Wing Chun Fitness (Part 1)
Keep fit, but how fit?
The question often arises:
“Do I need to be fit to do Wing Chun?”
Answer:
“No.”
BUT, it is never a bad thing to be fit.
Too often Wing Chun can be misunderstood, with ideas such as:
To train Karate you must be strong, so go to the gym and lift weights!
To train Kick Boxing you must be fit, so go for a long run and then do some star jumps!
To train Muay Thai you must be conditioned, so go bash your shins with a rolling pin!
But to train Wing Chun, you must relax…. and this will give you speed and explosive energy.
And to a great extent this is true.
It is also true that you do not NEED strong legs to train Wing Chun but by training Wing Chun you will develop strong legs.
It is also true that you do not NEED strong wrists to train Wing Chun but by training Wing Chun you will develop strong wrists.
However,
When it comes to a fight, if you DO NOT get the K.O. in the first few seconds (and it should be expected that you will not), then fitness may well be the difference between you winning the fight and them.
Therefore, let’s look at this a little and do something about it.
Now in order to post this blog I did some general research, and the results were vast, therefore I would like to share a little of these findings over two blogs.
If you are into keeping fit already then well done, keep up the good work, but not everything is down to exercise, diet, work, mental stimulation and sleep all play a huge part in your personal longevity.
So wether you are a marathon runner or a couch potato, take a few minutes to read these couples of articles, I’m sure you’ll find something in there for you.
Thank you
HOW MUCH SHOULD THE AVERAGE ADULT EXERCISE EVERY DAY?
Answer From Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends these exercise guidelines:
- Aerobic activity. Get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. The guidelines suggest that you spread out this exercise during the course of a week. Even small amounts of physical activity are helpful, and accumulated activity throughout the day adds up to provide health benefit.
- Strength training. Do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times a week. Aim to do a single set of each exercise, using a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions.
Moderate aerobic exercise includes activities such as brisk walking, swimming and mowing the lawn. Vigorousaerobic exercise includes activities such as running and aerobic dancing. Strength training can include use of weight machines, your own body weight, resistance tubing, resistance paddles in the water, or activities such as rock climbing.
As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. If you want to lose weight, maintain weight loss or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to exercise more. Want to aim even higher? You can achieve more health benefits if you ramp up your exercise to 300 minutes or more a week.
Reducing sitting time is important, too. The more hours you sit each day, the higher your risk of metabolic problems, which can impact your health and longevity, even if you achieve the recommended amount of daily physical activity.
Short on long chunks of time? Even brief bouts of activity offer benefits. For instance, if you can’t fit in one 30-minute walk during the day, try a few five-minute walks instead. Any activity is better than none at all. What’s most important is making regular physical activity part of your lifestyle.
A closing point
Please remember that this is just one persons view, AND, to some people it may even seem a little strict.
So for those of you with very little activity in your life to start with, slow and steady wins the race, and little BUT often is always good.
So the next time you’re going to the fourth floor, take the stairs instead of the lift, if possible, walk to the shopsinstead of taking the car, and if you find yourself waiting for the kettle to boil, run through one of your forms or drill a thousand chain punches.
Fitness in Wing Chun is not just required to keep away death, but so you can enjoy life.
Thank you.