karate exercises

Karate Exercises

Karate exercises are extremely useful but require a lot of practice to master. This article lists them. Have a look...

Karate is a method of self-defense that was developed in Japan. It does not make use of any weapon, but only body parts like the hands, knees, elbows, feet, and certain techniques that target the sensitive areas on the opponent's body. Karate is a physical endeavor, and involves rigorous workout sessions. Health benefits too are many, like increased strength, balance, and proper functioning of the cardiovascular systems. Exercise 1 Stand straight with your feet apart and knees slightly bent. Bend forward at the waist, and try to reach the floor. Make sure that you are comfortable while doing this, and are not straining yourself too much. Hold this position for 5 - 15 seconds, before coming back to the original position. Take a deep breath as you bend down, and exhale while you come back to the original posture. If you wish to increase the intensity of this exercise, perform it with the feet together. A count of 10 is sufficient to start with. This exercise is good for warming up, before practicing karate strenuously. Exercise 2 Stand erect near a wall. Place your hands against it. Bend your body slightly to the front. Lift the knee of the left leg as high as you can. Do it quickly. The aim should be to lift the knee high enough to touch the chest. However, this won't be easy in the beginning. An initial count of 10 is sufficient. Try to increase the count as you feel comfortable and confident. Exercise 3 Stand straight with the hands placed on the sides. Lift one leg. The aim should be to touch it with your chest. Do not bend your leg during the exercise. This will take some practice to perfect. This particular exercise is good for stretching. Exercise 4 Stand straight with the feet placed as far as possible. Bend down and touch your left hand to your right foot. Rotate your waist while doing this. Stay in this posture for 5 - 6 seconds. Come back to the previous posture, wait for a second, and then perform this exercise by switching the legs. To begin with, perform this exercise at least 20 times. Exercise 5 Sit on the floor with your back straight. Extend both your legs and place them wide apart. Try to touch the toes of your left leg with both your hands. While trying to touch the toes, bend the upper portion of your body towards the left. This will make the task a bit easier. Hold this posture for about 5 seconds. Make sure that you are comfortable in it. Come back to the original position, and perform this karate exercise for the right leg. Start with a count of 5 for each leg. Gradually, increase the number of repetitions with time. Karate exercises have been popular since a long time. They have been practiced, not only as an art for self-defense, but also as a part of physical fitness. When performed with discipline, they can assist you to consistently work the body completely and stay healthy.

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