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Extreme exercise New disciplines stretch workouts to another level
Abstract:
Never let work interfere with your workout schedule. That's the motto of hard-core exercise nuts. You know the type: bulging gym bag, ten pairs of athletic shoes, a dogeared copy of Muscle & Fitness in their briefcase, up on all the latest ab-shaping trends. Well, here are a few workout regimens even the most devoted gym-goers may have overlooked. USA TODAY's Cathy Hainer scoured the country's fitness centers to find out what's new on the workout horizon.
Destinations & Diversion: DIVERSIONS
Never let work interfere with your workout schedule. That's the motto of hard-core exercise nuts. You know the type: bulging gym bag, ten pairs of athletic shoes, a dogeared copy of Muscle & Fitness in their briefcase, up on all the latest ab-shaping trends.
Sure-footed, army-tested Krav Maga.
If you have to be dragged punching and kicking into the gym, there's a new workout made just for you. That's because punching and kicking are the mainstays of Krav Maga, a self-defense system that is growing in popularity among fitness and martial arts fans.
Originally a self-defense system for the Israeli army, Krav Maga ("contact combat") is an all-body approach to defense, using fists, elbows, knees, even the head. "It's based on the natural movements of the body," says Darren Levine, an instructor at the Krav Maga National Training Center in Los Angeles.
One reason Krav Maga is catching on: There are none of the complex movements found in Eastern martial arts. "It's a no-nonsense approach to personal safety. There's no fluff," Levine says.
But there is plenty of strength building. It uses every major muscle group and aids in coordination, raises stamina and boosts adrenaline.
Classes begin with stretching and calisthenics, then go into full ballistic mode. "To make training interesting and realistic, we use games and drills similar to exercises used by SWAT and anti-terrorist teams," Levine says. Students learn a series of chokes, holds and kicks, borrows techniques from boxing, wrestling, even gymnastics.
Levine believes Krav Maga is gaining mainstream momentum for the same reason that propelled its use by Israeli armed forces: It's quick and easy to learn. "You don't have to spend 10 years learning it. We can bring people to a relatively high level of proficiency in a short time."
Like Oriental martial arts, there's a psychological aspect to Krav Maga. "Krav Maga is not just about getting people in better physical shape," Levine says. "It's also about teaching the body to function under stress. You have to stay calm or all your moves are useless. The mental aspect is really more important than the physical."
But Levine bristles when people compare Krav Maga to a romanticized idea of martial arts. "There's nothing ethereal about what we do. In reality, this is a self-defense and fighting system."
USA Today
Jul 31, 1998
Cathy Hainer
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