No matter what television channel you watch or magazine or newsletter or newspaper you read, you will be constantly bombarded with reports about the benefits of regular physical activity. To begin, there is the benefit that exercise offers in relation to achieving and maintaining healthy weight levels, which holds its own health benefits. In addition, it is widely accepted that exercise in general helps reduce stress through a myriad of avenues. And now, consistent physical activity is strongly recommended in the treatment of a wide variety of ailments, ranging from immune disorders (and disorders where the immune system could use a good boost) to Parkinson’s disease and osteoporosis.

And what could be better exercise than the Martial Arts? Martial Arts training is aerobic, the kind of exercise that is recommended for many areas of health maintenance and optimization such as heart and lung fitness, as well as achieving proper weight goals. Martial Arts training is also what is considered a “weight-bearing exercise,” which is the type of exercise recommended specifically for the health benefit of maintaining or improving bone density to prevent osteoporosis or reverse osteopenia. Weight-bearing exercise is actually crucial for anyone and everyone to maintain bone health, especially as they age.  Many recent reports also focus on the benefits of “core strengthening” or types of training that are “core” focused. Yes, Martial Arts does that, too. Studying and practicing the Martial Arts gives you a complete mind and body work-out, resulting in all the benefits, including those that contribute to stress reduction.

So commit to your Martial Arts training. You’ll be committing to being healthier in every way possible: less illness, fewer chronic conditions, healthier lungs and heart and bones, less stress and resultant illnesses, more flexibility, and amore toned body that is less prone to injury. And that’s not to mention that you will feel great and have fun.

The New Year is right around the corner, start making your commitment now!

You may have seen products on grocery store shelves claiming “immunity boost”  or “immunity blend,” items that claim to increase your immunity in one way or another. This is all due to the Food and Drug Administration allowing manufacturers to use the terms “supports/enhances/boosts” regarding the “immune system” in marketing and on food labels. These kinds of “structure-or-function” claims require very little scientific evidence. Because so many nutrients have been linked to some kind of role in immune function, this claim can be put on just about any food item. This prompted me to research the effects of diet on immunity.

I was shocked when I reviewed the scientific literature on the effects of diet on immunity. I had always thought that eating healthfully and/or boosting my vitamin and mineral intake would bolster my immune system. But studies show that diet has very little effect on your immune response. Unless you are elderly or your nutritional status is severely compromised in some other way, improving your diet isn’t going to boost your immune system.

Despite these findings, it is still very important to eat a well-balanced diet, high in fiber, low in saturated and trans fats, high in whole grains. These aspects of a healthy diet all aid in disease prevention. A healthy diet is crucial for avoiding heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity.

Exercise, on the other hand, is the complete opposite as far as the immune system is concerned: exercise has a significant, immediately measurable impact on immune function. Researchers found that when they had sedentary (non-active) individuals walk briskly for 45 minutes per day most days of the week, the number of days they were sick was cut in half! The researchers linked this to the increased levels of “natural killer cells” and neutrophils (a kind of “immunity cell”) found during exercise. These levels actually remain elevated for about three hours after exercise, continuing to “clean house” long after you’ve stopped your activity.

So skip the special “immunity boosting” foods. Eat a consistently healthful, well balanced diet. And exercise moderately most days of the week. An improved immune system is just one of the many benefits that you’ll reap!

Student at PMA about to Jump Rope

Can you imagine living in in pre-historic times when humans had to walk and run everywhere to hunt and gather their food? Or how about having a wild animal chasing you and running to stay alive? In those days, cardio respiratory endurance was absolutely essential to survival! Now, people rely on cars, boats, planes and elevators. These things have decreased the need to run/walk to stay alive.

HOWEVER, as we became more sedentary, there was an enormous increase in obesity and heart disease. It is to the point now that aerobic activities are essential to one getting/staying in shape to avoid heart attacks. Here are some tips to working cardio into your daily routine.

Cardio exercise is analogous to aerobic exercise. For at least 20 minutes per day, for a few times per week you need to elevate your heart rate to 60 – 85 % of your target heart rate. To find this target heart rate, subtract your age from 220 and take the percentage of that number. Walking, jogging, or running are some of the most common ways to get in that aerobic exercise. However, a typical martial arts class can get you that 20 minutes and beyond if used correctly.

It is a little bit ironic that we have come full circle with our cardio exercise. “Back in the day,” humans literally had to walk, jog, and run to stay alive. Overtime technology made us sedentary. Well those sedentary lives have made us overweight and we need to walk, jog and run again to stay alive! Martial arts training can get you the exercise you need while teaching you self defense skills that could save your life also. Self defense in more ways than one!

By David Corrigan

Would you like to build muscle, lose weight, or increase your flexibility? Are you out of shape? Understanding the Principles of Fitness is an absolute essential for any training program. Whether the focus is on cardio respiratory endurance, strength, flexibility, or body fat composition, knowing the principle of fitness will bring improvements in the component of fitness desired. Here are five Principles of Fitness that every trainer and trainee out there should keep in mind:

1)      The Principle of Readiness – Before starting a fitness program, it is essential to conduct some tests to gain an understanding the level that you are starting the program at. One of the most common mistakes in all fitness programs is jumping into the program with no idea where you are starting. For many people this leads to jumping into a program that is either too intense or too frequent for them to continue.

For example, let’s imagine a person that wants to lose weight and has led a sedentary lifestyle for the past 14 years, since graduating college. They speak to their co-worker who tells them that they stay in shape by running 2 miles every day. Our person then goes out that evening and runs two miles. The next day, they get out of bed and can hardly walk. They are completely turned off by the horrible experience and fall right back into their sedentary lifestyle.

2)      The Principle of Adaptation – Once the Principle of Readiness has been used to determine a starting point for a program, a consistent training program can be implemented. The body will slowly adapt to the new active lifestyle and after a few weeks results should be noticeable. Let’s take our same runner from #1 and this time he used the Principle of Readiness to start an appropriate training program. He starts by walking one mile every other day, maintaining a heart rate of 145 beats per minute. After 4 weeks, he might notice that the amount of time it takes for him to walk that mile with a starting heart rate of 145 beats per minute might drop by a minute or two. The body has adapted.

3)      The Principle of Specificity – Specific exercises should be chosen for the specific fitness goals desired. If someone’s ultimate objective is just to lose weight, hitting the gym to lift weights might not be the most efficient way to do this. This does not mean however that lifting weights should be excluded from the training program.  Some exercises are better designed for strength training, others for flexibility and still others for aerobic fitness. Do not exclude any one category of fitness from your training program, but concentrate on exercises that are specific to your focus.

4)      The Principle of Progressive Overload – As the body adapts to the training program, frequency, intensity and time of exercise must be increased to continue to see positive results. You can remember this as the FIT principle!

5)      The Principle of Regression – If you don’t use it, you LOSE it! This is the opposite of #4. If you stop your exercise program, you will see negative results. Recent studies show that one can lose as much as 50% of their fitness levels in only 2 months of inactivity. Here is the good news: once you have achieved the level of fitness desired, you can maintain this by keeping up the intensity level, and cutting back on the frequency and length of training sessions.

Whether your goals are to build strength, lose weight, increase flexibility or just get in shape, martial arts training is one of the absolute best ways to go about it. You will also build confidence, relieve stress and learn to defend yourself. Do you want to know the best part? If you have a good instructor, you will be motivated to continue to train, because you will have a blast! How much money have you wasted on unused gym memberships? Get in shape both physically and mentally with martial arts.

By David Corrigan

Students from all ages, sizes, and backgrounds come together to experience the martial arts way of life.

Do you want to enjoy a long, healthy life? Have you ever noticed increased energy levels, and just felt good after exercising or making healthy changes in your diet? Most of us know that we are happier when we are healthier. So why don't we always make the best decisions? Laziness, taste, habit, social influences...many of these play a role in our choices.

Martial arts is an unbelievable way to get in shape and kickstart a healthy lifestyle. One of the reasons for this is that not only is it an enjoyable form of exercise, but the martial arts way of life will encourage healthy decisions both on and off the mat. Nutrition is one of the most important aspects of a healthy lifestyle, and probably the most neglected in the United States. We love our food!

Here is the good news - you don't have to give up all of your favorite food and beverages to live a healthy lifestyle. The key is achieving a desirable nutrition state.

What is a desirable nutrition state? This is when the body has enough nutrients to function properly and has stored excess for times of increased needs (working out). For many Americans, storing enough nutrients is not the problem...if you get my drift. Also keep in mind however, that a desirable nutrition state does not mean doing whatever it takes to be skinny. Some people take losing weight to the extreme and undernutrition can develop.

Here are 5 healthy habits every martial artist should develop:

1. Consume a healthy diet - a healthy diet should be varied, rich in fiber, and low in animal fats and trans fat. If you like fish, this is a great supplement to a healthy diet.
2. Maintain a healthy weight - remember this is not just exercising. The key to maintaining a healthy weight is calories in vs. calories out. Just because you burn 200 calories on the treadmill does not mean you can eat whatever you want....calories in versus calories out.
3. Exercise daily - find something that you love to do and stick to it.
4. Avoid the use of tobacco.
5. If you enjoy consuming alcohol, do so in moderation.

These 5 habits will carry you a long way. They are short and simple but essential. Stay tuned in to the blog and we will expound on many of these in more detail! See you on the mat...

A recent Consumer Reports article presented the latest research on keeping our minds sharp, especially as we age. As I read the article, I couldn’t help but notice that each of the five areas discussed could be addressed by being actively involved in a Martial Arts program!

1.    Reducing Stress. Exercise is well known for its ability to aid in the reduction of stress. Add to that the myriad of stress-reducing benefits of the Martial Arts in particular and you have a true stress buster.
2.    Staying Connected. By this the authors meant staying connected socially with others. The social aspects of a training class such as a Martial Arts class cannot be underestimated, not to mention Martial Arts classes are fun and engaging, helping you to commit to the long term benefits.
3.    Feeding the Brain. Consuming a nutritionally-balanced diet is key to any Martial Arts program and to your overall healthy lifestyle. The recommendations for maintaining healthy brain function are much the same as for maintaining overall healthy body function: minimizing trans-fat intake, reducing saturated fat intake, and consuming more fish and other foods that contain healthy fats.
4.    Staying Fit. Physical activity is the best known way of protecting your brain against aging. The recommendation here is the same as for general health and well-being: at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days. Martial Arts training incorporates daily exercise into your routine in a fun and exciting way, so you can stick to it.
5.    Flexing Brain Muscles. Use it or lose it. The mental aspect of Martial Arts training provides this type of mental stimulation along with a great physical work-out.

Keep in mind that “aging” doesn’t mean you’re heading toward your 90s. Depending on your lifestyle, aging-related changes to your mind such as memory loss can begin as early as your 20s or 30s. So stay committed to your Martial Arts training. Your mind will thank you for it.

What are the benefits of martial arts? This is a great question parents often ask when they enroll their children in martial arts. Of course, there are many obvious benefits such as stress relief, self-defense, and social and sports aspects, but did you know martial arts training is also a great form of fitness?

Martial arts training is not only great for toning your body, but it also offers a great cardio workout. The best part is you get all the other values while getting into shape.

Another benefit over the typical gym, is we have professional instructors to motivate you and keep you on track to meet your fitness goals. Keep in mind, results don’t happen overnight but you will start feeling the benefits right away. Combine martial arts with a balanced diet and you will be on your way to a healthy lifestyle.

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to work out and get in shape, then give martial arts classes a try. If you aren’t enrolled in classes, or you know someone looking for a place to get in shape, talk to an instructor today to meet and exceed one of the most common and difficult resolutions. This is your year!

p.s. Check out our FREE Friday Night Bag Workouts for the month of January 2011 at Progressive Martial Arts - pmaoakridge.eventbrite.com.

By David Corrigan

In training martial arts, you should first and foremost learn how to defend yourself. At Progressive Martial Arts Academy we believe there are 3 aspects of a fight that every student must know the ins and outs of to be "street-ready." Those 3 "ranges" are depicted on our Academy's triangle logo -

1. Empty Hand - Training to defend yourself vs. all attacks standing up, including punches, kicks, grabs and weapons.

2. Weapons Training - The best way to defend yourself vs. an attacker with a weapon is to run. However, if running is not an option, the second best defense is to know how to use weapons yourself!

3. Grappling - There is an extremely high chance that your attacker will take you to the ground, and in some scenarios it may be beneficial for you to take your attacker to the ground. Therefore, you must know how to defend yourself on the ground.

However, martial arts training goes beyond combat. Martial arts will work wonders on both your body and mind fitness and well-being. For body-side fitness, you will receive benefits such as sharpened coordination, lightning fast reflexes, breath control, muscle tone and increased strength. For mind-side fitness, you will experience an entire new level of patience, confidence and inner calm. These are all desired traits from non-martial artists and common traits for martial artists.

What are you waiting for? See you on the mat!

By David Corrigan

"It has taken us generations to get this way, and it will take some long period of time to establish trends to consistently see improvements.” - Veronica Gunn, chief medical officer for the state Department of Health

In January of 2010, The Oak Ridger reported that Anderson County has an 18.6% obesity rate. January is a perfect time to post these stats because thousands of residents in Anderson County were probably planning their New Year's resolutions. Were you one of them?

Chances are you were and one of your resolutions was to get in shape, lose weight, or get back on track with your diet.

"To see a change in behavior, a population's behavior, what we're talking about is a culture change, and to do that is to require sustained attention at the state level, a local level and an individual level," said Veronica Gunn, chief medical officer for the state Department of Health.

We are already one week into November. Now is the time to start preparing for your New Year's resolutions but why wait until January? Start building a strong foundation for success now. Many of us think that getting in shape means that we must be extraordinarily fit. If you think this you are half right and half wrong. You don't need to be the next ultimate fighter to live a healthy lifestyle. At the same time, being extra ordinary means that you are more conscious and aware of your health and fitness levels than ordinary. As the stats show, ordinary levels of health and fitness are fairly low.

Moral of the story - start your healthy lifestyle now, don't wait for the New Year. Be more conscious and aware of your health and fitness than "ordinary" but don't set a goal in your head to be an "extraordinary" athlete. Set a goal that you can and WILL reach this year. If you become an extraordinary athlete, GREAT! Set small goals and don't let ANYTHING get in your way this time. Why don't you start a new trend this year among your families, friends, and co-workers - the fitness trend. As mentioned above, it will take some work to make changes for generations to come. We better get started!

By Jennifer G. Galea MS RD

“BMI” stands for “body mass index,” a calculation used to compare your weight to your height. Traditionally, it has been used to determine a person’s need to lose weight. But what does the BMI calculation really mean? Your BMI is one of several measures that you can use to evaluate your weight appropriateness, but only in general terms.

Your BMI is your weight (in kilograms) divided by your height (in cm) squared (times itself). Using pounds and inches, you can multiply your weight by 703 and then divide by your height in inches squared. A  BMI between 20 and 25 is considered healthy.

The limitation of this calculation is that is says nothing about your lean body mass (LBM), the composition of your weight, and how fit you are. You can have a BMI in the perfect range, but be unfit because your weight is composed of fat rather than LBM. Or you can have a BMI well above 25 but be perfectly healthy due to being muscular. More specialized measurement techniques and tools are needed to determine a person’s LBM.

BMI also does not show where your body is “holding” your weight. This is significant because weight carried along the trunk of your body (through the torso/belly) has a much higher health risk than the same weight carried in the hip area.  For this reason, new alternatives have been proposed which attempt to evaluate these variables as well. They are:

1. Measuring your waist. Measure your waist at its narrowest point. For women, maximum waist size should be 35 inches, for men, 40 inches. (Keep in mind that these values are for health risk prevention rather than optimal health.) Your waist should always be less than half your height.
2. Waist-to-hip ratio. After measuring your waist, measure you hips at their widest point. Divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement. The goal for this measurement is to be under .8 for women and .9 for men.

All of these measurements are simply numbers. They are used by scientists to track diseases and make predictions. They should not be used by individuals to determine health status or fitness level. You can certainly use them to give yourself an objective look at your weight and body shape and to track changes and effects of your Martial Arts training, but don’t view them as absolute rules.