Health, Fitness and Nutrition Articles

As martial artists we realize the benefits of a sound mind and body. This section will include all types of artcles relating to good health., fitness and nutrition including diet, exercise, treating injuries, herbs and more.

Master Dane Harden (Biography)
As martial arts instructors we will all face the occasional student training injury and we should be at least somewhat versed in the management of such injuries. The focus and intent of this article is not to make every Sensei out there a physician or EMT. My intent will be to focus in on a logical approach to dealing with dojo-related injuries and a methodology that can be easily adopted by instructors. It is the same methodology that has served me well as a Flight Surgeon and health care professional for more than 25 years. (Read Article)

By Michelle Aultman
Give me a few minutes and I'll show you some workout tips to avoid weak bones! An estimated 10 million Americans have osteoporosis, and another 34 million have low bone mass, (osteopenia). A disease without any symptoms, osteoporosis affects about 20 percent of men and 80 percent of women. Since bones gradually become weaker, they are more likely to break by a minor fall or, if left untreated, even from simple things like a sneeze. The most frequent fracture sites are hip, wrist and spine, although any bone in the body can be affected. (Read Article)

If you need a dose of morning coffee to kick start your day you may be undermining the peaceful balance that comes from advanced martial arts training and dramatically lowering your ability to develop Ki energy.Overloading your body with caffeine can cause insomnia, anxiety attacks, impatience, mood swings and the caffeine “Jitters”. But quitting cold turkey can cause headaches, constipation and irritability in many caffeine drinkers. So what can you do? (Read Article)

Chinese tea may be classified into five categories according to the different methods by which it is processed.

Green Tea: Green tea is the variety which keeps the original color of the tea leaves without fermentating during processing. This category consists mainly of Longjing tea of Zhejiang Province, and Maofeng of Huangshan Mountain in Anhui Province. (Read Article)

By Chris Bashaw With concerns about this year’s flu and H1N1 potential we need to arm ourselves with the knowledge necessary for a safe dojo setting, to protect ourselves, our staff, our students, and our business. (Read Article)

By Kent Fung - Many martial arts schools claim that studying their art is a great way to get fit, lose weight, and improve health. In reality, however, the relationship between martial arts and fitness/health is a little more complicated. Using the martial arts to get fit and healthy To be perfectly blunt, if you're a fat slob whose main exercise for the past year or 10 has been opening a bag of chips while operating a TV remote control, then yes, starting a martial art will probably get you much more fit than you are now. But so would any number of other physical activities, such as taking long walks, joining a health club, yoga, hiking, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. (Read Article)

By Kent Fung - Many readers have written me in response to "The Link Between Martial Arts and Fitness," and not all of you were complimentary. In particular, there were a lot of question about whether fitness means different things to a martial artist and an everyday Joe Schmoe. I've decided to elaborate on the subject here. (Read Article)

By Kent Fung - Martial arts training is largely a physical activity. In this, it can be compared to any other high-intensity sport. What that means is that martial artists are just as prone to getting hurt as other athletes. Aside from the usual soreness and bruises that can come from any intense physical activity, most injuries in the martial arts are caused by overuse. If you are at a reputable school with a responsible, intelligent instructor, sparring-related injuries - cuts, broken bones, and such - should be virtually non-existent. This is true even in schools where a lot of emphasis is placed on realistic training. So if you train hard, you'll likely develop tendonitis, or sprain an ankle, or pull a muscle, or something like that. (Read Article)

By Casey George - It's here-just look at the seasonal shelves in your favorite store. Retailers refer to this time as the holiday season, but I like to be more accurate. Weight Gain season starts now and runs straight through New Year's and beyond if you let it. The next few months will bring ample opportunity for you to indulge, to enjoy and to expand your waistline. Of course the choice is yours. Why do I bring this up now? Quite frankly now is the time for you to plan for the weeks ahead. Once the whirlwind of holiday activities and obligations begins, you'll be too caught up to put a plan into action. So in this moment of clarity, this calm before the storm, let's outline a plan that will save you from unwanted holiday pounds. (Read Article)

By Terry Wilson - And what a large "Ocean" it is. An entire industry has been built around a sea of remedies for the sprains, aches and pains that plague fighters. Sure, you'll probably hear people say that coming to grips with pain is part and parcel with the sport of grappling and mixed martial arts, but don't you want to know what works and what doesn't so you can shorten the recovery time? (Read Article)

Let's say it's 6.15pm and you're driving home (alone of course) after an unusually hard day on the job. You're really tired, and frustrated . . . YOU ARE REALLY STRESSED AND UPSET …. Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only five miles from the hospital nearest your home. Unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far . . . (Watch PowerPoint Presentation.)

By David Werner - This handbook has been written primarily for those who live far from medical centers, in places where there is no doctor. But even where there are doctors, people can and should take the lead in their own health care. So this book is .for everyone who cares. It has been written in the belief that: . . . (Read Handbook)

By Dr. Ihsan Azzam
What are Martial Arts (Sports) Injuries?
What is the Difference Between Acute and Chronic Injuries?
What Should We Do in Case of Injury?
How are These Injuries Treated?
Individuals/Groups at High Risk
How Can We Prevent These Injuries?
Recent Advances (Watch PowerPoint Presentation)

By Stephan Kesting - Cardiovascular training can be a confusing topic and there are many different and divergent views on the subject. Different reputable sources inform us that you don't need to do cardio - just spar really long rounds (for grappling), or that you should spar twice as many rounds as you are going to fight (boxing), or that you should do sprints, or do long runs, or lift weights for muscular endurance, etc. With so many 'experts', it is no wonder that the answer isn't cut and dried. (Read Article)

By Stephan Kesting - In the not-so-distant past weight training was discouraged for martial artists. "It will make you slow", "it will make you muscle-bound", and "all you need is technique" were common opinions from the 'experts'. Times have changed! Athletes in almost every sport lift weights now. Coaches and trainers recognize that it will make their athletes stronger, faster, and more resilient to injury. It is now understood that weight training complements and improves good technique. (Read Article)

Are you planning to kick and punch your way to fitness with one of the hot, new cardio kickboxing programs? Currently, millions of exercisers are trying today's most popular trend in physical activity - fitness programs (such as TaeBoÔ ) that provide the heart-healthy benefits of cardio exercise, while offering the gains in agility, strength, balance and coordination that can be achieved through martial arts training.
(Read Article)

By Sensei Marta Azzam - After spending nine months in the most physiologically loving, friendly environment - your mother’s womb - most of us are born healthy, happy and fit. However, the cumulative effects of unhealthy behaviors, bad eating habits, lack of physical exercise, and daily life stressors in our childhood and as adults renders us inactive, lazy, and unfit and therefore disabled by choice. (Read Article)