March (or Stretch, or Tone) to your Own Beat

Whether you are looking to tone up those muscles or stretch out the kinks, ancient exercise practices are making a comeback. Why not sway your way to a healthier you or use the pure force of your body to bring down the pounds? Get rid of your weights and treadmills — these martial arts will have you wanting to exercise more than just three times per week.

Capoeira
The lights are dim and everyone is focused. Eyes are closing as the deep booms of the Brazilian drums ripple through the bodies of the players. A group is formed in the shape of a circle. Players and musicians create the ring representing unity, the philosophy being that everyone is family. The beats of the drums make it impossible to stand still; the two players are ready. Two people from the outer ring jump into the circle. What follows is a beautiful display of carefully orchestrated kicks and flips, executed in close proximity to each other, but just missing one another. The music dictates the intensity and speed; this is capoeira.

Brazilian capoeira is a dynamic mix of martial arts, acrobatics and dance. The techniques are similar to those of karate, but the dynamic is more like dancing than fighting. Capoeira is based on continuous, rhythmic movements that increase strength, endurance, balance, flexibility and co-ordination. You can drastically improve your strength, flexibility and cardio stamina using simple movements. Building your dream body has never been so easy.

Simple capoeira exercises include hand stands, rolls, low kicks, high kicks and different poses that can improve strength drastically. Capoeira games are usually high energy and intense and include the repetition of movements and techniques to make a very beneficial and fun workout.

In capoeira there are two levels you can choose to practice: Angola and regional. Angola — the more traditional form — places emphasis on achieving ultimate body strength as many of the exercises are practised closer to the ground, forcing the development of upper body and core strength. Regional, the second level, keeps all of the traditions of capoeira, but focuses more on the martial and competitive aspects. With regional capoeira, you can truly hone in on your body’s abilities in the upright style of play characterized by high kicks and back flips. No weights or machinery are necessary to practice capoeira, just your own body and an appetite for getting in shape while having fun.

Muay Thai
Only heads, shoulders, knees and toes are needed to practice Muay Thai.  Muay Thai,  also known as “the Art of Eight Limbs,” will not only tone you but also allow you to become skilled in self-defence. In a single workout, it is expected that 1,500 calories are burned, more than you can expect out of a simple treadmill workout. Muay Thai ideology exercises the belief that the more amount of calories burnt, the greater your flexibility will become, enhancing the results of your overall workout and pushing you on the fast track to getting the body you’ve always wanted.

Muay Thai uses mainly the hips and the core area for an effective workout. Muay Thai boxers have eight exercise tools at their disposal: their wrists, elbows, knees and feet. Properly mastering each body part will make anyone confident enough to take on any fitness challenge.

When you’re not boxing, simple exercises can enhance your strength. A simple Muay Thai workout can consist of easy resistance training exercises, such as leg presses and chest presses to warm up. After warming up, various punches and kicks can be done to improve boxing ability, but these are not to be thought of as ordinary boxing techniques. Every punch and kick is designed to land somewhere different on the opponent’s body in order to cause optimal impact. Common punches use the combined forces of the shoulder, hip and foot to add additional power behind the punch. It is the fist that has the power, and punching with your knuckles is most effective. Common kicks use the power of the buttocks and hips. Raising yourself up on your toes will create more impact and allow your body to use its own strength.

Muay Thai is an effective way to learn defence while getting into shape. Punch and kick your way to the body you’ve always wanted using the pure force and strength your body can readily provide. Exercising doesn’t always have to be dreaded; trying different techniques will ultimately help you discover the pathway that’s right for you. So dance or even defend your way to being fit, and you’ll end up feeling great and having fun.  •