Martial Arts and Body Building

There can be more to body building than just lifting weights. For variation in your routine you might want to engage in martial arts style activities such as Aikido, Karate, Judo, Qi Gong or any of the other ancient Asian disciplines that are about building muscular strength. The great thing about learning martial arts as well is that you are also taught how to be very spry on your feet.

Martial arts training also teaches you how to focus yourself mentally. In a way you could refer to it as “applied body building” as eventually you end up fighting an opponent in these disciplines. There is a lot more to it than just “pumping iron” which is great for those who want a little bit of variance to the way they work out.

The benefits of martial art training are similar to those of straight muscle building, only the activities are a bit more aerobic as there is lots of jumping, swinging the arms in the air and kicking. In fact most martial arts professionals also weight train. Many people who try Tae Kwon Do and the other Asian disciplines experience many physical and psychological benefits. The physical benefits consist of, but aren’t confined to the following: loss of body fat, healthier year round, becoming more energetic, better physical aerobic condition, as well as stronger joints.

However martial arts is directly related to anaerobic exercise because there are many postures and weight bearing type exercises that mimic the holding of a weapon even if there is none in the persons grasp. Also many of the ancient moves are specifically about developing grace and strength. Some of the martial arts forms are more about developing a longer lithe body shape that can help you mimic the movements of certain totem animals like a panther or a crane. This is why studying the martial arts is also ideal for women as it is not as much about developing the truly shiny iron man type muscles that are not necessarily that attractive to females.

The most popular forms of martial art that are currently taught in the Western World as an adjunct program to muscle building are Aikido, Capoeira (a form of dance mixed with street fighting), Kendo, Wing Chun and Wushu. Almost all are based on ancient Asian sword fighting or hand combat techniques except for Capoeira, which is actually a form of martial arts practiced by African slaves in Brazil.

The only drawback to supplementing your weightlifting routine with a martial arts building program is that it can be hard on the joints. This is because there is less stationary exercise than there is with just a straight program of muscle building and therefore more risk of injury. This may be of some concern to you if you are an older muscle trainer or have joint pain. Almost all muscle builders suffer from joint pain or growing pains of some kind sooner or later. This can usually be treated with liniments and calcium magnesium type supplements.

The Cardio Body Building Fallacy

Most workout programs, in my opinion, are examples of cardio body building and are wrongly based on bodybuilder isolation movement exercises and marathoner extended aerobic training.

This is NOT the path to optimum fitness excellence!

The cardio body building combination is actually the biggest training mistake you can make.

Now before you get angry…

There is absolutely nothing wrong with training like a Bodybuilder or Marathoner… especially if you are a Bodybuilder or Marathoner.

I am just proposing that the training philosophies of Bodybuilders and Marathoners are not the path to an optimum level of fitness where all of the physical skills of cardiorespiratory endurance, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, accuracy and toughness are improved… Whether you adhere to the philosophy of each group alone or in combination.

I know this goes against most physical training protocols used in commercial gyms around the world that adhere to the cardio body building combination as the training methods of choice.

It is easy to see how these training protocols came to be combined…

In an attempt to improve fitness on a more general level for the non-professional fitness enthusiast, gyms and health clubs throughout the world have prescribed the typical cardio body building program of isolated movement strength training and extended aerobic training sessions.

The belief was that if isolated movement weight training is effective for Bodybuilders, and extended aerobic sessions are effective for Marathoners, that a combination of the two training methods would give the general fitness enthusiast the best of both worlds.

The fact is, Bodybuilding training methods are more concerned with muscle growth than muscular strength, power and endurance… and both of these training methods almost completely ignore the other physical abilities like coordination, agility, balance, accuracy and flexibility.

It is no wonder why millions of people participating in cardio body building inspired fitness programs fail to meet their over-all fitness goals… They are making a big training mistake.

On a personal Note…

I am guilty of training in the cardio body building fashion in my younger years in preparation for wrestling season.

I would lift weights using isolation exercises and run long distances to increase aerobic capacity.

I quickly learned in the first week of practice that the inflated muscles and aerobic capacity that I gained through cardio body building training did little or nothing to provide the fitness level needed for my chosen sport.

Oh well, there is nothing I can do about that now… but there is something that YOU can do to improve your physical training in preparation for sport, work, life.

Reflect on your current workout program…

If your current workout program looks like the cardio body building protocol described above… don’t despair.

Any exercise is better than none, so you have not completely wasted your time.

In fact… the isolated movement strength training has given you some degree of strength, and the aerobic exercise is an essential base of fitness.

However, to improve your physical training and optimize your performance you must be prepared to radically change the methods you use in pursuit of strength, conditioning and fitness excellence.

Be honest with yourself… are you getting the most out of your current cardio body building physical training program?

Are the exercises and methods you are using best suited to improve over-all fitness… or do they only focus on muscular size and cardiorespiratory endurance?

Ask yourself this question…

Is your current physical fitness training program based on the acceptable and deliberate compromise of competence and ability to perform in ALL the areas of cardiorespiratory endurance, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, accuracy and toughness to produce optimum performance results under the greatest amount of circumstances?

If not, it is probably based on the cardio body building fallacy… and your physical training can be greatly improved.

If your goal of physical training is to inflate your muscles and perform monotonous, single intensity aerobic exercise for extended periods of time… do nothing.

If your goal of physical training is to become a better human being suited to successfully overcome the random challenges of sport, work and life… It is time to change your physical fitness training program to one not based on the cardio body building fallacy.

The Benefits of Body Building

Body building is one of the most effective ways to streamline your bodies structure and also create lean muscle mass. However aside from being a way of bulking up, it is also a great way to lose weight and also trigger your body’s metabolism so that it continues to burn fat long after you have stopped exercising.

Body building is not just for men even though the traditional image that we have of the sport is of the traditional he man lifting barbells. Today’s body building equipment is designed for both sexes to use. Women can use Pilates to flex and build muscles in a way that is lithe, yet strong looking. Men can use heavier equipment to flex their muscles aerobically and no longer be that guy that allows bullies to kick sand in their face.

Aside from building muscular strength body building also creates stamina and increases endurance. It can also help your body metabolize its nutrient more effectively and assist with motor control and balance. Body building can also be an anti-aging activity. As a result many people also develop a renewed sense of confidence and self-esteem and have the confidence that they can handle anything that comes their way.

How can body building be such an effective anti-aging activity? For one thing it helps you build stronger bones, which can be your best defense against the bone degrading disease of osteoporosis. You will feel strong and fit because you have become more active and mobile. Many older muscle builders find their lower back pain also disappears as they build core strength. This means that the abdominal muscles strengthen so that the spine has to do less work to help support your body’s weight.

Body building is not a hobby for professional competitors who want showcase a gleaming physique marbled with shining muscles. It is cliche to think that body building is just about popping some veins. No matter how young or old you are you will have more energy if you build more muscle. After shedding excess fat there will be a lot less of you to carry around. You will also notice that every day activities such as carrying groceries upstairs, shoveling snows or moving furniture become much easier.

Furthermore body building is absolutely crucial to an effective weight loss program. This is because when you lose weight through dieting it is possible to lose muscle. To keep the weight off and also to keep from wasting away you also need to be on a complimentary program of muscle building along with your aerobic program of exercise which may include such activities as swimming, jogging or spinning on a stationary bicycle. Yet another benefit to this is that your body will keep burning fat after the body has finished its exercise session as your overall metabolic system becomes much more efficient as the result of body building. This means that even as you are sitting, reading or napping your bodies muscles will continue to expend calories and help expedite your overall weight loss.