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

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!

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

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

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

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

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!

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