carbohydrates during the session, but it has the ability to elevate your resting metabolic rate to where you burn more fat for hours after the activity is over.

“Well then what do I need abdominal exercises for?” you’d ask.

You definitely need them but not to loose the fat, covering the abs. You need them to better condition your abdominal muscles and even build size on them. Completed physique and proper body posture are the “side effects” from doing ab exercises.

Do ab work at least two – three times a week. Train them heavy like every other muscle group. Don’t forget. You are striving to condition them and build size...

Creating a Heavy Bag Workout for Yourself!

Many people over look the power of simply hitting a punching bag for a highly effective workout. You can purchase an inexpensive punching bag at your local sporting good store. If you’ve never seen one they are supported by floor stands or more commonly hung from a frame that attaches to your ceiling.

Exercising vigorously causes small injuries to your muscle fibers which is why you generally feel sore the day following a really hard workout. When you exercise with sore muscles then you are greatly increasing your odds of serious injury. You should let your body have a day in between vigorous workouts to allow it time to heal properly, try taking a nice walk or swim.

Cross training requires you to alternate sports on different days to efficiently work out different muscle groups. Cross training is great because it allows your muscles at least two days to recover, greatly decreasing your chances of injury. Spending some time hitting a punching bag with your favorite CD blasting is a perfect way to exercise your upper body then the following day you can change it up with a lower body kick boxing or running exercise.

Hitting a punching bag does a lot more than improve stamina and provide a great cardio workout. It can help improve your overall coordination. If you punch the bag it swings back and comes back toward you. You want to practice hitting the bag at the time it is coming back toward you. You will soon find that if you hit it too early or too late it will not stay in rhythm and you will more than likely miss the bag.

Begin your heavy bag workout by hitting the bag lightly until your arms feel sore and tired. Gradually increase the intensity and time of the workout as you feel stronger, make sure you give yourself a break every other day.

If you find that you are falling asleep on the treadmill or finding it hard to stay on that last twenty minutes that you know will feel like two hours you should defiantly try mixing it up with a heavy bag workout or try some high intensity workout DVDs.

Heavy bag training isn’t just for boxers or only men. In addition to the amazing cardio you are doing, your heavy bag training sessions will also improve your self defense skills, perfect for women who are looking for that extra boost of confidence! Heavy bag training also has been known to reduce stress.

Heavy bag workouts are a great alterative to dull cardio fitness routines that aren’t motivating anymore. With a workout that you enjoy you will be more likely to workout longer and harder and see results faster than you ever imagined.

Injury Free Runners Choose The Right Kind Of Running Shoe

Many people start personal running programs with all the right intentions, and plenty of motivation, only to slack off or quit after a few weeks. In many of these cases foot, ankle or knee soreness is the culprit.

Running on hard surfaces like paved roads and sidewalks can cause injury. If you live in a major metropolitan area there may not be much you can do about that. Running on uneven surfaces is also often the cause of discomfort or injury. The kinetic energy of your foot striking the ground while running is about five times your body weight. For a 200 pound man that means that each foot absorbs about 1,000 ft/pounds of energy each time it strikes the ground. It is no wonder running can create discomfort or injury.

You may only have a limited choice deciding where to run, but you have many choices deciding which pair of running shoes to put on your feet. It does make a big difference. The fundamental principle of selecting the proper running shoe is that the shoe should fit your foot, not the other way around. Running shoes do not have a break-in period. Running shoes will not stretch or contort their shape to fit your fit. Your running shoes fit the first time you put them on or never.

Your mission is to find a shoe that conforms as closely as possible to the shape of your foot. How do you determine the shape of your foot, and why is that important?

Shoe manufacturers are aware that, anatomically, feet usually fall into one of three categories. Some people have “floppy” feet that are very loose-jointed. Because feet like this are too mobile, they give and roll to the inside when they hit the ground. Floppy feet leave a flat foot impression on wet sand. Improperly fitted running shoes tend to cause uneven wear on both the inside and outside of the shoe. The heels will tend to wear unevenly on the inside.

Common injuries for floppy feet from improperly fitted running shoes are knee pain, arch pain, and heel pain. Floppy feet need motion control running shoes.

At the other extreme are people with “rigid” feet. These feet are very tight-jointed and do not yield enough upon impact. Rigid feet leave only the toes, balls of the feet, and heel impression in wet sand. Another name is high arch feet. Improperly fitted running shoes for rigid feet tend to wear unevenly on the outside of the shoe. Heels wear excessively on the outside edge.

Common rigid foot running injuries are stress fractures, shin splints, and ankle sprains. To help avoid these impact related injuries, these people need impact control running shoes.

Finally, the third type, or normal foot, falls somewhere between mobile and rigid. This type of foot can use any running shoe that is stable and properly cushioned.

If you want to prevent injury and stay with your running program you need either motion control running shoes, impact control running shoes, or properly fitted cushioned running shoes. The major shoe manufacturers are way ahead of you and already have the running shoe that is engineered for your particular foot shape. The ball socket, which is the widest part of the shoe, is the most important fitting area.

Here are few tips on fitting the proper running shoes. Your foot size changes regularly and what fit comfortably a few years ago may not be right today. You want 3/8 to ½ inch of room from the end of your longest toe to the front of the shoe. The shoe will not stretch to fit. Measure your feet at the end of the day. They may be ½ size larger than when you got up. AnimeFit.

Special Concenrs for Overweight and Obese Exercisers

Many individuals exercise to lose weight, but the very overweight and obese have special concerns. Their whole metabolic and hormonal systems are different than normal or moderately overweight people. Because of their extra weight, they are often less coordinated and prone to injury and athritis.

Many chronic and acute illnesses are associated with obesity, making it imperative individuals be fully screened by their physician before beginning an exercise program. Once you have a physician’s clearance you should work only with a fitness professional who has certification in training with the obese and overweight.

When it comes to program design, traditional strength training and cardivascular conditioning programs aren’t always the best indicators for success. This is because traditional motivators rarely work with this population. The key is to find activities each individual enjoys and do not lead to pain or discomfort.

Also, the US Surgeon General’s recommedation of 30 minutes or more of moderate intensity exercise most days of the week doesn’t apply to the overweight or obese. Many of these individual’s are happy to walk out to their mail box or make it up a flight of stairs without being winded.

Low intensity and moderate duration is best for this special population. Using ratings of perceived exertion (choosing a number on a scale of 6-20 which represents how hard you feel you are working) instead of taking heart rates is a more accurate judge of intensity. Ten to fifteen minutes at a low intensity works well for many overweight clients.

Often specialized equipment is needed. For example, it may be necessary to build a special seat for an obese person performing cycling. If the person has arthritis, their chosen equipment and activity should protect the joints. Elliptical crosstrainers, recumbent bikes and recumbent steppers are popular among the severely overweight.

Water based activities are excellent for the severely overweight and those with arthritis. It reduces the weight bearing effects of dryland training. Some overweight individuals, however, do not feel comfortable wearing a bathing suit in public.

Some experts recommened overweight people perform some other sort of resistance training for 10-15 minutes, three days a week. Weightlifting can be difficult because they may not have the coordination to lift free weights and may not fit into the machines. A better choice would be to use lighter hand held weights or elastic bands. Resistance training has been shown to increase muscle mass, decrease fat mass and improve self esteem.

Despite our best trainer’s efforts, adherence among obese and overweight clients is low. For some, movement itself is new and intimidating. Many are self conscience and don’t want to be seen working out for fear of being ridiculed. Luckily, there are always those clients who will stick to their routine because they don’t want to continuing living their present lives. They will do everything it takes to reach their health and fitness goals.

The Thing About Yoga is… a history

Yoga was developed in India at least three thousand years ago, and is a discipline that uses breath control, meditation and physical exercises. There are number of things about yoga that make it particular appealing, chiefly because it helps to promote mental and physical well being. The purpose of the philosophy and technique is to achieve a heightened awareness, and ultimately, to attain spiritual enlightenment.

First, there are some basic principals about yoga that are an integral part of its teachings. These come mainly from the Bhagavad Gita, which is one of the primary religious texts outlining ways to achieve liberation from one’s worldly worries and desires.

There are many different types of yoga, and one of the most popular forms in the West is hatha yoga, which focuses on strengthening, toning and relaxation. Most yoga exercises focus on proper positioning of the body in various postures. One of the high points about yoga is its benefit to overall body health. Daily practice improves strength, suppleness, and circulation. It promotes relaxation and increases range of motion, which helps to reduce the likelihood of muscle strain. Many people use it as a primary source of exercise, and others use it complementarily – such as with running, to help strengthen a host of different muscles.

Yogis believe that breath is the bridge between mind and body. Pranayama are specific exercises in which the person breathes deeply, concentrating on the breath as it enters and exits the nostrils. This puts the person at ease and allows their muscles to warm up gradually. This focus on breathing allows deep muscle relaxation, releases tension, and induces a tranquil state.

Yoga can be especially useful to older people and those with disabilities who are recovering from an illness. However, anyone can benefit from the slow, gentle exercises and the positive effect they have on hormonal balance, alleviating depression, and increasing strength and flexibility. One of the best things about yoga is that it is accessible to people of all ages and physical fitness levels.

One of the important differences between yoga and a typical workout exercise is an emphasis on process. While many exercise programs encourage you to push and strain every muscle in your body, to eradicate the ‘negative’ things in your body, the positive thing about yoga is that it has an entirely different approach. It focuses on developing awareness of the body as it is, accepting and working within its limits.

Ab Exercises – The Facts for Sexy Abs

Ab exercises are one of the most popular, and yet, most controversial topics in the exercise and health/fitness industry. Hundreds of ab belts, ab gadgets, ab gimmicks, and ab exercise machines have flooded the exercise market for people looking for sexier and flatter abs… that sexy six-pack abs appearance that everybody wants.

The problem is that most of the ab exercises that are recommended all over the internet, and in magazines, etc, are not necessarily the best method to get that six-pack abs appearance. First and foremost, the most important aspect for great looking six pack abs is losing the extra stomach fat that is covering up the abs. To be honest, most people already have decent abs underneath, yet the six-pack is simply covered up by all of that extra flabby belly fat.

Instead of focusing so much on ab exercises to make your belly flatter and more like a six-pack, you will lose much more abdominal fat by focusing the majority of your workout time with special combinations of high intensity full-body, multi-joint exercises. The best exercises for losing that sloppy ab fat are the exercises that work the largest portions of the body at once.

Exercises that work the much larger muscle groups of the legs, upper and lower back, and chest give you the biggest metabolic bang for your buck in terms of ab fat loss. Combining these types of big multi-joint exercises in high intensity super-set, tri-set, or circuit fashion gives you the biggest fat-burning and metabolism boosting response from your workouts.

And that is one of the best kept secrets for flat sexy abs that are actually visible as a six-pack!

Now when it comes to ab-specific exercises, another mistake most people make is mindlessly pumping away with hundreds of crunches and other meaningless abdominal exercises that barely give your abs much resistance to work against. If you want to actually develop your abs to the best extent possible, don’t waste your time with exercises that you can do more than 20 or 25 reps… that means you are definitely not doing an exercise that provides enough resistance to the abs. Exercises that give you enough resistance to get you down into the 6-15 rep range per set works great for the abs.

Generally, higher resistance ab exercises that provide a much larger stimulus to the abdominals come in the form of exercises that involve raising/curling the legs and pelvis either upward or inward closer to the trunk. A couple great examples of these higher resistance ab exercises are hanging leg raises or knee raises using a “pelvic curl up”, or an exercise like lying hip thrusts. Many times, the same people that can do 80 or 100 crunches, can’t even complete more than 2 or 3 properly executed hanging leg raises, because they simply have never worked the abs under heavier resistance.

If you really want tighter flatter abs that look like a six-pack, remember that losing that extra stomach fat is actually the MOST important part. Also, when it comes to ab-specific exercises, always remember higher resistance exercises that involve curling/raising the legs and pelvis upward or inward are what develops the abs to the best extent possible.

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