| bottom-link"> | | | | designed for injured dancers, is on the upswing. But |
| SECRETS OF ANCIENT KUNG FU SOLVE | | | | these can't give the workout that martial arts aerobics |
| MODERN FITNESS PROBLEM | | | | can. |
| Finally, the gap between intense martial arts aerobics | | | | A new program, Cardio Karaticise is filling the gap. |
| and soft soothing exercise programs which elongate | | | | Cardio Karaticise is based upon a rare soft style Kung |
| the muscles, such as yoga and Pilate's, has been | | | | Fu instead of the hard style karate and boxing. Martial |
| bridged. A martial arts aerobic has been created that | | | | arts are separated into two main categories, hard and |
| has the intensity and an extreme workout like the | | | | soft. Prior to Cardio Karaticise, kick boxing type |
| popular kick boxing type programs but with a soft fluid | | | | programs have all been based upon hard style martial |
| motion that is natural to the body. | | | | arts and boxing. Hard style motion requires the elbows |
| With the popularity of Tae Bo, Cardio Kickbox, Cardio | | | | and knees to go to full extension. Boxing requires a |
| Karate, and lots of other similar programs there has | | | | high impact, bouncing jerky motion. Both of these can |
| been an increase in injuries. Exercisers are turning up | | | | be hard on the body. Cardio Karaticise is based upon |
| with muscle strains, painful hips, back injuries, and | | | | one of the softest martial arts known, Shou' Shu. Shou' |
| overextended knees and elbows. The routines in | | | | Shu' is a royal Mandarin Kung Fu, which is a true |
| these programs require that the practitioner is already | | | | fighting art, has largely been unchanged since its days |
| flexible and conditioned for that type of activity. They | | | | on the battlefield. It is a very soft fluid motion, yet it is |
| use a lot of ballistic type stretching which specialists in | | | | extremely powerful. Cardio Karaticise is based upon |
| the field have deemed unsafe. Even a few | | | | this soft yet powerful motion. It gives the practitioner |
| professional athletes have been injured. | | | | an incredible workout without the jerky motion and |
| These programs, however, have some great benefits | | | | ballistic stretching. "We have people in our classes that |
| also. Mainly, they focus on the larger muscle groups | | | | have preexisting knee injuries and they are able to do |
| giving a more intense cardiovascular workout. They | | | | the class without problems", says Liz Weaver, martial |
| have a mental intensity; i.e. you can visualize an | | | | artist, Cardio Karaticise instructor and co-developer of |
| opponent and what you're doing to him. Also, they are | | | | the program. The program is also easily modified for |
| more likely to attract men, who have shied away from | | | | intensity level and to compensate for preexisting |
| traditional aerobics. They really are a great exercise. | | | | conditions. This is all covered in the instructional section |
| With all of the injuries related to these systems, the | | | | at the end of the tape. The program is a fifty minute |
| softer programs have seen a resurgence. Yoga has | | | | workout with a 20 minute instructional section. |
| once again become popular. Pilate's, which was | | | | |