Exercises come in all shapes and sizes: Martial Arts
Hello people, this week I am going to be talking about martial arts and fitness. I recently whipped through the first two books of Wesley Chu's Tao series: The Lives of Tao and The Deaths of Tao.
This is an awesome little series that I wish I came across earlier as it would have definitely earned a spot on my Old Souls list. It is a perfect blend of action and comedy.
The premise of the novel is that there is a civil war happening on earth between two factions of stranded, gaseous aliens who can only survive on earth by inhabiting humans. Usually their regular vessels are hand-picked and raised to be ultimate fighting machines. A desperate emergency however leaves Tao no choice but to inhabit the next human in the immediate vicinity.
Unfortunately for Tao, that human happened to be Roen Tan. An overweight, unathletic computer programmer who is desperately lacking in confidence and self-esteem. Needless to say, Tao eventually whips Roen into fighting shape, but the process to get there was quite entertaining.
This is a great read if you're looking for something fun with a little secret agent type stuff mixed into it.
Which brings me to the main reason why I'm writing about this book and that is martial arts. In the Lives of Tao, Tao and several other teachers are training Roen to be a top level secret agent, part of which naturally includes physical fitness and martial arts. I was then reminded of how much I respect martial arts as a way to get in shape or stay in shape.
Many years ago I was a Defensive Lineman for UofT. I was topping the scale at close to 280lbs and I was just massive. I eventually left the team and realized that there was no reason why I needed to be that weight if I wasn't running around slamming into people.
On the advice of some friends I picked up mixed martial arts at a gym near my house and eventually moved into practicing Brazillian Jiu Jitsu. It was an amazing experience and I have to say that I have never lost weight so fast in my life. Within the span of a year I had dropped almost 100lbs to 185 and was feeling much better physically. The type of training and movement as well as the intensity of the training was very addicting and rewarding at the same time. Martial arts is something that I would recommend for anyone looking for a fun way to keep fit.
So my question for all of you this week is are any of you martial arts practitioners or have you ever considered taking it up?
I personally would suggest one of either Muay Thai or Brazillian Jiu Jitsu but completely up to you if you feel so inclined!
2 thoughts on “Exercises come in all shapes and sizes: Martial Arts”
I always loved doing martial arts, my judo sensei would even called me a monster because despite that I was just a girl in middle school, I managed to beat up all the high school boys I faced. I loved doing judo but now my schedule is too busy to do judo, so sad.
I have recently taken up Taekwondo and I have to say that it’s awesome! I’ve played several different types of sports over the years, but this is a whole different experience. It’s totally fun, a great workout and great for flexibility.