This may come as a surprise to you, but did you know that the Chinese martial arts are one of the best kept secrets for maintaining a long healthy life?
It’s TRUE! Take a look at the Shaolin Monks, not only can these guys kick some serious butt… but more importantly, these guys live well into their mid nineties and beyond. The secret to their amazing feats of superhuman strength and prolonged life is narrowed down to a number of different things which include: diet, rest, being stress free and also regular exercise, this regular exercise is always in the form of the martial arts. There’s not one day that goes by, that these masters of the martial arts are not practicing their art form. They totally immerse themselves daily in a pool of perfection from a very young age and strive for ultimate supreme mastery of their art form. They have total and complete control of their mind, body and soul. They dedicate their whole lives to the practice of the martial arts.
While western culture has just started to realise the value of the martial arts as an avenue for health and longevity, the Chinese people have always known the true value of the martial arts as a means to stay fit and live an abundant life. You see, for most people, the practice of martial arts is often seen purely as a form of self preservation and while that’s true, the practice of martial arts has also been linked to cures for diseases such as arthritis, high blood pressure, cholesterol, stress, obesity and dementia. While most people in western culture eat, drink and smoke excessively, their Asian counterparts are usually seen up at the crack of dawn practising their martial art form in the park. They understand that with daily exercise, the body remains supple and disease free.
In today’s busy world, keeping the body in top physical condition, requires regular maintenance, it needs to be serviced on a regular basis. Just like your car needs servicing on a regular basis, your body also requires regular maintenance. That maintenance should consist of a regular dose of exercise, a healthy diet, some “me” time and more importantly, a regular vacation to unwind the stresses and grind of everyday modern life.
One of the best forms of martial arts and exercise is Bruce Lees Jeet Kune Do.
Bruce Lee was a master of the martial arts and creator of Jeet Kune Do. Although an American creation, Jeet Kune Do has its roots firmly embedded in the Chinese martial arts. Bruce Lee was exposed to the martial arts from a very young age and studied the art of Wing Chun under the now famous Yip Man.He was also exposed to the art of Tai Chi Chuan through his father. However, it would be through his movies that he would bring the martial arts onto the world stage. His body was a specimen of supreme health, which for many decades was used by many body builders as a role model to replicate the same success.
Jeet Kune Do is without a doubt, one of the twentieth centuries greatest discoveries, it is an art form based on physics and science, it represents epitome of health while at the same time preparing its practitioners for the ultimate reality of combat. It’s the very drills themselves that help preserve the body on the inside as well as the outside.
By maintaining a regular martial arts program, you’ll notice a significant improvement not only in your overall physical skills, but more importantly in your overall health. You’ll feel years younger and stress free which ultimately leads into other areas of your life. This is the part that most people miss, the longevity through the martial arts. My teacher Guro Dan Inosanto, (Bruce Lee’s right hand man & protégé) is forever preaching how to train correctly and take care of our bodies, his message to me has always been about self preservation and longevity of the body.
Too often nowadays most martial arts schools tend to follow the trends in the martial arts and the biggest trend at the moment is MMA. Although great to watch, the reality is that these people often miss the point. They train with the hope of competing one day and becoming the next UFC champ. Although a grand goal, most people don’t realise the amount of effort and commitment that’s required to compete on that level. They subject themselves to a barrage of punishment, all for the glory of someday being crowned the UFC champ. What they don’t realise is that over a prolonged period of time, this type of training & abuse on the body often leaves scars in the form of: bad joints, arthritis and in extreme cases leaves irreparable lesions on the brain that could eventually lead to all sorts of long term neurological trauma.
Training in the martial arts is one thing, but learning how to train safely is another. Training in Jeet Kune Do has a way of taking a complete beginner all the way through to the advanced levels in a fun, safe training environment. After all, we want to be training for a very long time right!
If you’re serious about living to a ripe old age, then now’s the time to get involved in a martial arts program. The time you invest now, will pay dividends in the long run. You’ll feel rejuvenated, stress free, confident and above all live a happy abundant life well into your later years.
Until next Time, Stay Safe.
Sifu Arthur
Phone: 0419 253 106
