| Russian martial arts flexibility and strength training | | | | waist deep in a lake. This sounds easy, but not after |
| techniques such as kettlebells have been available to | | | | doing it for hours, and needs total relaxation until the |
| Western Special Forces for many years from Russian | | | | instant of strike. This is exactly as a martial artist or |
| masters of martial arts. Russian territory reaches | | | | boxer should be totally relaxed until the arm snaps |
| from the west through middle Asia to China, and they | | | | straight with maximum forward momentum and |
| have the benefit of the best of self defence and | | | | power, and then relaxes immediately after strike until |
| aggressive techniques from all of these territories | | | | the next strike which could be a fraction of a second |
| within their armed forces. | | | | later. |
| Both before and after the destruction of the | | | | Relaxation can become second nature through the |
| communist ways in parts of the USSR, Russian fitness | | | | use of Qigong or Tai Chi training, the Chinese art of |
| experts crossed to Europe to provide us with the | | | | relaxation. Many people regard it as an exercise for |
| benefits of their knowledge of self defence and | | | | wimps, yet the greatest martial arts exponents in the |
| strength training, and both UK and American forces | | | | world use it for relaxation, as do many of the world's |
| have reaped the benefits of this specialized Russian | | | | elite martial forces. Meet these guys face to face and |
| knowledge. Much of this knowledge is now available | | | | call them wimps! |
| online to ordinary people with an interest in improving | | | | Through a combination of kettlebells, relaxation training |
| their strength, flexibility and relaxation techniques in | | | | and flexibility, the Russian special forces were among |
| order that they can attain the highest levels possible in | | | | the most feared in the world in unarmed combat, |
| their chosen sport or game. That means you! | | | | which is why they were employed to train the armed |
| Take Russian kettlebells, for example. Russian | | | | forces of the USA. Their techniques are available |
| power lifters and martial arts experts are available | | | | online if you know where to look, and relaxation that |
| online to offer you instruction in how to use these | | | | leads to speed, endurance and flexibility appears to be |
| simple weights to build exceptional power and strength | | | | one of their main skills. |
| throughout your whole body. For those not familiar | | | | Its opposite is tension, which is composed of strength |
| with kettlebells, they are simple heavy balls with a | | | | and power. At the moment of a martial artist's strike, |
| handle so that you can lift them. They are very | | | | speed and power are backed up with mass, but an |
| simple but can make a person stronger, more | | | | instant later the fist is totally relaxed as it snaps back |
| explosive, and with unbelievable endurance and | | | | to guard. Many sports other than just martial arts |
| coordination: just what is needed in any martial art, | | | | depend on tension and relaxation, the two aspects of |
| and used extensively in Russian military training. | | | | the expert sportsman. |
| Many martial artists, especially in the initial stages of | | | | Russian training techniques offer opportunities to |
| study, are unaware of the true importance of strength, | | | | improve your tension and relaxation. Strength is |
| speed and power. In very simple terms, strength + | | | | increased through the use of kettlebells, power through |
| speed = power. If you strike with great strength and | | | | dynamic and kinetic training, speed through flexibility |
| high speed, you will generate great power. It is for | | | | training and relaxation through qigong and other such |
| reasons such as this that great Russian exponents of | | | | techniques. Those that laugh and claim that they do |
| fitness and martial arts training such as Pavel | | | | not work would shudder at seeing the power and |
| Tsatsouline have been employed by the American | | | | capabilities of the Cossack, as did the opponents who |
| special forces, police and other organizations to teach | | | | would rather run than face them. They were more |
| techniques such as those that enabled Russian | | | | powerful that their horses and the most feared |
| Cossacks to slice a man from shoulder to saddle with | | | | opponents in the known world at the time. |
| nothing but a light saber (not a 'light saber' as in star | | | | If you want to improve to your ability at most sports, |
| Wars, but a saber that is not heavy!). This is spelled | | | | but especially in martial arts, learn from the Cossacks |
| 'sabre' in Europe, where it originated. | | | | and Russians. Learn from their martial arts flexibility |
| They could do this through relaxation techniques, | | | | techniques, and kettlebell strength exercises. |
| gained by repeatedly slashing into water while standing | | | | |