September 2004

The Chinese Martial Arts Center
Quarterly Newsletter
September 2004

Inside This Issue:

Letter to the Students

What Does Kung Fu Mean To Me?
by Amy Rountree

Health & Fitness
by Si Jieh Evita & Si Hing James

Some Martial Arts Funnies
by Steve Berman

Dear Students,
We hope you all have had a great summer and continue to have a great school year. As you all know, we've been making
some changes around the school and along with those changes we will also be incorporating some new ways to make sure we learn everything
we can from our requirements by separating the different skills and devoting full weeks to them.
Starting in October, the weeks will be as followed:
Week 1 --> Stances/Footwork
Week 2 --> Hand skills
Week 3 --> Kicking skills
Week 4 --> Applications
We will be handing out a new schedule and if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask an instructor.
(get graduation info here!)

What Does Kung Fu Mean to Me?

Anyone who has been in martial arts for at least a week knows that rule number 1 is, martial arts is for self-defense first. Second, may be fitness. Learning martial arts so that you are a better fighter, to fight, goes against the whole idea. I first became interested in martial arts as a child. Bruce Lee was my hero growing up, and I wanted to emulate that. I wanted to be him (female version, of course) and be able to do the things with my body that he was capable of doing. So at an early age, I began to study Tai Kwon Do. I quickly learned that, the self-defense theory was not always held by every student. In my first sparring session, I was faced with a slightly younger, but more experienced, boy as my opponent. We were instructed not to actually make contact but to spar as if we were. ?? Anyway, no sooner did our Sensei turn his back, this boy kicked me (yes, it hurts for girls too) so hard, not only was I thrown backwards (literally, in the air) but also it knocked the wind out of me to the point I threw up. So, it was no surprise when I quit Tai Kwon Do. Neither was it a surprise that his knowledge in martial arts did nothing to help defend this boy once I had my big brother as back up. Lesson learned. While I was still eager to learn martial arts and be a female Bruce Lee, I was not so eager to experience the pain and humiliation again.

After that, my training took on a whole new form. My brother, who is about 4 years older than me, decided to become my new trainer. We would watch WWF and he would demonstrate to me what the Figure-Four felt like, and I would have to learn how to get out of it. We would watch Bruce Lee movies, and he would demonstrate Fists of Fury. My training went on like this for several years. To this day, whenever we see each other, we recap and show each other new things we have learned. (Somehow, I have a feeling that the student will soon become the teacher in this case). Anyway, after that experience in Tai Kwon Do, my brother made sure that never again would I be caught unawares or defenseless. Granted, my fighting skills may be on a basic, more "street-like", basis, but he knew he would not always be there to defend me. Examples throughout high school… sorry, digressing.

When I first moved to Delaware, I had gained a lot of weight and was a little upset about it. A friend from work told me about this Kung Fu school (that shall remain nameless hereafter) that she used to attend. At first, I was a little hesitant. I mean, Kung Fu is Chinese, right? Well, being Korean, shouldn't I be studying a Korean form? Well, at any rate, it was worth the trial fee to find out. It didn't take long before I realized that Kung Fu is so much more. I began to really enjoy working out again and didn't even mind when Sifu Dale would decide to put us through an hour's worth of push-ups. (Don't tell him I said that though.)

Shortly thereafter, circumstances forced me to halt my training. During that year, I moved, lost my job, became depressed, gained more weight and became more depressed. For months, it was a struggle for me to even get out of bed. I would sleep all the time so that I would not have to face the fact that I felt like a loser because I couldn't find a job and through all of this, my marriage was deteriorating. I started working temporary jobs until, through them; I got hooked up with my current job. I didn't have a choice anymore. I couldn't sleep all day because I had to work.

One of my co-workers told me how he and his kids took Tai Chi lessons in Dewey. While I was talking to his son one day, I found out that Sifu Dale had opened his own school in Middletown. I was really excited since I lived in Middletown, it would be easy to get to. I looked forward to getting back into Kung Fu. I remembered Sifu Dale to have taught most of my classes at the other school, so I thought it would be great to study under him again.

Since, working at my new job and coming back to Kung Fu, I have found that I am a lot stronger than I thought. I may be tired a lot, but I have no desire to sleep the day away. I have a great job that I love going to every day. I have lost most of the weight that I had put on and feel better about myself than I can ever remember feeling. I have Kung Fu that I try to get to as much as work and my daughter allow and have been able to redirect my life through a new focus and new priorities. The friends that I have made through work and through Kung Fu have helped me to grow into the person I want to be.

Yes, Kung Fu is for self-defense. Yes, Kung Fu can be for fitness. Martial Arts are more than just a sport. It is a way of life. It is me- being at peace with myself despite the circumstances I find myself in. It is me- growing stronger as I step out into a new life for my daughter and I. It is me- having friends who can understand my passion. What is Kung Fu to you?

Health & Fitness
submitted by Si Jieh Evita & Si Hing James

Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness
Work Out Now, Pay Later?
CAPT Michael Ross, MSEd, PT, OCS

THE PHYSICIAN AND SPORTSMEDICINE - VOL - NO. - 1999

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Even though the benefits of regular exercise are well known, many of us don't do it. One reason may be that pain or discomfort sometimes goes along with fitness activities. But starting or continuing an exercise program may be easier if you understand what muscle soreness is and what to do about it.

Sorting Out Soreness
Aside from the pain of muscle injuries such as strains, there are two common kinds of exercise-related muscle soreness. One is acute soreness, which occurs during or immediately after exercise; the other kind is delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which develops 12 hours or longer after exercise.

Acute soreness. Muscle soreness during and immediately after exercise usually reflects simple fatigue, caused by a buildup of chemical waste products of exercise. If so, the discomfort will often subside after a minute or two of rest. Once the soreness goes away, you can usually continue exercising without any residual effects. If discomfort persists despite a rest period, you should stop your activity and rest the part of the body that is involved. You should not proceed with your workout until you're able to exercise that area without pain.

Delayed soreness. DOMS after a workout is common, particularly if you aren't used to the activity. If, for example, you haven't exercised for 6 months, and then you suddenly walk 3 miles and do some push-ups and sit-ups, you may feel soreness over much of your body the next morning. You may also notice muscle stiffness and weakness. Such symptoms are a normal response to unusual exertion and are part of an adaptation process that leads to greater strength once the muscles recover. The soreness is generally at its worst within the first 2 days following the activity and subsides over the next few days.

Causes of DOMS
DOMS is thought to be a result of microscopic tearing of the muscle fibers. The amount of tearing depends on how hard and how long you exercise and what type of exercise you do. For example, activities in which muscles forcefully contract while they are lengthening tend to cause the most soreness. These "eccentric" contractions, as they are called, provide a braking action; they occur in activities such as descending stairs, running downhill, lowering weights, and performing the downward movements of squats and push-ups.

In addition to microscopic tearing, swelling may take place in and around a muscle, which can also contribute to delayed soreness. Such swelling increases pressure on the neighboring structures, resulting in greater muscle pain and stiffness. Eccentric muscle contractions tend to cause both microtearing and swelling.

Dealing With Soreness
Let's say you overdo it one weekend by hiking and playing flag football or pick-up basketball. What are your options? Most experts would say the soreness will go away in 3 to 7 days with no special treatment. But there are some things you can do that may reduce the soreness and speed your recovery to some extent.

Initially, you should avoid any vigorous activity that increases pain, though you may work the unaffected areas of your body. By exercising unaffected areas or by performing low-impact aerobic activities such as biking or walking at a moderate pace, blood flow can be increased to the affected muscles, which may help diminish soreness.

Other measures include applying ice, gently stretching, and massaging the affected muscles, which may be helpful for some people and poses little risk if done sensibly. Also, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications like aspirin or ibuprofen may reduce the soreness temporarily, though they won't actually speed healing. These medications are available over the counter, and they can be prescribed by physicians in greater strengths. And there is some evidence that vitamin C may decrease soreness.

Finally, you should allow the soreness, weakness, and stiffness to subside thoroughly before vigorously exercising the affected muscles again, and don't forget to stretch and warm up before your targeted activity. If your pain persists longer than about 7 days or increases despite these measures, consult your physician.

Wanna Live Forever?
"These tips could add 82.5 years to your life" - Andrea Plateman, R.D., C.D.N

Life is short. But it no longer has to be. According to longevity expert Micheal Roizen M.D., author of "The Real Age Makeover",
up to 90% of all factors that cause aging are preventable. Though you may not be able to keep wrinkles at bay forever, making just a few changes to your daily routine - such as skipping that unhealthy afternoon snack or turning in for bed a half - hour earlier may help you cheat the reaper for years to come.

Here are some ways to add extra years to your life.

Join a gym, or better yet, one of the best martial arts schools in the tri - state area
The Chinese Martial Arts Center. (Haha shameless plug!)
Years that this could possibly add up to? 8!
"Physical activity is the best medicine for living longer." according to numerous articles by Robert Butler, M.D.,
president of the International Longevity Center - USA in N.Y.C. Whether it's weight training, cardio, or a combo of the two, either
one helps you increase your strength, endurance and stamina. They will also help you live longer.

In a 20 year study of 15,000 twins, researchers in Finland discovered taht the siblings who rarely excercised were at
l east 20% more likely to die before their more in-shape siblings. So not only do we at the Chinese Martial Arts Center help provide positive mental and physical growth by sharing our knowledge of kung fu, but we also help prolong life too!

Another example of how you can enjoy a long healthy life is consumption of Omega 3 fatty acids.
Omega 3 fatty acids - the heart healthy fats found in seafood are a must for anybody who wants to live into the tribple digits.
"The more omega 3's you eat, the longer you're going to live." says Joseph Raffaele M.D., a Manhattan based anti-aging physician. "Omega 3's are like motor oil to an engine" he says. They reduce inflamation and help keep the heart greased up and running at peak performance.

And lastly, here's a good reason to stock up on toothpaste and floss. Taking better care of your choppers may add a hald - dozen years or more to your life. Tooth decay and cavities cause inflamation which has been linked to heart disease and cancer.
The three essentials for healthy teeth, according to denstists across America, are:

1.) Use a soft bristled toothbrush instead of those gum damaging hard ones.
2.) Floss atleast once a day (but floss everyday!)
3. Rinse with listerine or some type of dentist approved antibacterial mouth wash.