Friday, February 28, 2014

The Advantages of Kickboxing

Kickboxing  - History and Benefits 
written by: Sandra LaRosa

Another winter is about to pass by, and spring is around the corner,
promising us new beginnings and new hopes. Winter is a time when your weighing scale touches the highest and your weight loss goals, the lowest. Many factors contribute to the winter weight gain – relaxing your diet during the holidays, abstaining from your daily gym session due to cold temps, room heating that prevents your body from burning calories and keeping warm, darker days that affect your circadian rhythm and much more. Now that spring is coming, it is time to pull up your socks and get back to your workout – time to shed those extra pounds you picked up this winter. Well, why not try something innovative this spring – like Kickboxing? The Definition and History of Kickboxing The roots of Kickboxing can be traced to Muay Thai, a Thailand-based martial art developed by soldiers of Siam as a warrior style. When Chulalongkorn became the King of Thailand in 1868, a peaceful era was born, which was conducive for the growth of this art. It expanded to the realms of workout, entertainment, defense and sports. Its initial name was Muay Boran. By 1920s, the name Muay Thai gained prominence. Years later, this art came to be noticed by Osamu Noguchi, an ardent martial art promoter. He wanted to refine the existing Karate style. With the help of Kenji Kurosaki, Noguchi merged the elements of Muay Thai with Karate to give birth to a brand new martial art. Thus the year 1966 saw the birth of Kickboxing. Soon the Kickboxing Association was founded with Japan as its headquarters, which paved the way for the worldwide recognition of Kickboxing.
As the name suggests, Kickboxing lays emphasis on kicking, striking and
punching moves. It also emphasizes defending and evading moves. Kickboxing has many subgenres, of which Cardio Kickboxing has gained much popularity. The health benefit, especially its ability to boost cardiac health, is what makes this style special. American Kickboxing, K-1, Shoot Boxing and Savate are other popular styles.

The Advantages of Kickboxing The benefits of Kickboxing are many. The top 5 benefits are:

1. Correcting the Body Posture: Long hours before your computer and
laptop, especially in wrong postures, ruin your muscle strength. Kickboxing
will help you to correct your posture and strengthen the weak muscles in
your body.

2. The Perfect Cardiac Workout: No other workout or martial art can boost
the health of your heart as Kickboxing does.

3. Focus and Reflexes: Kickboxing sharpens your reflexes, quickens your
mental calculations. This means better focus, coordination and
concentration.

4. The Ultimate Stress-Buster: Kickboxing is one of the best ways to
reduce stress and relax.

5. Mass-shedding of Calories: Kickboxing is regarded as a workout that can
burn large amount of calories within the shortest time possible.
Bruce McCorry’s Academy - Classes on  Kickboxing 
Regarded as one of the topmost martial arts institutions in the United States, Bruce McCorry’s Academy (Peabody,  Massachusetts) focuses on the
special variant of Kickboxing. For the past forty years, the academy has been instructing students in various martial arts.Kickboxing at Bruce McCorry’s is unique because it is an easy and efficient path to your fitness aim. From losing weight to achieving a perfect body, whatever is your fitness dream, Bruce McCorry’s is here to realize them.

www.brucemccorrys.com

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

History of Karate

The History and Benefits of Karate 
written by: Master McCorry

Once you take the big decision to start learning a martial art, the next
big question is the choice. To choose a martial art that suits your needs, you should know about the benefits and specialties of different martial arts. According to the Top Ten list by listverse.com, the most popular international martial art is Karate. What makes Karate a unique martial art? The simplicity and effectiveness of its methods and the amazing physical and mental benefits are two obvious reasons. By and large, Karate is one of the most popular and widely practiced international martial arts.

A Peek into the History of Karate
Ryukyu Islands in Japan’s Okinawa province is considered the birthplace of Karate. When the aboriginal Japanese martial arts got influenced by the incoming influence of Chinese arts, a new martial art was born – this was Karate. Once Ryukyu started trade and cultural relations with the Mainland Japan, Karate crossed the ocean and became popular in Japan. This happened somewhere around the early 20th century. After the Taisho Era, systematic Karate classes developed in Japan. By 1930s, Japanese universities started giving recognition to Karate. 1960s and 70s saw the birth of martial arts movies. Karate was a genre which reaped the maximum benefit from these movies. It won worldwide appreciation, and dedicated minds started Karate schools in different parts of the world. According to the World Karate Federation, Karate has around 100 million learners all over the world, which makes it a lucrative and popular sport.

Karate: The Benefits and Advantages
After all, what is that element which attracts so many aspiring minds to Karate? A look at the benefits of Karate will answer this question. 
To point out some benefits,

* Karate sharpens your coordination, balance and reflexes
* It boosts your metabolism and physical activities
* It makes your body strong, energetic and refreshed
* Karate can make you flexible and toned 
* It augments your overall health, especially cardiovascular health
* Through Karate, you can defend yourself
* Karate enhances your focus and attention skills
* Karate learners experience less stress
* It builds self-confidence and increases self-worth
* Karate fosters positive attitude toward life
* It motivates consideration, respect and cooperation

Karate: A Martial Art for All Ages
The points above indicate that Karate is an accommodative art; an art for
all ages. Kids and school-going students can develop their concentration,
memory and cooperation skills through Karate. It will also make them
athletic and physically strong. Karate will help adults to combat work
stress. Adults can achieve goals like weight-loss and toned body through
Karate. Karate learners live lives without health risk. In the case of
seniors, Karate can boost their self-esteem. It will bring color to the old
age through friendships and socializing.

Karate at Bruce McCorry’s Academy
There is something as important as your martial art choice: the place where you choose to learn it. Established in 1978 as a small martial arts center in Peabody (MA), Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts Acadely has grown into one of the top-ranked institutions in the US. Karate classes in the academy are exceptional because they offer a well-crafted syllabus and professional training. To realize your Karate goals, embrace the passion of Karate at Bruce McCorry’s!

Friday, February 21, 2014

Little Ninja's Martial Arts Program

Bruce McCorry's Little Ninja's Martial Arts Program
written by: Master McCorry

When your child comes to you and shares his/her ambitions and wishes, it
is your responsibility as a parent to help them realize their dreams. Most
parents provide kids with everything they want – food, money, comfort and
much more. In spite of all that, why do some children rise above others in
the course of life, and some fall behind? Why is it that even kids who are
naturally blessed with health, intelligence and inborn talent fail to do
well in life? As parents, is there something you can do to lead your child
through the right way?

Martial Arts at the Right Age If you want your children to lead a virtuous, positive and contented life, you should start molding their character at the right age. One way by which you can do this is by introducing martial arts to their life. Martial arts can virtually transform your kid’s life. Studies show that the right age to start martial arts training is 3-4. The preschooler age is considered to be the right time because much change can be brought to your kid’s life at this age. Preschooler Martial Arts: The Benefits and Advantages Proper martial arts training at the preschooler age can redefine your child’s personality. 

Martial arts make this possible through the following ways:
* Martial arts evens out a person’s health. Those who suffer from obesity can shed excess fat and tone their body through martial arts. Similarly, frail and weak children can gain body mass and physical strength. Through martial arts, your child can overcome problems such as tiredness and childhood lifestyle diseases.
* During 3 to 4 years, your child’s sensory and motor-kinesthetic skills are in a formative stage. During this age, they start understanding and processing sensory information, mastering language and gaining motor-kinesthetic balance. Martial arts will help kids to be accurate and precise in each of these. * Martial arts foster many values as well. The etiquette and philosophy of these art forms can constitute values like obedience, co-operation, tolerance and discipline. If these values are fostered in the preschooler age, they will remain with your kids for the rest of their lives. * Social behavior can be motivated through martial arts. At the age of 3, your child starts discovering societies outside home such as school and friends. Martial arts will teach them the worth of friendship and communication. Young martial arts learners have less chances of developing social awkwardness in later life.
Choosing the Best Martial Arts Instruction At the age of 3-4, your child’s character is tender so that it could be cast to any form. It is your responsibility as a parent to choose a good institution for them so that they get instructed by safe hands. Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts Academy in Peabody MA pulls enthusiasts from all surrounding towns on the North Shore. It's one such organization which aims at a child’s holistic development right from the preschool age. This notion has led the academy to devise a special program for the preschoolers, The Little Ninjas. This course springs from the thought that preschooler martial arts is a field that needs special recognition and special priorities. Some of the highlights of this program are instruction by deft teachers, fun-oriented activities, safety measures and a homely atmosphere. As a parent, you are the one who has the power to choose whether your child leads a successful life or not. Make the best choice for your preschooler and enroll him/her at Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts Academy…

www.brucemccorrys.com

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Martial Arts for Kids

Kids' Martial Arts at Bruce McCorry's Academy
written by Master McCorry

When you were children, you had your dreams, your wishes – some of them
came true, and some of them didn't. However, when it comes to your children, you want every single one of their dreams to be true. You want them to live their life to the fullest. And if you take a look at their dreams, often you will be surprised. Some want to become the hero on the television, some want to get a star for their school work, some want to be the best in their favorite sport and some just want to be cool. As a parent, how can you give wings to the dreams of your kids? The answer is Martial Arts.

Martial Arts for Kids: The Pathway to Success
Martial arts is often highlighted as a pathway to success and self-actualization. How can martial arts help your child to achieve success and happiness? Here are some important changes that can be brought to your child’s life by teaching him/her martial arts: 1. Confidence and Self-Esteem: Today’s world is competitive and unforgiving – and it treats those who are not sure of themselves mercilessly. Martial arts will help your children to believe in themselves and deal with the world confidently. 2. Self-defense: Martial arts will train your children in an effective way so that they can protect themselves if they have to face any danger. This is one of the greatest merits of martial arts.
3. Character development: The foundation of one’s character is laid in the childhood. Those who learn martial arts in their childhood will imbibe values such as obedience, respect, cooperation and empathy.

 4. Brain development: Martial arts can cultivate a number of abilities in
your child such as quick thinking, reasoning, spontaneous reaction and
memory power. 

5. Athletic skills: For success in sports, your child needs
physio-kinesthetic skills such as coordination, balance and quick movement.
Once he/she fosters these abilities through martial arts, they will be of
tremendous help in the sports field.

6. Health: Comfort-oriented lifestyle makes today’s children be victim to
many diseases. Obesity and Type 2 diabetes are among the most reported
childhood diseases. Martial arts can guarantee your children’s health by
providing them enough exercise.

Martial Arts Classes for Children at Bruce McCorry’s Academy
Once the amazing potential of martial arts was discovered, martial arts centers started flourishing like mushrooms. Only a few of them offer genuine and effective training in martial arts. That is why an academy like Bruce McCorry’s, with its four-decade-long legacy, deserves a special mention. Kids’ martial arts classes in Bruce McCorry’s are special due to many reasons: * The safety of the kids is given priority over everything else. Dangerous practice methods such as cage fighting are intentionally avoided.

* Customized classes to suit the need of each kid, without burdening them
* Well-crafted programs and effective training

* Special focus on character building

* Activities to enliven the martial arts sessions

* Transport facility for kids’ programs like After School Martial Arts

* Experienced teachers and expert supervision

For the past forty years, Bruce McCorry’s academy has been imparting the precious knowledge of martial arts to hundreds of students. Within the last few years, this time-honored martial arts center in Peabody (Massachusetts) has become one of the most coveted martial arts institutions in the United States. Make your child’s dream come true by choosing Bruce McCorry’s classes…

www.brucemccorrys.com



Friday, February 14, 2014

Visualization in Martial Arts

The Possibilities of Visualization in Martial Arts 
written by: Master McCorry

The old saying goes that "practice makes perfect". However, modern studies
show that mere practice is not enough to make anyone perfect in any art. These path-breaking studies point to another powerful element that can help us to attain physical and athletic goals – visualization. Visualization: Theory and Practice Visualization is a unique method in which you conjure to your mind a visual image of something that you want to attain. Once you think of a goal, you mentally visualize actually attaining it. You can even visualize that you are correcting yourself in the process. 

A real-life situation of visualization may look like this. Imagine that you are a dancer and you need to practice some moves. Once you learn the moves through real practice, you go through the steps one by one in your mind during leisure time, correcting yourself each time you feel that you got it wrong. Visualization is a concept that has amazing possibilities in physical activities such as sports, dance, aerobics, yoga and above all, martial arts. The Effectiveness of Visualization Dr. Jacob Jordan, the author of Total Mind Body Training, opines that the real trick is to stress how the mental image feels, rather than focusing on the image itself. Proper visualization can bring a sea change to your performance. Dr. Maxwell Maltz, in his work New Psycho-Cybernetics, illustrates a monumental visualization experiment. One group of basketball players was allowed to practice for 20 days. Another group practiced only on the first and last days of the 20-day-period. The third group did actual practice on the first and last days, and they practiced through visualization on other days. When the results came out, the second group showed no improvement; but the first and third groups showed almost equal improvement (24% and 23% respectively.) This shows that visualization can be as effective as real practice. Russian scientists analyzed the schedule of Olympic athletes to find out the right proportion of visualization. They discovered that the right mix that gives the maximum performance is 75% visualization and 25% actual practice.
The Role of Visualization in Martial Arts
As noted above, martial arts is the field in which visualization has the
greatest scope:

* Even if you are injured or unable to do actual practice, you can
practice through visualization.

* If you have weekly classes, you can productively use the time in-between
for practicing visualization.

* If you have to remember a sequence of moves, you can use visualization
to enhance your memory.

* While visualizing, you can imagine achieving perfection in your art. It
will help you to perform better.

* If you don’t feel confident enough, you can visualize that you are
always succeeding in your art. This will make you confident.

* Through visualization, you can improve yourself without getting
physically exhausted. This is very useful when you are to face a
competition.

Innovative Martial Arts Classes at Bruce McCorry’s
Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts Center (Peabody, MA) is an innovative martial arts academy – one of those rare academies in the US that make use of visualization technique. The teachers here encourage you to practice visualization on your free time – they constantly try to improve your performance. Many of the capable martial arts performers today are the former students of the academy. Join this four-decade-long legacy by being a part of Bruce McCorry’s martial arts program…

www.brucemccorrys.com

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Martial Arts to Prevent Domestic Violence

Self-Defense Oriented Martial Arts Classes to Prevent Domestic Violence 
written by: Master McCorry

While February 2014 is being celebrated as the Teen Domestic Violence
Awareness-Prevention Month, we have to understand the upsetting reality that instances of domestic and non-domestic assaults are on the rise in the United States. A peek into the domestic violence surveys will paint a poignant picture before us. One survey by the National Domestic Violence Coalition notes that if we take physical assault alone, 1.3 million women can be considered victims every year. If we expand the term to include verbal, mental and sexual violence, a total of 5.3 million women are victimized every year, says the American Institute of Domestic Violence. SafeHorizon (www.safehorizon.org) points out that one in every three women die each year in the US due to assaults by either the current partner or the former partner. The peril of violent assaults and consequent deaths has got entrenched in our society.

Why Fight for Yourselves - The Importance of Self-Defense
From the part of government, several measures are being taken to prevent instances of violence against women. The Violence against Women Act focuses on mobilizing women power to fight against the assaults. The act for Family Violence Prevention and Services is yet another ambitious step toward this goal. However the painful truth is that the numbers of domestic violence are on constant increase, despite such measures. The message is clear: there is no one else to protect us, but ourselves. This is where self-defense becomes relevant.

Martial Arts: The Most Effective Self-Defense
Self-defense can buy anything – even a bottle of pepper spray or a Taser. However, athletic defensive measures such as martial arts are real life-savers compared to such one-time helpers. 


What makes martial arts a ten times better option?

* Ability to react instantly: the knowledge of a martial art will help you to react instantly to any assault. Quick reaction ability is one gift that martial arts learning gives you.

* Effective resistance: martial arts will not fail you at a crucial moment like other defense techniques. It will equip you to fight against violence effectively and powerfully

* Be prepared anytime: One important merit of martial arts is that it
helps you to be prepared anytime. Once you learn a martial art, it will be
there with you forever

* Self-confidence: martial art is not something that modifies your body in
a superficial way. It can make a profound impact on your mindset and make
you a confident person. Thus, it is not merely your physical strength that
improves – it is your personality. Even persons with meek, introverted and
docile mindsets can achieve self-confidence and self-esteem through martial
arts.

Learn to Defend Yourselves at Bruce McCorry’s Academy Your chances of achieving strength, self-confidence and power through martial arts depend largely on the kind of academy where you choose to learn. What you need is a place that will prepare you to protect yourselves from any assault including domestic and non-domestic violence. That it exactly why you need the self-defense oriented martial arts classes at Bruce McCorry’s, Peabody, Massachusetts. The defense-oriented classes at the academy aim at empowering every woman so that domestic violence and partner violence become things of the past. Join Bruce McCorry’s Academy and be a part of the noble effort to eradicate domestic violence…

www.brucemccorrys.com


Friday, February 7, 2014

It's National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.

Preventing Domestic Violence through Martial Arts
 written by: Master McCorry

A healthy and happy relationship is the dream of every girl.
Unfortunately, according to a project named Love is Respect undertaken by the National Domestic Violence Hotline, one out of every three teenage girls in the US are abused physically or mentally by their partners. Though women are not the sole victims of such dating violence, it is a very sad fact that women between 15 and 25 years are victimized more usually than others. Till a few years before, dating violence was something we came across only occasionally in newspapers. But this peril has taken roots so deeply in the society that we have started hearing about such horrific stories in our own neighborhoods, social circles and peer groups.
These pungent realities have caused the National Domestic Violence Hotline to undertake many preventive measures. The decision to consider February 2014 as the Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month is one
among those efforts. The aim of the program is to spread awareness about the menace of dating violence among teenagers and to prevent it as much as possible. They suggest that you talk to teachers at your local high school, bring up dating violence at the next school board meeting, and have a conversation with the teens in your life about healthy relationships. For more information, visit their website at http://www.thehotline.org




Teen Dating Violence – A Threat
In most of the dating violence issues you come across, teen girls are
usually victimized. This is mostly because women, especially if they are
physically weaker than their partners, cannot often defend themselves when
the abuse happens. By the time one realizes that this relationship is not a
healthy one for them and takes the decision to walk out of it, the abuse
would have totally shattered them, physically and mentally. Mostly, such
violence leaves women devastated, often unable to step into a happy and
safe relationship in future. And sadly, men with such a violent side often
show their true colors in the earliest dates itself, and ruin the lives of
women who haven’t even started a proper relationship with them. 
Martial Arts – A KICK in the right direction to Prevent Domestic Violence! Other than knowing the early stages of an abusive relationship and ending it by reaching out and calling for help, the only practical preventive measure is to learn a proper self-defense option – something like a martial art. Being trained in a powerful martial art will help you to escape from such dangerous and horrible relationships before you get trapped. Martial arts like Karate, Kung Fu and Kickboxing will give you the courage to fight back. It will also give you the confidence to choose only what is best for you in the future. Many victims of violence have regained their spirits as well as their strength through learning martial arts. In that sense, martial art is a prevention as well as a cure. In other words, martial art is a life saver.

Self-Defense-Oriented Martial Arts at Bruce McCorry’s Academy
Empowering the victims of violence is a big step. Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts Academy (Peabody, MA) had been in the forefront of that fight from the time it was constituted. Effective and defense-oriented martial arts classes at Bruce McCorry’s will define your life for you. It will change the way you see the world and it will change the way the world sees you. And the society will stop looking at you as a victim. 

Martial arts coaching at Bruce McCorry’s academy is all about confidence,resistance and self-assertion. This February, join the effort to prevent teen dating violence with Bruce McCorry’s!

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Family Martial Arts

 Why Parents and Kids Should Join a Martial Arts Class Together
written by: Master McCorry

The parent-child bond is the strongest of all bonds. Nobody can recognize
the needs, necessities and safety of your child better than you, the
parent. However, on many occasions, we are forced to leave our kids on
their own. School, playground, extra-curricular classes, tuitions, weekend
sleepovers, group studies – our children spend more time away from us than
they do with us. Due to the hectic work schedule, the parents too find it
difficult to spend quality time with their kids. If your children grow up
without spending enough time with you, he/she can never be balanced in
his/her life. Is there a way to amend this drawback? Yes! the answer is
Martial Arts Classes. 
The Parent-Child Martial Arts Classes Martial arts is one of those programs which offer an option for the parents to join their kids in learning. Popularly known as parent-child martial arts or family martial arts, these unique programs have a number of advantages.
1. Fun to share, moments to cherish From the day your kid was born, you might have had many moments to cherish – the moment they spoke first, the moment they walked first and so on. But just think about it – does your child have such moments to cherish? Have you been with them after they left behind their toddler stage? If you haven’t, then these martial art classes are your opportunity. Go grab it! 2. Ensuring the safety Martial arts is a genre of sports where chances are more that your child will get needlessly hurt. Of course, this won’t be the case if you choose well-reputed academies like Bruce McCorry’s. However, the programs offer you a chance you ensure your kids’ safety and be with them when they need you.

3. The Parental Impact The sports experts at Educated Sport Parent note that a parent can enrich children’s experience of learning a new sport just by being with them when they learn it. This parental impact will help to entrench your kids’ interest in the sport. They will understand that their parents support them in their endeavor. They can practice with you at leisure time. You can be their guide once you master the art yourselves. Why not give your child a fillip? 4. Say yes to health! Martial arts can be your official fitness regime as well. Martial arts can keep you and your child healthy, fit, energetic and happy. It can keep lifestyle diseases at bay. It will refresh your mind like a meditation session does. And what more, you can enjoy all the fun with your kid!
Parent-Child Martial Arts at Bruce McCorry’s Academy Before you pay a visit to your nearest local martial arts center, think a moment. This has to be a special choice because it is not only for you but for the entire family. This is not merely to pass time, but to make productive use of the time. You need an academy that will train you and your kid to perfection. Bruce McCorry’s Academy of Martial Arts in Peabody MA is such a dignified martial arts center. The academy offers you once-in-a-lifetime chance to join parent-child martial arts classes that are unparalleled in the US. Don’t let this golden chance go!

www.brucemccorrys.com