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Monday, January 09, 2017 • Mt Annan, AU

Yoga and Martial Arts: A Blind Date that Turned into a Fruitful Marriage

YogaMartial Arts
By Gordon Bogunovic

At first glance, yoga and martial arts seem like everything but a match made in heaven. In fact, they appear to be opposing forces, one slow and endearing, and the other merciless and crude. Beneath this seemingly stormy relationship, a deeper truth lies buried. Namely, once you make an effort to grasp the bigger picture, you become aware that there are many ways in which these practices can actually complement each other. Yoga and martial arts surely are not birds of a feather, but they can certainly flock together towards a new, exciting fitness frontier.

When worlds collide

The down-tempo of yoga and the explosiveness of combat are worlds apart. This yawning gap, however, is something you can bridge diligently with knowledge and exercise. Many innovative practitioners have already managed to do so, blending yoga with martial arts into unique systems. This is nothing new for those who are aware that centuries ago, ruthless warriors like samurais went to great mental lengths in order to accomplish unbeatable Zen focus prior to battle.

And if you think there is not enough time to become versed in both, you can opt for combat systems that are tailored to quick learning and use. Krav Maga is certainly one of them. It combines various martial arts into one devastating force aimed at overcoming the opponent by any means necessary. You may adore dancing like a butterfly, but why not be prepared to sting like a bee? Krav Maga gives you what yoga cannot: superior self-defense skills. This is just one instance, which proves that it is best to take a broad, daring approach.  

A killer combo

It turns out that under their surface dynamics, ancient combat practices and the timeless wisdom of yoga have many parallels. From their Asian roots to modern applications, they both encourage us to explore our amazing and mysterious vessels and learn through experience and repetition. Now, combat systems prompt you to engage in short bursts of intensive activities like strikes, and their combinations and sequences. Alas, if you do not know how to contain and direct this power, you put yourself at risk of injury. 

That is when yoga steps in to speed up your recovery, relax your muscles, and teach you how to employ them in a controlled manner. Some poses have healing effects and make perilous injuries, pains, and aches less likely to occur and put you off track. Furthermore, yoga poses and exercises build strength and push the limits of your flexibility. They are meant to stretch the muscles and return fluidity to the joints.

Kick the game into overdrive

Apart from boosting overall flexibility levels, some moves in martial arts, like kicks, benefit directly from yoga poses. Take the example of difficult kicks that require prime hip flexibility as well as strong glutes and quads. One can master them by practicing yoga poses such as the Standing Forward Bend or Cow Face Pose variation. Likewise, better flexibility improves high kicks, torque while packing punches, and submissions in jiujutsu.

The accelerated progress is also visible in the areas of stability and endurance. Various asanas put your body to a serious test, increasing stamina and mental toughness in the process. Some are held for longer periods of time, which recruits your core muscles, the mainsprings of strong punches and kicks. Finally, breathing techniques and meditation tend to melt stress away and let you achieve a greater clarity of mind. You become more focused and able to execute moves flawlessly.

The best of both worlds

People who disregard the fruitful marriage of yoga and martial arts cannot see the forest for the trees. This is surprising since, yoga contributes to strength and technique needed to master martial arts, and these combat disciplines in turn infuse us with more power and boldness. In other words, yoga gives you strong mental and physical foundations upon which pristine physical greatness and prowess can be built. You are free to choose the specific building materials and ways to decorate and adorn your bodily sanctuary. 

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