Kung Fu

By Aadya Raikar

Who here is a fan of Kung Fu Panda.? Well, I certainly am. What if I tell

you that you can be just like him? I don’t mean fat and fighting the world

by using the power of chi but simple tactics that can save your life in

times of need. One very easy way you can defend yourself is by doing a

form of MA or Martial Arts. You must think that it would call for you to

get into bodybuilding but Kung Fu, is a martial art which is more about

mental and physical agility and strength, rather than a heavy muscular

body. you are not required to build as much strength as other MAs. I for

one have been practising Kungfu since I was around 7 or 8 years old and

it has been very beneficial for many reasons.

First of all, it is a great form of self-defence not only from attackers on

the outside but also within you. The exercise aspect of the sport helps

you stay fit and the fighting techniques make you fit to protect yourself

physically. So Kungfu is your saviour from physical bullying and

physiological ailments. Not only that, it makes a big contribution to your

mental health too. It inculcates qualities like patience, perseverance and

determination and teaches you to maintain calm in moments of stress. I

admit that at first, you might feel tired and frustrated before you realise

it becomes a part of who you are and you cannot imagine what it was

like before

Kung Fu also helps develop both strength and flexibility, unlike many

other workouts which focus on either strength or flexibility. Repeated

practice of kicks, punches, and pivots of the hips stretch the entire body

and develop flexibility while increasing strength at the same time. Kung

Fu training also involves special stretching techniques to increase

flexibility in various muscle groups in the body.

Another way kung fu helps is by building confidence. I can take a classic

example - me; I could not jump. I was so scared. I used to go on my toes

and come down when someone asked me to jump. I used to get an F in

PE. Now jumping is a cakewalk as are cartwheels, crunches and crazy

contorted poses that challenge your flexibility just for the fun of it.

Kung Fu pumps adrenalin that relaxes your mind and body and leaves

you feeling euphoric and stress free. Other health benefits may include

lowering blood pressure, increasing blood circulation, strengthening the

immune system and improving sleep quality. Kung fu training helps

young people learn how to deal with frustration and work toward a

specific goal. Another thing that it exercises is your lungs because

breathing is an intrinsic part of the different moves and poses. There are

some fun Breathing exercises like ha and oye which we incorporate into

our movements .

My Kung Fu trainer is willing to come to our complex and hold a class

at my house or even online for the duration of the pandemic. I am sure

that you will have fun learning to be fit and self-reliant just as I

have.Before I go, let me give you a fun fact. Everybody assumes that

Kungfu is an oriental sport, but let me tell you its origins can be traced

back to Kalaripayattu, a Martial art form popular in Kerala, India. So

why not reclaim what we have lent to other countries? Give Kungfu a

shot and I know that you will not regret it

By Aadya Raikar