Shotokai is the name of the association formed by Gichin Funakoshi “the father of modern karate” in 1935 and has since become a style of karate whose practitioners believe accurately reflects the teachings of Master Funakoshi. This move to a formal style of karate was solidified in 1956 when Genshin Hironishi became the President of …
Capoeira is a highly athletic Brazilian martial art that is practiced in the form of a game: two capoeiristas play inside a circle formed by the remaining members of the group who sing to the music of the band.. The band is an integral part of capoeira, determining the pace, style and aggressiveness of the …
Whenever I watch a boxing match, I’m always amazed at the physical conditioning of the fighters. They’re invariably lean and muscular and therefore I’ve always assumed that they lifted weights in order to get to this level of conditioning. Weight lifting consistently over a period of time causes the muscles to undergo physical changes whereby …
When choosing a martial art to practise, it’s important to select the right one. It’s a huge investment of time so you’ll want to ensure you’re on the right path from the start. One of the factors to take into account is how easy the martial art is to learn. I’m not talking about getting …
Boxing is an extremely popular activity across the world and is practised by hundreds of thousands of participants both by those that actively want to spar against an opponent and by individuals who simply want to lose weight and stay in shape. It’s been around for thousands of years and in modern times, can be …
If you’ve ever been in a boxing gym, one of the sounds you’re most likely to hear, apart from the resonating thuds of the heavy bags being hit, is the hissing sound made by the fighters each time they throw a heavy punch. This sound is generated by the boxer exhaling forcefully through their mouth …
I was recently contacted by a martial arts practitioner who said that they didn’t have the space to hang a punch bag in their apartment but they did have a solid brick wall in one of their rooms. They asked if it would be a good idea to practise their striking techniques by hitting the …
Is it bad to punch walls as part of your training? Read More »
So you’ve either just joined a boxing gym or you’ve purchased a heavy bag for your home gym. You’re full of enthusiasm and can’t wait to start working out to re-enact one of the training scenes from Rocky. Well that’s at least how I felt when my punching bag arrived in the mail as the …
An exercise session using a heavy bag provides a superb workout. It develops hand-eye coordination, muscular strength and endurance, whilst also being a superb way to let off steam, say, after a frustrating day at work. A punch bag (such as this one on Amazon) makes a superb addition to any home gym and only …
Using a heavy punching bag as part of your workout routine brings a number of benefits. It develops strength and explosive power in your upper torso, builds cardio-vascular endurance and improves hand-eye coordination. It can also bring improvements to your mental health. I know that whenever I’m feeling frustrated or annoyed by something, a …
