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METRO WORKOUT

Punch your way to fitness

Photo: M. Moorthy

Picture of concentration Working hard

I was on the look out for something different to maintain my exercise regime and karate was one option that topped the list of suggestions from friends and colleagues.

With much ease flowed the names of karate schools in the city – actually there is no dearth of them. After tossing the names in my mind, I finally zeroed in the M.M.A.C. Karate School teaching the Shitoryu style of karate.

I must admit, I was not brimming with confidence. I was rather petrified but decided to go on — a new feat in my resume.

It was a quiet evening when I knocked on the doors of the school and was instantly greeted by N.S. Sivakumar. And then in the next hour, he took me on to a different learning experience along with a room full of young and bubbling children.

As they nodded cheerfully at my addition into their team, Mr. Sivakumar chose to brief me first: “Karate is a form of exercise to build inner strength of body and mind. Apart from the much known fact of getting physically fit and used as a self-defence technique, it tremendously improves one’s concentration levels.”

“One can witness spectacular results” — this assurance was more than enough with me and I started my session by bowing to my master and chorusing Oz along with my new found Karate friends. A good 20 minute warming-up session was followed by an explanation of a few basic techniques and movements. Guided by the master, I did the natural stance also called the ‘Heiko Dachi’ and the horse riding stance called ‘Kiba Dachi’.

Though I had to do both for a minute each, I soon realised it was not as easy as it appeared. Those sixty seconds made my legs wobble and I wondered how others were doing it so effortlessly and for a longer period.

Mr. Sivakumar stepped in: “One has to condition the body first and only with practice and time, the technique can be mastered.”

Reassured, I move on to the second round — the punches. I was showed how it has to be done with arms extended and clenched fists with the thumb over the middle and the fore finger. One needs to punch at the various said levels in the body, imagining a target opponent.

With much devotion, I managed 10 counts each of the middle punch or ‘Chudan Tsuki’, the upper punch or ‘Jodan Tsuki’ and the lower punchor ‘GedanTsuki’. The first day’s set was easy and left me feeling happy with few beads of perspiration unlike all my previous workouts. I am already wondering whether I should seriously start working towards getting my first belt!

For more information, contact – Sensei Sivakumar (Black Belt 5th Dan): 98949-97097

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