New Hybrids

[GeneChing]

Is Buda Khi another April Fool's prank? Who cares? I thought it'd be useful to have a place to put stuff like this. It's akin to our Nia thread (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49109).


Horse stance to upper block (http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080401/LIVING01/804010307/1083/LIVING01)
Posted: April 1, 2008

This exercise is among 650 moves created as a part of cardio fitness program called Buda Khi, originated by L.J. Easley of Indianapolis about 13 years ago. Buda Khi is a martial arts-based exercise programs consisting of kicks and punches, followed by core exercises, stretching and calming Tai Chi moves.

Easley has studied martial arts for 25 years and was a three-time silver medalist in martial arts at the 2000 World Cup Games. He offers Buda Khi classes at his World Training Center, 140 S. Girls School Road (www.ljeasleyswtc.com), Core Fitness Club in Mooresville, Brick House Fitness in Indianapolis and Microtel Inn & Suites. He describes the class as a total body workout, concentrating on the upper body and core. He also offers private and group karate and self-defense classes.

This exercise, demonstrated by instructor Tara Shepard-Long, strengthens your quads, inner thighs, abs, forearms and shoulder muscles.

Step 1: Stand with your feet about two feet apart in the "horse stance," as if straddling a horse. Bend your knees at a 45-degree angle and hold your arms at waist level, slightly bent, with your fists facing upward and elbows back.

Step 2: Bring left arm up above the head at a 45-degree angle, with the palm facing down and the other hand at your waist. Keep your knees bent.

Step 3: Reverse arms, bringing your right arm up and the left arm back to the waist level, with your fist facing upward.

Repetitions: Repeat exercise rapidly for at least 30 seconds.

Tips: Keep abdominal muscles tightened and your back straight. To make the exercise harder, spread your feet ****her apart.

[MasterKiller]

I would Buda Khi a few of his students. (http://www.ljeasleyswtc.com/images/budakhi/18.jpg)

[sanjuro_ronin]

I would Buda Khi a few of his students. (http://www.ljeasleyswtc.com/images/budakhi/18.jpg)

I hear those hand/wrist wraps are good for Carpal Tunnel syndrome :D

[Lucas]

or maybe the Buda Khi bowling team...

[GeneChing]

I was going to post this on the Bollywood thread (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48576), but I think it sits better here.


THE FIGHT CLUB (http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/THE-FIGHT-CLUB/302769/)
Updated: Tuesday , April 29, 2008 at 10:52:42

Long before power yoga served up instant health, a sensei from Delhi was working on another ancient fitness form. In 1992, Sanjay Shakya, a black belt in kung fu with added knowledge of taekwondo, judo and karate, mixed elements of these martial arts to create a self-defence form called fraykido (fray means fight).

One of the highlights of fraykido is that students don’t have to labour for years — one can become a black belt in 26 months. Little wonder that like all capsule courses, this one has grown in popularity in the last 15 years. Today, Shakya’s Fraykido Martial Art Training Centre in Karawal Nagar has 35 students from 5 to 30-year-olds. And with the summer holidays approaching, Shakya receives calls for home tuitions every day.

“Modern life is about packing in as much as possible in limited time. With fraykido one can learn self defence relatively faster,” explains Shakya. Fraykido is a mixed martial art style, heavily based on kung fu, with the kicking techniques of taekwondo, karate’s hand movements and exercises to toughen the body and some elements from Jeet Kune Do. “We start with teaching self-defence moves and then combine it with flexibility exercises,” he says.

The course also includes training children with sticks, rubber nanchaks and knives for demonstration. “A child will then know how to defend himself with these weapons,” says Shakya before emphasising that all self-defence forms stress on saving oneself from assault rather than “beating up people, as parents fear”. “We are trying to build confidence in boys, girls and women so that they can hit back when they are cornered,” he adds.

Fraykido, however, is also about internal defence against disease. Hence, every session ends with a round of yoga. Amit Pathak, 21, a sub-broker in the stock market, joined the training center 10 days ago and regularly practices breathing exercises at home. “I already feel much more calm from within,” he says.

Purists may dismiss fraykido as a fad, but Shakya is confident that he has found the right formula to initiate students into the rigours of other martial art forms. His innovate technique has survived for more than a decade and looks good for several more years.

For more details contact www.fraykido.cabanova.com

[shaolin_allan]

man anyone can make a martial art nowdays

[GeneChing]

I've heard of trickers. It's common MA slang. But I haven't heard it called "Martial Arts Trick Dancing". That was worthy enough to be posted here. Besides this thread needed a little ttt.


Martial Arts Trick Dancing At Creative Discovery Museum Saturday (http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_128904.asp)
posted May 29, 2008

Local athletes Corey Diamond and Travis Ford will demonstrate a new and mostly underground style of sport movement called "martial arts trick dancing" or "tricking" at Creative Discovery Museum, on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

According to Mr. Diamond, "Martial arts tricking is an aesthetic blend of kicks, flips and twists combining martial arts, gymnastics, and break dancing all into one."

Tricking incorporates techniques from a variety of martial arts, including Wushu, Taekwondo and Capoeira, a fighting style developed in the 16th century by African slaves in Brazil who had to disguise it as dance. The main trick dancing movement is in California, with a few groups around the U.S. and in Europe. Mr. Diamond only knows of four or five other trick dancers in Chattanooga.

Trick dancing is high energy and very fast, featuring both flipping and twisting in mid air as well as break-dance style moves that are low to the ground. "It's fun to do. It's all about pushing yourself past your own limits and at the same time knowing your limits so you don't push too far," said Mr. Diamond. "It really will build your self esteem. You'll think this is crazy, I feel just like Spider-Man. It's a great way to work out. It's extreme cardio. I'm skinny as a stick because of it."

Mr. Diamond is planning to major in business management at UTC and hopes eventually to open his own Taekwando school. He began trick dancing about four years ago after studying Taekwondo when a friend showed him a tricking video from the Internet. Eventually the two both attended UTC, where a friendly competition kept them practicing trick dancing. "We do stuff all over campus. People stop and stare. There are several spots on campus where we can be found flipping around."

[GeneChing]

The Enlightened Warrior Workout. (http://www.choi-bo.com/)
Choi-Bo is a completely new, professionally designed, FUN workout routine to music from Anthony Aurelius - ‘The UK’s No.1 Fitness Expert’.

[GeneChing]

"Budokon also spells (eventual) Buffdom" :rolleyes:

Balance body and soul with Budokon - a fusion of yoga, martial arts and meditation (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1026766/Balance-body-soul-Budokon--fusion-yoga-martial-arts-meditation.html)
By Emine Ali Rushton
Last updated at 11:50 AM on 16th June 2008

Budoken is the US fitness craze du jour: Courteney Cox Arquette and husband David, Jennifer Aniston, Meg Ryan and model Amber Valletta are among its many fans in LA, addicted to its physically punishing, yet spiritually uplifting blend of yoga, martial arts and meditation.

If you want the sort of rippling, lithe bod that LA ladies who (don't) lunch sport, Budokon is the way to attain it - and it has just arrived on our shores, courtesy of the Reebok Gym in Canary Wharf.

I'd heard the number of calories burned in an hour could reach 900 - 300 more than an hour's spinning, and without the risk of mind-numbing boredom or lower backache. But I admit I was cynical as I walked into my first class: I like my workout to leave me sweaty but I don't expect mystic mumbo jumbo to go with it.
workout

WHAT IS IT?

But that was before I met Ryan Carldon-Miah, Budokon's UK director. A disciple of Budokon's founder, Cameron Shayne, he lived and studied under his "Sensei" for three months and completed a year's training before taking a teaching role. Budokon, he says, changed his life. He's very convincing.

There's no denying he has a body so honed you'd expect it to be insured for more than J-Lo's rear end - but unlike some gym preeners, Ryan's slender frame also displays agility and speed - something Budokon gives the body in spades.

Meaning "way of the spiritual warrior" in Japanese, Budokon is essentially a fluid, and organic way of returning the body to a natural, instinctive and super-fit state. In fact, a key part of Budokon comes from adopting animal postures, walking on your hands and feet imitating lions, frogs and gorillas. Once I'd overcome the embarrassment, it was quite fun, even if I did make a lumbering lion.

THE THREE DISCIPLINES

Every class involves three disciplines: meditation, martial arts and yoga. The order varies depending on the day, as Ryan believes in working with the mood of the class. Having attended a couple of classes, I think this is a strong selling point - it means you never get complacent and your body is always acquiring new skills.

The common theme between all three disciplines is "instinct". Modern lifestyles are often blamed for everything from obesity to stress and Ryan believes Budokon addresses our dystopian existence more successfully than any other exercise.

He explained: "We spend our time standing and sitting. We're at home on the sofa or at our desks; we're waiting for the bus or queuing at the supermarket.

"Budokon is about getting people to remember how they moved as kids, to unearth those instincts. As a kid you spent all day rolling and running around and rarely got injured, because kids are tuned in to their bodies.

"They're not exercising, they're 'playing' - that's what we try to achieve with Budokon - functional strength from a fluid and fun practice." So, not so much mumbo jumbo, rather common sense.

THE WARM-UP

During the stretching, special attention was paid to the wrists, which were in for an extreme workout. We then went into a series of yoga stances. Some were familiar, downward dog for example, but others developed into spinning moves and positions that stretched the body and seemed to pinpoint previously ignored muscles.

It was tough, but everyone worked at their own pace and Ryan encouraged participants to try variations on poses if they could not manage it first time around.

There was also a lot of laughing and a positive vibe in the class, helping me to stop analysing what my bottom must look like to the people behind me, and focus instead on the innate joy of moving my body in this dynamic, if alien, way.

BRUCE LEE LEAPS

The martial arts were my favourite part. Budokon is, like all martial arts, something you can study and gain belts in - even taking up weapons and combat training in the upper echelons. As beginners, we worked on side- and forward-facing punches, blocks and kicks.

We even tried flying jumps - the sort of thing Bruce Lee was famous for - which Ryan demonstrated with awe-inspiring ease. Okay, so I only made it about four centimetres off the floor and almost fell over when I landed, but it was fun. And it gave my thighs a workout too.

THE VERDICT

The hour ended with meditation and breathing exercises. I felt my body had been seriously tested, but was also invigorated, whereas yoga often leaves me zoned out.

It's great for those of us who like to play rough, but Budokon also promotes agility, tone and grace. It gives every muscle an extraordinary workout. And one need only look at Ryan's rippling torso to know that Budokon also spells (eventual) Buffdom.

[GeneChing]

Not really new. Pretty rehashed actually... :rolleyes:
Kick it into gear (http://www.columbiatribune.com/2008/Oct/20081012Puls018.asp)
BodyCombat classes fight off stress and calories with choreographed cardio.
By CAROLINE DOHACK of the Tribune’s staff
Published Sunday, October 12, 2008

Curtis Pipes, center, leads a BodyCombat class, a fast-paced martial arts-inspired group workout, Tuesday at Wilson’s Total Fitness.

It gets loud in Kelly Becker’s class. "Everybody yells," Becker said. "We’ll ask for a little scream or a grunt or a kee-yah. You gotta use your voice."

Latifa Kalic, left, participates in a Body Combat class Tuesday at Wilson’s.

Grunting and screaming are a no-no in the weight room at Wilson’s Total Fitness, but they’re par for the course in the BodyCombat class. BodyCombat is a Les Mills martial arts-inspired cardio workout program developed as a response to the cardio kickboxing fad of the 1990s, Holly Rennels, editor and staff contributor for SCW Fitness and Les Mills Midwest, said in an e-mail.

Today, program directors Dan Cohen and Rachael Cohen combine their diverse martial arts experience and dance training into the format, Rennels said. They update the choreography every three months and add new music.

WHERE TO FIND A CLASS

BodyCombat must be taught by Les Mills-certified trainers at licensed facilities. Find classes at:

Wilson’s Total Fitness-South: 2902 Forum Blvd., 446-3232

Wilson’s Total Fitness-Females in Training: 2900 Forum Blvd., 442-5425

Key Largo Fitness and Tanning: 16 N. Tenth St., 874-0800

Music is a key component to BodyCombat and other Les Mills programs. The music not only sets the mood for the class, but it also sets the tempo. "Usually it goes with the eight-count," Becker said. "If you listen to music, you can usually find it. You can count it in there. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and then it starts over. What they’ll do is match up the moves with how long it takes to do it within an eight-count."

And getting caught up in these numbers has definite results.

"You can feel it immediately because you walk out of there dripping with sweat. You know you’ve done something right," Becker said.

As with any workout plan, perseverance pays off. "You will see changes in your body, and it’s fun," Becker said.

Although it’s considered a high-impact workout, it is adaptable to people of various fitness levels. "It’s a great way to get an hour of cardio in and have a little bit more fun than just running on the treadmill or elliptical" trainer, Becker said.

Although group fitness classes usually attract mostly women, Becker says the battle element of BodyCombat appeals to men as well. BodyCombat is not a self-defense class, but martial arts elements, including karate, boxing, tae kwon do, tai chi and muay thai, are inherent.

"They really" expect "their instructors to be superauthentic," Becker said.

And even if they’re not really fighting, it’s a good way to squelch those fighting urges.

"It’s about stress relief for people, especially in the evening classes. You say, ‘Who had a bad day today?’ and you can definitely get people to go a little harder," Becker said.

[TenTigers]

I was asked by a local fitness instructor/martial artist to help him in his development of,
"Yogarate.":rolleyes:
I showed him some movement-of course, he wanted "some animal moves." So I obliged. He said he was working out a deal with Equinox, and it was going to be taught in all the gyms.
As far as I know, it hasn't.
I worked with him twice,
and then I started to catch a wierd vibe.
guys in spandex and tanktops give me the willies.
(GreenCloud, might know who this guy is, if he's from my neck of the woods. He used to teach some sort of hybrid Muay Thai thing.)
anyway, I didn't want to be affiliated with him, or anything that sounded like,



...."Yogarate" (ack!)

we really need a barfing smilie

[GeneChing]

You all really want to click the link for information on the exercise DVD and complete business system. You know you do. Click it.


Kung-Fu Fitness Combines An Ancient Martial Art With Modern Exercise Science To Create A New Fitness Craze (http://www.prnine.com/releases-002218/fitness/kungfu-fitness-combines-ancient-martial-art-modern-exercise-science-create-fitness-craze.html)
October 17, 2008

Kung-fu Fitness burns 800 calories per hour and teaches self-defense.

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA (PRnine - October 17, 2008) - Kung-fu is one of the oldest martial arts. In ancient times, kung-fu (defined as ‘discipline through hard work’) was first used as a form of exercise. When traveling bands of thieves would attempt to rob the monasteries, the monks learned their exercises were effective as self-defense. Over time, the monks would watch and learn from animal and insect fights. As a result, Tiger, Eagle Claw, Snake, Praying Mantis and even Monkey kung-fu were developed. Kung-fu Fitness is a hybrid of ancient kung-fu, group exercise and fun self-defense training.

Kung-fu Fitness was developed by John Spencer Ellis, a 2nd degree black belt in kung-fu, fitness professional and boot camp instructor from Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Orange County. “Kung-fu Fitness is different than other kickboxing-type of workouts for several reasons. It has smooth circular movements, rather than hard linear moves. It is easier on your joints.” states Ellis. “In addition, you are taught self-defense applications, instead of fancy dance moves,” he adds.

Kung-fu Fitness can be purchased as a consumer workout DVD, or a complete turn-key business system for martial artists or personal trainers to use to grow their business. The business system includes a complete training course, instructional videos, manual, test, marketing materials and national certification. Information on the exercise DVD and complete business system is available at http://www.kungfufitness.com.

About John Spencer Ellis

John Spencer Ellis is the CEO of the National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association, Spencer Institute for Life Coaching and the Get America Fit Foundation. He is also the Executive Producer of the documentary The Compass.

###

Media Contact Information:
Jess Felton
Jjfelton923@yahoo.com
http://www.kungfufitness.com

[GeneChing]

More yoga martial arts fusion...


Super fit to fight flab (http://www.scene.co.nz/10995a1.page)
23 Oct 2008

Queenstown fitness fanatics Simon Chapman (left) and his sidekick Michael Graney think they’ve found the right exercise combination for weight loss and muscle-building.

Martial arts expert Chapman and yoga pro Graney have blended their skills thai boxing, kick boxing and power yoga to create Fighting Fit – a new type of class they claim sheds kilos for their students.

“We want fitness and strength that you can go and use in everyday life,” says former bodybuilder Chapman.

“We don’t want big, dumb muscles – we want fast, smart muscles.”

No weights or charging up hills are required – it’s all done outdoors in the surrounds of Queenstown Gardens three times a week.

The Fighting Fit duo is holding a free demonstration at the Gardens on Saturday at 1.30pm before their second six-week course starts on November 3.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Where do people get the idea that training to fight makes you "fit" and healthy?
Its like any other sport, while you get fit for the sport, it also makes you pay for it.
Training a fighting system for fitness and health is one thing, training to use it in a fight or to be a fighter is another.

[GeneChing]

I was really torn on this - perhaps it should have gone on our Bollywood fu (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48576)thread.


The attack of the killer bee (http://www.clackamasreview.com/news/story.php?story_id=122521304275582600)
Founder of Milwaukie martial arts studio helps Nepal go Hollywood
By Matthew Graham
The Clackamas Review, Oct 28, 2008, Updated 2.7 hours ago

Shuny Bee, founder of Bee Martial Arts Academy, shows reporter Matthew Graham some of the finer points of martial arts.

More than two decades ago, Nepal native Shuny Bee was working as a teenage actor in Bombay, India, doing commercials and TV shows, hoping for Bollywood stardom. A friend of his traveled from Nepal to enlist his help in rescuing two girls who had been brought to Bombay and sold into prostitution.

Bee and his friend risked their lives to take on a monolithic crime syndicate to free the girls and return them to Nepal.

Now 39 years old, Bee has written and stars in a film about the incident, “Gorkha Rakshyak” or “The Gorkha Protector,” which premieres in Portland on Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Hollywood Theatre. Gorkha is another name for the people of Nepal, which is where the movie was filmed and produced.

In the film, a fictional work based on the actual events, Bee’s character has spent his life in a Buddhist monastery meditating and training his body, mind and spirit. He experiences enlightenment in the form of a new concept of martial arts, which he calls Bajra. (“Bajra” is a Sanskrit word meaning “thunderbolt.”)

Upon leaving the monastery he encounters a world of gang violence and drugs, which he dedicates his life to fighting.

The film also stars Oregonian Robert Madrigal, 38, who has trained with Bee for about 10 years. In the film, Madrigal plays a student learning the philosophy and principles of the Bajra technique.

Bee operates Bee Martial Arts Academy on Southeast McLoughlin Boulevard in Milwaukie and spent 12 years developing the unique fighting style showcased in the film.

“Bajra martial art is more economic, direct, more strictly for survival,” Bee said. “You disable the opponent, and you get out. I studied a lot about the body and the pressure points. You don’t need to be a really powerful man to injure the eyes, just a little finger jab; the opponent is blinking their eyes, you escape. Same with the groin.”

The 39-year-old martial arts master holds a sixth-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He wrote a book on how to use nunchaku, a martial arts weapon, and produced a DVD tutorial based on it.

Following the recognition he received demonstrating the Bajra method in Long Beach, Calif. in 2005, Bee was encouraged to finish writing the script he’d been working on for years.

“I was doing the Black Belt magazine festival, which is like the Oscars night for us martial artists,” he explains. “I did a demonstration in front of Bruce Lee’s wife and a lot of big celebrities, and they really admired my performance. And after that, Black Belt magazine wrote about me, ‘He’s amazing.’”

Akash Adhikari directed the film, which Bee hopes will bring further recognition to his martial arts style as well as to Nepal.

“This is definitive for me and all the Nepalese people, this is pride,” Bee says “I’m getting many e-mails from all over the world. This is a big thing for the Nepalese people.”

World premiere of “Gorkha Rakshyak” or “The Gorkha Protector,” 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, Hollywood Theatre, 4122 N.E. Sandy Blvd., 503-281-4215, $12.

For more information or to watch the trailer, visit www.beemartialarts.com

[TaichiMantis]

(Ecclesiastes 1:9-14 NIV) What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

:rolleyes:;)

[GeneChing]

The unconventional yoga postures here look awfully familiar.

Shadow Yoga (http://www.shadowyoga.com/)

[GeneChing]

Does this mean you run really really slowly? :p

Chi running a new way to pound the pavement (http://www.canada.com/running+pound+pavement/1865447/story.html)
By Krista Charke, Daily NewsAugust 6, 2009

Efficiency and relaxation are the focus of new running clinic workshops popping up in Nanaimo, across Canada and around the world.

Chi running is the brain child of American ultramarathoner Danny Dreyer, who after several years of practicing TaiChi, began to combine the techniques used in TaiChi with his running. The new running style is said to be easier on the body and benefits are noticed immediately. There are only five certified instructors in Canada and Nanaimo's Donna Spencer of Women's Pace is one of them.

The 53-year-old running coach has put hundreds of thousands of miles on her legs and body over the years, pounding the pavement because of her passion to run. But it has not been so easy and pain free since she discovered the practice of Chi running.

The main idea is to work with gravity and let it pull you forward, while the position of your feet will stop you from falling. It sounds a little scary, being a bit of a klutz myself, but I always say I'd try anything at least once, especially if it might make me feel lighter on my feet. Instead of pushing off the ground with your toes, the mid-foot is supposed to peel off the ground. That is just one of many techniques to learn.

When it comes down to it, it's about paying more attention to ones physical alignment and mental relaxation during a run, than speed. Although, Spencer proclaims her pace has actually increased since she began studying Chi running in September.

"Now I feel like the earth is spinning underneath me. It makes you a faster and more efficient runner. " she said.

Spencer's Chi running workshops are open to all levels of runners from beginners to advanced. The next class will be at the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Aug. 23.

For more information or to register call 250-713-9453.

[GeneChing]

I almost posted this in the What's Up with USSD? thread (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2074) but I figured it would get buried there.

Core-a-te: conditioning meets martial arts (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/07/DD811FQ6S1.DTL)
Meredith May, Chronicle Staff Writer
Monday, November 8, 2010

http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2010/11/05/dd-COREATE08_ph_0502162025_part6.jpg
Whitney Arnautou (front) developed Core-a-te after she couldn't find a class in isometric core conditioning for martial artists.

Before entering the dojo, Whitney Arnautou had her students contemplate a daily saying:

"Accept change. It is inevitable. ... In ourselves. Our bodies. Our relationships. Our Jobs. Understand that it's happening every day, and try to move with the changes - gracefully."

Minds centered, it was time for Core-a-te, a new exercise class at the United Studios of Self Defense in San Francisco that combines karate, self-defense and a kick-in-the-pants core workout.

Arnautou, a Shaolin Kenpo black belt and fitness instructor, designed the one-hour workout to bring her students physical and spiritual balance.

Abdominal crunches include kicks to an imaginary attacker's groin. Students strengthen their arms by learning how to break out of a neck hold. Push-ups are done in the yoga tiger position.

"If you practice it enough, you will build muscle memory so if you ever have to defend yourself, it will come automatically," Arnautou said.

Core-a-te is "subtle karate" - designed for newcomer white belts without martial arts backgrounds.

Arnautou first offered the class in March, after noticing many of her beginner martial arts students were getting winded. They could get into their forms and spar, but had no endurance.

She searched for a class that combined isometric core conditioning for martial artists but found nothing. So she secured the Core-a-te domain name and started teaching it herself. She added a second class to meet demand in September.

"I feel like if I don't do this class, I am setting myself up for back problems," said tennis player Julie Feldstein, 51.

"Your core is vital for any sport, but, as athletes, you can neglect it when you train in the same movements over and over."

Students who work their core for an hour twice a week can begin to see results in about a month, Arnautou said.

Julie Whitcomb, 51, feels stronger after six months of Core-a-te, but the biggest change is in her attitude toward exercising.

"I love starting the week this way, incorporating the balance drills, meditation and movements," she said. "This is a welcome place; there's no intimidating gym feeling."

In a recent class, Arnautou turned the stereo to Taio Cruz's "Break Your Heart," and led students through a series of kicks while holding her wrists in a protective boxer's stance.

Next students balanced on one foot.

"Now shut your eyes," Arnautou said. "See how much harder it is when you remove one of your senses."

After an hour of crunches, planks, leg lifts and power punches, it was time to retire to the backyard koi pond for some green tea.

The eight women gathered in the garden for another half hour, telling stories.

It was the right balance of socializing and exercising that Arnautou found lacking in the gyms where she used to work.

"Core-a-te is all about learning and growing at one's own pace," she said. "I feel that balance is imperative to this whole process of aging gracefully."

Core-a-te class: 8:45-9:45 a.m. Mon. and Thurs. United Studios of Self Defense, 2424 Lombard St., S.F. $20 per class or $150 for a 10-class pass. (415) 771-5186

[GeneChing]

I could not resist posting this here. It's the stocking stuffer you all need for sure.


Disco Dojo DVD (http://store.scottcole.com/disco-dojo-dvd.html)
Item# disco-dojo-dvd
$14.95
http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-10688752573747_2138_116364
Product Description
Enter the Disco Dojo, where dance meets martial arts in the ultimate low-impact cardio fat-burning workout!!! Punch, kick, laugh, move, and GROOVE your way into a sleeker slimmer more muscular YOU, while exercising to a funk-inspired retro-groovy soundtrack. Disco Dojo concludes with a "Chi" inspired cool down stretch, and BONUS sections include a 70's After-Party, and the hilariously inspiring positive "AFRO-mations."

Great for all shapes, sizes, and levels of exercisers.

[GeneChing]

Filipino martial art Jendo debuts in Europe in February (http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/300725/filipino-martial-art-jendo-debuts-europe-february)
By Lily O Ramos
January 26, 2011, 3:54am

MANILA, Philippines, Jan. 25 (PNA) - Jendo, a Filipino martial art founded by Jonathan "June" Abaya in 1973 is making a big splash in Europe as preparations are underway for its maiden appearance in the 3rd International Martial Arts Games (IMAG) from February 23 to 27 in Tallinn, Estonia, the European capital of Culture.

Grandmaster Abaya, who conceived the martial art using empty-hand techniques and traditional Filipino weapons, added that it was an honor for the Manila-based International Jendo Federation (IJF) to oversee the competition which is expected to draw athletes from at least 12 nations.

Abaya who heads the IJF said he and his colleagues are hoping that the sport will gain a much bigger following after the event like South Korea's taekwondo, Japan's karate-do and wrestling or China's shaolin.

“Jendo will be a medal sport in the Games for the first time and we hope it will catch on in the Estonia sportfest,” said Abaya in Tuesday's PSA Forum at the Shakey UN Avenue branch in Ermita, Manila.

The countries that have confirmed to see action in the tournament are Italy, United States, Australia, Nepal, India, Iran, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Syria.

According to Abaya, the IJF won the nod to have jendo compete as a regular event in the 3rd IMAG after it was made a demonstration sport at the second edition of the meet in Bangkok, Thailand two years ago.

At the forum sponsored by PAGCOR and Outlast Battery, Abaya gave a brief demo of the sport by executing some of the jendo’s techniques by sparring with national team member Anthony Morales.

IJF vice president president Gilbert Artificio disclosed that the sparring competition, which will be done atop a regular boxing ring, will consist of three rounds, with a round lasting three minutes each and a minute break in-between rounds.

The divisions will be from the kiddies 8 to 13 years old, young adult 14-17 and adult 18-above.

While Filipinos are expected to dominate the event, Iran, which invited Abaya to a five-day workshop, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are expected to put up a strong fight for major honors, Artificio said.
Perhaps this isn't a hybrid. Here's an official-ish site: Jendo Federation Philippines (http://jendophilippines.weebly.com/index.html)

[GeneChing]

Clever name. Very catchy.

Mix of workout and shout-out, intenSati in Bay Area (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/31/DDJM1HBO4V.DTL)
Meredith May, Chronicle Staff Writer
Monday, January 31, 2011

http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2011/01/28/dd-INTENSATI31_p_0502789900_part6.jpg
Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle
Tamra Sattler (foreground) shouts affirmations during an intenSati class, which got its start in 2002 in New York.

Fourteen women face the mirror in warrior pose.

"Hey! Are you committed?" their fitness instructor calls out.

"Yes!" they roar in response.

"Will you play full out?"

"Without any doubt!" the students yell back, now throwing boxing punches.

Cher booms through the stereo, "Do You Believe in Life After Love?" The women crouch down, slap the floor and jump.

It's not aerobics. It's not therapy. It's not yoga or martial arts or cheerleading practice.

It's all of it.

IntenSati, a new cardio class making its way to the West Coast from New York, has students tone their bodies and minds by shouting affirmations as they exercise.

Started in 2002 at Equinox Fitness Clubs in New York, intenSati now has 150 trainers, hundreds of classes throughout the United States, Canada and Japan. The model Iman is a fan.

Creator Patricia Moreno has more than 60 men and women show up for each of her five weekly intenSati classes in Manhattan. Her new movements morphed into an actual movement, and in 2010 Moreno published "The intenSati Method - Seven Secret Principles to Thinner Peace."

Secret No. 1? Add a little self-love to your squats.

"What's been missing from the whole fitness industry, basically, is love," said Moreno, who describes herself as a "mind-body life coach."

"If you love your body only when it's thin, that's conditional love," Moreno said. "If you say things to yourself that are powerful and lovely, encouraging and optimistic, while putting effort into it, you are being the healing that you need."

Growing up in an obese family of 10 brothers and sisters, Moreno hit 200 pounds by age 12, and although she matured to a healthy weight, she always struggled with her self-image.

She got the idea for intenSati while running on a beach and shouting affirmations as part of a workshop led by the empowerment guru Anthony Robbins.

"Even though I wasn't fat anymore, I was always running from the fat girl instead of leaving the idea of me being fat behind," she said.

Her shift in perception hit her like a current. She realized that much of the fitness industry motivates from the premise that you don't like yourself, and working out is only a means to lose weight or to sculpt buns of steel. What if exercise could be a portal to honoring yourself, to quieting the critical mind and focusing on what you want to achieve for your life?

She combined the word intention and sati, which means mindfulness in the ancient Sri Lankan Buddhist Pali language, to make a play on the word intensity. She combined spiritual teachings from Deepak Chopra, Pema Chodron and Anthony Robbins into a high-intensity routine designed to burn 650 to 800 calories in an hour.

Eileen McCarthy, a therapist and fitness instructor who began teaching intenSati in Mill Valley in August 2009, starts each class by asking students to pick a goal for the workout while they warm up with stretches, asking them to take full responsibility for their lives, bodies and health.

"Do you look to others to determine if you are a success? How about looking inward? Only YOU know!" she said, starting off a recent morning class at Roco Dance and Fitness in Mill Valley.

The class is split into three choreographed sections. Students learn a series of yoga, martial arts and cardio moves, each one accompanying a call and response chant. After learning the steps, McCarthy combines them into a longer dance sequence.

The repetition of the steps and affirmations meld into a full-body mantra. The workout starts with calming stretches, and quickly transforms into a heart-pumping series of punches, kicks, jumps and imaginary basketball dribbles.

Marcy Schaaf of Mill Valley became a devotee after wandering into an intenSati class when her weight-lifting class was overcrowded. She's been coming for three months straight.

"I find myself repeating the affirmations throughout the day," said Schaaf. "Somehow, saying it while you are working out anchors it in your body."

Students regularly ask to record McCarthy so they can take her words with them on vacation. One mother uses the affirmations to calm her son before he takes the plate at baseball games.

After her first intenSati class, Jan Hiti of Mill Valley felt serenity.

"I have been having some issues at home, and this class made feel like I'm OK; I am in control," she said.

McCarthy was living in New York when a friend suggested intenSati as a way to get her energy back after her brother died. Halfway through, she wanted to sit down. The trainer asked her whether she was going to give up or keep on going.

"It hit me on so many levels," McCarthy said. "IntenSati affects you if you are ready to see things and make changes. Saying what you want out loud means it's no longer a secret. Therefore you might have to do something to get it."

IntenSati Classes: 9-10 a.m. Mon., Thurs., Fri. Roco Dance & Fitness, 237 Shoreline Highway, Mill Valley. $16. 9 a.m. Tues. Osher Marin Jewish Community Center, 200 N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael. $15 members, $20 public. emcc9@hotmail.com.

[David Jamieson]

positive affirmations in exercise class? well I never! :eek:


:p

great ideas.

[GeneChing]

The success of a lot of these new hybrids hinges upon the charisma of the leaders. Viveca here looks pretty charismatic. Click the link for a pic.

Piloxing punches up Pilates with boxing (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/05/16/DD5V1J4J2N.DTL)
Nellie Bowles, Chronicle Staff Writer
Monday, May 16, 2011
Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle

In the basement of the SFO Hyatt Regency, I'm barefoot and in spandex, which isn't too ridiculous. Until I put on pink boxing gloves.

I am here to check out Piloxing, the newest fitness craze - a combination of Pilates and boxing - that is about to hit San Francisco from Los Angeles (where else?) this summer. More than 200 buoyant trainers and studio owners - here to decide whether Piloxing is right for their gyms - cram into the room. The sight of all the preternaturally toned bodies makes me a little nervous.

But if anyone's up to the challenge, it's me. I have sweated through local exercise class cultures from X-Factor in the Sunset to Bar Method in the Marina, Zumba on Geary and candlelit naked yoga on Folsom.

I position myself between two taut trainers, and as I worry whether they're judging my thighs, Piloxing creator Viveca Jensen, an Amazonian blond in an overflowing pink sports bra, leaps onstage, jabs left and roars, "Do you feel sexy?" Two backup dancers appear behind her, and a rock 'n' roll mashup blasts a little too loud.

Without a word, Viveca (like Madonna, she goes by only one name) and her dancers jump, holding their arms out to the side, pumping their hips to Lady Gaga's "Born This Way." The three start throwing jabs to the left, double beat, shuffle, suddenly to the right. Arms out again for hip pumping.

The class of well-engineered trainers mirrors Jensen perfectly. I struggle to follow, tripping over my neighbor's water bottle, sending out spastic punches, leg lifting off beat.

This is not boxing. I'm not sure this is even exercise.

Before I signed up for this adventure, Viveca (mellow over tea) had told me about her childhood in Eskilstuna, Sweden, where she boxed in a rusty old gym. She had the inspiration to combine boxing and Pilates one day while she was running through Los Angeles' Runyon Canyon. Today, she runs a 2,500-square-foot studio and has trained more than 500 instructors worldwide.
Interactive class

Suddenly, the tone in the Hyatt basement changes. I'm balancing on one leg, my torso parallel to the ground, arms straight. On the downbeat, Viveca shouts, "Pump!"

The class is interactive, the energy almost evangelical. Viveca shouts an inflected "whoo-whoo," and the crowd shouts back. She calls us sisters. The unspoken gym class code is to have as little contact with the crowd as possible. In Piloxing, we were compatriots. One woman tried to fist bump while we were holding a Pilates balancing pose.

I loved this message of sexualized female empowerment through physical prowess. Like the Amazonian women or Artemis, my childhood idols.

Piloxing may well thrive in San Francisco. On one hand, it will appeal to those who must constantly tend their springy, muscular Marina bodies. On the other, it takes the traditionally feminine mat Pilates and injects it with hyper-masculine boxing moves, making it potentially appealing to the Bernal Heights set as well.

Standing on the basement floor, we hold a squat, and Viveca booms, "Who feels powerful?"

At this point, I give in, shouting back, "I do!"

Surprisingly, I start to get into a rhythm. Heavy dance choreography links the sucker punches, hip thrusts and brutal bouts of sit-ups. There is a nightclub feel to the lines of women grinding and chanting - interval training well disguised.

At the climax, the room clenches a particularly grueling squat while Viveca whips an imaginary lasso, bumping hips first across the stage shouting, "Strong, sexy, powerful." And I can't help but laugh and whip, hardly noticing that I've started sweating profusely, various arm muscles burning. This was good exercise. The cardio dancing had my heart rate up. The glove weights got my biceps and triceps. And the bursts of Pilates sit-ups left my abdomen aching.
Hoarse from whooping

As class ends, my voice is hoarse from whooping, my hair drenched in sweat. The trainer to my left, Reynaldo Izarry, gives me a high-five. "You don't have to get dressed all fancy and stay out late in the club to go out and get down," he says, effortlessly touching his toes.

Energized and disoriented, I rest my hands on my knees and catch my breath.

I look up to see Viveca smiling down at me. In a comforting voice, she says: "That feeling you have, empowered and sexy - that's the point."

And she's right. I kept my gloves.

[GeneChing]

Chi Running is impossible to search on this forum. Danny Dreyer is easy.


Chi running marries method and mindfulness (http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/17/us-fitness-running-chi-idUSBRE88G0BP20120917)
By Dorene Internicola
NEW YORK | Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:41am EDT

(Reuters) - Chi Running evolved when a tai chi-practicing ultra-marathoner decided to apply principles from the Chinese system of slow, smooth movement to his running.

The resulting method, which enthusiasts hail as effortless and injury-free, is as specific in form as it is insistent on going with the flow.

"My goal is to turn running into a mindful practice, like tai chi or yoga" said Danny Dreyer, the runner and coach who developed Chi Running and wrote the "Chi Running" book.

"We teach focus: how the arms are held, why the hips and shoulders are relaxed," he said. "It's about learning to pay attention."

Dreyer, who is based in Ashville, North Carolina, said more than 200 instructors worldwide teach his technique, which enlists the Chinese principle of "chi," or energy flow, to reduce injury and enhance ease of movement.

"In tai chi, everything moves from center," Dreyer said. "Runners are used to running from their legs. When I switched to (running from) the core, it changed how I ran. I felt better."

Correct alignment is a tenet of chi running. Posture is the first thing Dreyer works on with clients.

"If posture isn't good, the support system isn't good," he said. "Any weakness or misalignment will really affect you because you're always on one leg," he said, noting that running injuries happen from the knees down.

In his method a forward tilt from the ankles moves the runner's center of mass ahead and allows gravity to take on more of the body's weight.

"The body gets to fall," Dreyer said. "All you have to do is lift your legs."

He also teaches landing with a mid-foot strike to engage and balance the entire foot.

If you're new to running, Dreyer suggests starting with a walk/run sequence to allow the muscles to adjust.

"Run 'til you feel tired, walk 'til you feel recovered," he said. "Our system is based on sensing your own body. If your body says it's too fast or time to go home, you listen."

A runner for 20 years, Chris Griffin said before he discovered Chi Running he was getting injured "on a regular basis." Now he's running injury-free, and faster.

"I knew how to use my body but not how to listen to it," said Griffin, who teaches the method in Marin County, California. "Being focused changed my running from a sport to a practice."

He no longer waits for his body to "crash" to pay attention. Griffin said he doesn't do tai chi but is always "playing around with the energy," and cultivating mindfulness in non-running situations.

"How do I stand in line at store? How do I interact with people? If I'm picking up a bag of groceries I'm trying to be emotionally and mentally aligned," he said.

Connecticut-based exercise physiologist and running coach Tom Holland is a fan of the mind-body connection Chi Running cultivates, but falls out of step with what he sees as the one-stride-fits-all method.

"I think there's no one way to run," said Holland, author of "Beat the Gym" and "The Marathon Method."

He cited a recent study that placed a camera at the 20-mile (32-kilometer) mark of the Boston Marathon.

"It showed all the top runners and not one of them ran the same way," he said. "The truth is there is no one way to do it." Holland believes modern runners' injuries stem mostly from imbalances brought on by inactivity.

"Running is the purest example of what our weaknesses are," he said, most commonly in strength or balance or flexibility. "If we go out for a run and I'm not correcting form people will feel it. Then we fix it."

Sports-specific, strength training exercises work for many people, he said, adding that there's a wealth of such programs available in books and online.

"So many peoples say ‘just run,'" he said. "No one taught the cavemen how to run...But if you're not built for it you're going to have problems."

Dreyer wants his method to connect us with how we ran as children.

"Kids have gorgeous running form and they don't get hurt," he said. "As kids we all ran really well."

[Orion Paximus]

Man I'm so starting a Chin Na-ptime school

[mawali]

Does anyone remember the art that Taiwan developed to train law enforcement and military? It wasn't that different but it was made functional through adaption and experimentation.

[GeneChing]

Timely, given our recent yoga (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65037) thread...

Budokon, made in America, mixes yoga with martial arts (http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-12-24/features/sns-rt-us-fitness-budokonbre8bn0ed-20121224_1_cameron-shayne-martial-arts-mixes-yoga)
December 24, 2012|Dorene Internicola | Reuters

NEW YORK -- Budokon, a workout program developed in 21st century America, blends the ancient mind-body practices of yoga and martial arts into a program that aims to reward followers with conditioning, mindful meditation and progressively colored karate-type belts.

"Budokon is a yoga, martial arts and meditation trifecta," said Mimi Rieger, who teaches the not-so-ancient practice in gyms, studios and workshops in the Washington, DC area.

An instructor in the 3,000-year-old practice of yoga since 2003, Rieger, founder of Pure Fitness DC, is one of approximately 400 teachers worldwide who are trained in Budokon, which did not exist before 2002.

Although mainly done in the United States, Rieger said she will teach Budokon in Turkey, Denmark and Sweden next year and workshops are also scheduled in London, Germany, Korea and Japan.

She says the hybrid offers the student an intense, full-body workout as it blends the integrity of the martial arts movement with the fluidity of yoga.

"It's like a beautiful symphony of the two," said Rieger, who is among the first women to get a brown belt in the Budokon sequence of six belts: white, red, blue, purple, brown and black.

Budokon, which is Japanese for "the way of the warrior spirit," began in 2000 as the brainchild of Cameron Shayne, a martial arts expert and yoga enthusiast originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, looking to solve a dilemma faced in his own practice.

"Through martial arts I experienced meditation; both yoga and martial arts share self-reflection, but both suffered from the same disease of being stripped down to a westernized workout," said Shayne, founder of Budokon University in Miami, Florida.

A typical Budokon session begins with 20 minutes of yoga sun salutations to, as Shayne says, "lighten and open the body," followed by a martial arts segment of explosive, dance-like movement. The end is a guided meditation.

"There is no breath count; we don't stop," said Shayne, who describes the movements as snakelike. Observers will note echoes of Tai Chi.

"Modern yoga can be very angular. Our primary series is a circular, continuous transition practice," he explained.

Adam Sedlack, senior vice president of UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) Gym, a national chain of family fitness centers specializing in mixed martial arts training, believes the novice should begin with a specific practice before tackling hybrids like Budokon.

"It's more efficient to take a karate class, then a yoga class, and then a tai chi class than it is to combine them," Sedlack said, "so the individual can focus on individual skill sets. The beautiful thing about mixed martial arts is that you're learning a skill while you're working out and burning calories."

He notes that martial arts is as much about the confidence of walking down the street with your head up high as it is about learning to kick and hit.

Richard Cotton, of the American College of Sports Medicine, said Budokon can offer a challenging change for people with more advanced levels of fitness.

"If you're a yoga or tai chi purist, it (Budokon) is not that, but it is variety, and variety is rarely a problem," he said.

He points out that one needn't do Budokon, or yoga or Pilates to have a so-called mind-body experience.

"Running strength training, and certainly golf, can be a mind-body experience if you're staying in touch with your body," he said. "You can have a mind-body walk."

A few years ago Shayne began offering a separate Budokon yoga practice because some people found the martial arts aspect of his practice intimidating or confrontational.

"It became a necessity to give that audience what it was asking for," he explained.

People either love Budokon, he added, or they hate it and that's fine with him.

"I don't need a million people doing Budokon. I don't need someone who walks into class looking for a quick fix," he said. "I need people who feel it as an art."

(Editing by Patricia Reaney and Andrew Hay)

[GeneChing]

Been hearing more and more buzz on this one. It's catching on. I think it's the EDM...:rolleyes:

Official website (http://piloxing.com/)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILNpxyfgO7c

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqO2Z42rGBA

[GeneChing]

I just noticed that our Nia (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?49109-Nia) thread predates our New Hybrids (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?50571-New-Hybrids) thread, so it never made it on to that one. So I'm copying it now even though its far from new now, mostly because it's impossible to search Nia at only 3 letters (had to use the website NiaNow (https://nianow.com/)).


Barefoot dance and martial arts combine for this workout (https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/207/207-interview/barefoot-dance-and-martial-arts-combine-for-this-workout/97-8e403890-0f08-407f-8493-c4faca46517a)
"Nia is a sensory-based fitness practice," says Portland instructor Erin Curren about a workout that blends martial arts, dance, and healing.
Author: Amanda Hill
Published: 2:39 PM EST November 18, 2019
Updated: 11:56 AM EST November 20, 2019

PORTLAND, Maine — While we specifically seek out alternative workouts for our segment, "Working Outside The Box," Nia is something that's difficult to describe. So we leave the hard part to Portland-based black belt instructor, Erin Curren: "It blends the precision and power of martial arts, the expressiveness and play of the dance arts, and the awareness and choice of the healing arts."

Call it connecting with your inner-most self; call it working out; or call it a silly dance class. Whatever you call this class, you'll by wiping the sweat away when it's over.

"I have people dragging coming into class," says Curren. "Even though they’ve been getting this great workout, they leave with more energy, which is sort of the Nia paradox. It’s sort of a sneaky work out."

When you arrive, you kick off your shoes and socks. You want to feel every single movement, from the base of your feet to the tips of your fingers. "We have 7,000 nerve endings in our feet and that gives us a lot of information that travels through our ankles, through our knees or hips, and helps us make choices for pleasure and comfort; stability and strength." Curren is pretty laid back in class, calling herself more of a guide. It's up to you to move as much - or as little - as you'd like.

"Nia is very adaptable for highly trained athletes or for couch potatoes who want to slowly get back into moving," says Curren. "I have students in the same class who are 26 and 85 [years-old] and I love when that happens because they are moving their body's way."

To learn more about Erin Curren's Nia class, click here.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QrWOlYNyaY

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAhTJQ-om90

[GeneChing]

Nunchucks Master From The Oranges Invents New Martial Arts System (https://patch.com/new-jersey/westorange/nunchucks-master-oranges-invents-new-martial-arts-system)
Eldridge Hawkins Jr. is the founder of Ken-Fu Nunchaku Jutsu. He's also a former New Jersey mayor – and a hall of fame martial artist.

Eric Kiefer,
Patch Staff
Verified Patch Staff Badge
Posted Thu, Dec 15, 2022 at 8:04 am ET
https://patch.com/img/cdn20/users/22844250/20221214/062156/styles/patch_image/public/image0___14181730259.jpg
(Photo courtesy of Eldridge Hawkins Jr.)
Eldridge Hawkins Jr. (in black), the founder of Ken-Fu Nunchaku Jutsu, demonstrates a takedown technique with the aid of student, Gage Knopf.

ORANGES, NJ — When he was crafting his new martial arts system, Eldridge Hawkins Jr. had a simple-but-tricky vision: it needed to be “realistic.” Apparently, this Essex County master of the nunchucks has nailed his target – and then some.

Recently, the North American Nunchaku Association, one of the most respected nunchaku organizations in the world, became the latest group to recognize Ken-Fu Nunchaku Jutsu as an official martial arts system.

Hawkins – the system’s founder – is a former West Orange resident who served as mayor of Orange from 2008 to 2012. He was inducted into the USA Unified Martial Arts Hall of Fame earlier this year. Read More: Ex-Mayor In The Oranges Earns Spot In Martial Arts Hall Of Fame

According to Hawkins, Ken-Fu Nunchaku Jutsu is a “complete” style that aims to combine the iconic martial arts weapon with more traditional striking techniques.

He writes:

“Specifically, this new nunchaku style fuses various elements of competition katas and swinging strikes of the American-style nunchaku system (as taught by founder Grand Master Michael Burke, 9th Dan), with the close quarter fighting of Chinese Kenpo Kung-Fu/Fusion Kenpo (as instructed by Professor Harry Baker, 10th Dan), Ed Parker’s Kenpo Nunchaku teachings, Jujitsu, and [my] own original techniques. More specifically, several of the strikes, locks, throws and more of Kenpo and Jujitsu have been augmented where appropriate to facilitate self-defense techniques utilizing the nunchaku and everyday objects in conjunction with the standard empty hand techniques.”
Because most people don’t usually walk around town with a pair of nunchaku, Hawkins’ system teaches students to strike, trap, choke or otherwise control an attacker with common items such as sticks, belts or even socks. It’s a style that’s realistic and meets national and international training standards of established martial arts organizations, he said.

Several of his peers in the martial arts have backed up his claims.

“I enjoyed the [Ken-Fu] self-defense and thought it was very useful and practical,” said Chris Pellitteri, president and founder of the North American Nunchaku Association / American Kobudo Association.

“Most nunchaku systems don’t focus on self-defense – it was refreshing to see,” Pellitteri said.

There are several other groups that have agreed with the North American Nunchaku Association on this point, including the American Style Nunchaku Federation, Independent Karate Schools of America, and the United States Martial Arts Federation.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSRisRKPs_E

Hawkins, now 42, began his martial arts career at Red Iron Dragon Karate Academy in East Orange when he was 7-years-old. He earned his first black belt in 2001 in Chinese Kenpo Kung Fu. Over the years Hawkins placed in and won several tournaments while studying different forms of martial arts, earning a master-level rank in different styles including Fusion Kenpo, U.S. Ju-Jitsu and American-style nunchaku.

The former politician, who is known to his students as Shihan E. Hawkins, is the senior international rank examiner in charge of training for the American Style Nunchaku Federation, a member of the United States Ju Jitsu Federation Senior Masters Caucus, and has recently been appointed to the role of vice president in the United States Martial Arts Federation.

Despite multiple knee surgeries, Hawkins has used teaching and his work with Ken-Fu Nunchaku Jutsu to remain active in the sport – and lifestyle – that he’s come to love. And his fellow martial artists say it’s good that he did.

“I congratulate Master Hawkins on the new Ken-Fu recognition from NANA and thank him for his ongoing contributions to the martial arts community and American Style Nunchaku Federation,” said Grand Master Michael Burke, president of the American Style Nunchaku Federation.

The Ken Fu Nunchaku Jutsu technical committee – which helps ensure the quality of training standards – includes Professor Harry Baker, 10th Dan of Baker’s Red Iron Dragon; Grand Master Michael Burke, 9th Dan; Hanshi Bruce Bethers, 9th Dan, as well as other black belts Ashanti Shakir, Rodney Armstrong, Sabu Rashidi, and Hawkins’ father, Eldridge Hawkins Sr.

See current Ken-Fu Nunchaku Jutsu system rank requirements here. Interested students or any dojo sensei interested in learning more can visit the UFC Gym, 498 Main Street in Orange, or visit the following websites: https://kenfununchaku.com or www.FusionKenpo.com.


Bad-Day-for-Wannabe-Bruce-Lees (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?56216-Bad-Day-for-Wannabe-Bruce-Lees)
Martial-Arts-Politicians (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?65916-Martial-Arts-Politicians)
New-Hybrids (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?50571-New-Hybrids)

[GeneChing]

TBG Martial Arts brings 'Tex-kwon-do' to southwest Plano (https://communityimpact.com/dallas-fort-worth/plano-south/business/2023/08/30/tbg-martial-arts-brings-tex-kwon-do-to-southwest-plano/)

By Connor Pittman | 10:27 AM Aug 30, 2023 CDT
Updated 10:27 AM Aug 30, 2023 CDT

https://cdn2.communityimpact.com/?url=https://communityimpact.com/uploads/images/2023/08/30/271596.jpg&w=900&q=95&f=jpg

TBG Martial Arts opened in Plano on May 19 and offers classes from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. (Community Impact staff)

TBG Martial Arts, a women-owned martial arts studio, is now open in Plano.

The studio, which is located at 1108 Ohio Drive, Ste. 118, opened May 19 at its location just south of West Plano Parkway. TBG Martial Arts offers “Tex-Kwon-Do” classes, which blend the Korean martial art taekwondo with a Texas attitude, and self-defense classes.

www.tbgmartialarts.com
Tex-kwon-do :p

[GeneChing]

Julianne Hough's Booty Is Ultra-Toned In A Thong Swimsuit In A New IG Vid (https://www.aol.com/julianne-houghs-booty-ultra-toned-175900454.html)
Women's Health
EMILY J. SHIFFER
September 8, 2023 at 10:59 AM
https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/SLJ05.TJYgR7xpI7rPKC6A--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02OTk-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_womens_health_917/a5e321b12a0dded70b21b9dbb0609039
Julianne Hough Is Toned All Over Surfing In IG VidMEGA - Getty Images

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Julianne Hough just dropped an Instagram video of her surfing at Kelly Slater Wave Co. Surf Ranch, and her legs and butt are mega-toned.

The actress seems to love staying active outdoors on vacation, and tries to incorporate movement even in her busiest travel days.

She also enjoys soups for lunch and an Indian dish called mung daal for dinner, plus, she's a fan of Mexican food.

Summer isn't over until Julianne Hough says so. And according to her, it's still in full swing. Why? Because she's totally living her Blue Crush dream.

The Footloose actress, 35, and her bestie, Nina Dobrev, hit up Kelly Slater Wave Co. Surf Ranch in California, and she dropped an epic video of her adventures on Instagram.

Jules showed off her strength and balance in a slew of swimsuits and thong one-piece swimsuits while riding some waves. Her legs and booty are seriously sculpted, and it's clear that she's strong all over.

"Guess I’m a surfer girl now 😎," she captioned the video. "What a surreal experience! From only attempting to surf once or twice before and starting on a soft top to switching to a hard top and carving up and down on the wave and barrelling… in just 2 days! Ahh, it was insane, and such a good feeling to accomplish and try something new ☀️💛."

It's no surprise that Julianne crushed those waves after just two days. After all, she usually stays active outdoors with others while on vacation—which is probably why she's so strong and toned.

Exhibit A: She recently shared pics and videos from a women's retreat where she spent time kayaking, hiking, and doing outdoor yoga.

"I love being around people and community," Julianne previously told Women's Health of her fitness habits.

Even with her busy travel sched, Julianne still makes exercise a priority. She also shared some of her go-to moves when she travels on Instagram.

"Even when I’m on the go, I always find time to move my body 💪🏻," she wrote.


The workout circuit—which Julianne does with ankle weights—includes:

10 donkey kicks (each leg)

10 fire hydrants with angled kickback (each leg)

10 angled kickback pulses (each leg)

20 hip thrusts

10 single leg hip thrusts per side

10 bicycle crunches

10 scissor kicks

10 straight leg bicycle crunches per side.

Jules also loves to do aerial yoga:

Plus, the Safe Haven actress started her own fitness platform, KINRGY, which include 45-minute "high sensory activated dance method" workouts that are a mix of tai chi, cardio, strength training, qigong, and energy work.

"It gives permission to be fully expressed for your own unique version of who you are, that there is no right or wrong way to do anything. There is no perfection, it's about expression," Julianne shared with Women's Health.

Celebrities-studying-Tai-Chi (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70323-Celebrities-studying-Tai-Chi)
Celebrities-studying-qigong (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68281-Celebrities-studying-qigong)
New-Hybrids (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?50571-New-Hybrids)

[GeneChing]

Qi-Gym – Qi-Gong with Brain Gym (https://ashland.news/event/qi-gym-qi-gong-with-brain-gym/2023-12-26/)
December 26 @ 12:00 pm
Event Series (See All)

https://ashland.news/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/E360C00A-0EEC-407D-9461-4DF0FC99CA6A-e1703007760717.jpeg

Qi-Gym is a blend of simple Qi-Gong with the movements and principles of Brain Gym.

Great class offering tools for rewiring the thinking brain and bringing the entire nervous system into harmony. Seamlessly evaporate stress & anxiety, improve balance & coordination, strength & vitality.

Guidance with movement to laser focus your thoughts and feelings for one contemplative hour with specific, beautiful flowing Qi-Gong and gems of information. All ages. $15 (with monthly pass) or $20 drop in. First class is FREE. Tuesdays 12 – 1 p.m. Jackson Wellsprings Community Room. For information/registration: Tanya 504 710 2622.

Anyone know Brain Gym?