Category: Sports

Kickboxing London has venues galore

Kickboxing – or other striking and kicking-based martial arts – is something that most people will have seen in film at one time or another. Since Bruce Lee popularised martial arts in the 1970s, there has been a slew of martial arts flicks, including some absolute classics like Karate Kid and some of Jackie Chan’s offerings. Jean-Claude Van Damme has perhaps done the most to make known kickboxing itself, in the film of that name. But the kickboxing London offers usually differs from what you will view on the screen. A sound kickboxing club will naturally teach you how to fight (or spar, as it is usually called), but there’s much more to it than that. In addition, the ethos tends to be very different from the kind of thing you will see on the big screen. The torturous, Karate Kid-style of instruction in the club depicted will certainly be absent (in the real world, that usually has insurance and legal implications…), although so will the mystical and arcane approach of Mr Miyagi.

What you can expect is a good workout and some proficient teaching whilst having fun with a bunch of other people who also want to learn to kickbox. That’s not to say that it won’t be tough work, but the best teachers will push you just far enough – out of your comfort zone, but not to the point of agony (don’t expect to hear those chilling words, ‘Finish him!’ uttered for real). You’ll work on strength, agility, flexibility and speed as well as basic punching, kicking, blocking and dodging techniques – as well as different self-defence moves in some instances. These may be drawn from kickboxing or possibly from another style – perhaps one that deals more with grappling, since a lot of attacks (strangles, grabs and so on) will happen close-to. (If you’re looking for a reference point, think more Steven Segal films than Bruce Lee.)

All of that makes kickboxing a great workout. Any given kickboxing club will have more or less of an emphasis on certain bits – some, for example, will major on competitive sparring, whereas others will look to teach you self-defence or have a focus on fitness. The great thing is that for kickboxing London has a huge number of classes, so you can look and ask around to find the one that suits you best – in terms of location, timing of sessions, and ethos. Check the web and ask friends for ideas.

Please visit http://www.zendokickboxing.com/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.zendokickboxing.com/

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A London kickboxing club can be a great way to drop unwanted pounds

Stress is one of the epidemics of our age, and none more so than in London. Kickboxing classes can be a good way to burn off some of the anxiety and pent-up energy collected from driving a desk all day. If you’re finding that your job is having undesired consequences for your health, mind and waistline, then a London kickboxing club might have the solution you need. Kickboxing is a punching and kicking-based martial art that has its origins in other more regimented styles from Japan and elsewhere; in practice it is a mix of techniques brought together from different martial arts to create something right for Western learners. For kickboxing London has many such clubs, with different approaches and teaching different styles – you may find, for example, that whereas one club emphasises self-defence strategies and may even incorporate some grappling moves, others are more purist and focus on punches and kicks exclusively (with the appropriate blocks) in the interests of preparing you for sparring, which relies on fixed rules for what is allowed and what is not permitted.

All of this means that, although kickboxing is a good way to exercise, it’s always worth looking around and finding out what you can learn before you choose a club. Of course, there’s no reason you shouldn’t go to several before you find one you’re comfortable with; one of the things that often puts people off studying a martial art is the typical Hollywood portrayal of classes, which go along the lines of a harsh, Karate-kid style sensei imposing his will on the students with pain and yelling. (Other people, of course, may be looking for and need precisely this kind of motivation…) Although such classes are in the minority nowadays, at least in London and for beginners, the different emphases may still attract or put you off.

So check around on the internet for London kickboxing classes and better still find someone who has tried them and can tell you what you can expect from a regular London kickboxing club. Once you’ve located one you like the look of, you should usually be able to try it out for free – there should be more details on the website, but beginners are often given taster classes to allow them to decide whether they like it enough to want to try it for a longer period of time.

Please visit http://www.karmaa.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.karmaa.co.uk/

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