DOES A WORKOUT GIVE YOU A BAD HAIR DAY?

 

Apparently it does. and it's worse for women of African origin.

 

A study conducted by the Center for African American Health and the University of Colorado School of Medicine's Center for Women's Health Research finds that African American women whose hairstyle is affected by perspiration may avoid physical activity altogether. Prior studies have found that between 29 percent and 48 percent of African American women say that their hairstyle was a factor in deciding whether or not to exercise. Some women involved in the study who experience hairstyle barriers to physical activity explained that it can take too much time or money to restyle their hair after exercise that causes perspiration.

 

Hair issues may be reduced by using "low-maintenance" hairstyles such as wearing braids or ponytails. Researchers are looking for ways to reduce the effects of pespiration on the hair.

 

 

 

 

WHAT SELF DEFENCE STYLE SHOULD I PRACTISE?

There are a few things to consider before choosing the martial arts style that's best for you.

Are you only interested in getting a good workout or in better shape before stepping foot in a martial arts studio? If so, then a cardio-kickboxing class might be the right choice for you. Cardio-kickboxing is a great way to introduce yourself to martial arts, and there's probably a class offered at your local gym. You won't learn intricate techniques, but you will build up the musculature and stamina needed for a lot of martial arts.  Getting in better shape and feeling stronger will definitely give you a huge boost if you decide to try a traditional form of martial arts.

You shouldn't worry about getting hurt (besides the occasional bump or bruise), but you still need to consider your comfort level when it comes to getting ‘up close and personal’ with someone you don't know. If you're ready to dive right into some hardcore fighting, then you might want to try Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai kickboxing, or Krav Maga. If you want to learn a martial art at a less aggressive pace, then Tae Kwon Do, Karate, or Wing Chun Kung Fu might be more to your liking.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a streamlined form of grappling designed for maximum impact that includes choke holds and limb locks. It's very intense and not for the faint of heart, but if you're looking for self-defense, it can't be beat. There are belts in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, but you won't be learning forms or katas to advance. Advancement in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu depends on how well you spar, which means you’ll have to prove your ability on the mat.

Muay Thai kickboxing will literally kick your butt, and it's one of the best standing fighting styles out there. And like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you'll only advance by actually fighting in the ring. There are a lot of schools offering "mock" Muay Thai that's really just a blend of other fighting styles, so make sure the school you choose has certified Muay Thai instructors.

Krav Maga is the official self-defense system of the Israeli Defense Forces, and it's specifically designed to teach you effective and practical hand-to-hand combat techniques. It's an amazing workout, and most schools have great programs for women.

You'll do a whole lot of kicking in Tae Kwon Do, but you'll also have to learn about the spiritual side of the martial art. Tae Kwon Do is very popular, so you probably won’t have any problem finding a program in your area.

Karate is the term most associated with martial arts, but there are a variety of styles of Karate to choose from. Karate styles are based on striking with both hands and feet, and you can find styles that emphasize either the more philosophical or combative aspects of the art.

Wing Chun Kung Fu is a martial art that emphasizes close-range striking and combat techniques, and legend tells that it was developed by a woman. Bruce Lee originally trained in Wing Chun, and if you've ever seen a martial arts film where the star is practicing on a wooden dummy that has sticks jutting out, he was probably practicing Wing Chun.

Capoeira is fantastic way of building self defence skills, whilst gaining cardiovascular fitness and advanced muscle development. As a street based martial art, it emphasizes close quarters sparring and creative offensive and defensive techniques.

In order to advance in Tae Kwon Do, Karate, or Wing Chun, you'll have to learn forms or katas, which are a specific series of complex movements. If the idea of have to actually fight to advance doesn't appeal to you, then you might want to one of those three styles.

Everyone is a beginner at some point, so you shouldn't be nervous if you've never punched or kicked anything before. At the end of the day, a martial arts studio is a business that needs new clientele in order to thrive, and women mean big business. Most studios will offer free or low-cost introductory lessons, programs for beginners, and programs designed specifically for women, so do a little research beforehand and find a studio that has a variety of options that suit your needs

9 MYTHS ABOUT FEMALE SELF DEFENCE

Myth #6 Women who survive are fearless.
The first effect in any violent situation is emotion, and the most common one is fear. When a man steps in front of you holding a knife, your adrenaline starts pumping and your heart beats faster. These are reactions that can't be avoided—nor should they be. It's the fight-or-flight survival instinct that allows you to focus on beating your enemy or getting the hell out of there.

 

Many people fear they will freeze up or act irrationally. When you know how to respond, you'll still feel a certain amount of fear that you could be hurt, or that you're about to cause harm to another human being, but that will be tempered with confidence.

 

Myth #7 Focus on blocking his attacks.
Many self-protection classes teach you to react to an attacker's actions. This defensive thinking can make you hesitate ("What is he going to do to me?"), lose focus (waiting to get hurt makes most people freeze), and ultimately be one step behind the attacker. In a threatening situation, don't worry about what he's doing; make him worry about what you're doing.

 

Myth #8 Try to back away from your attacker.
In life-threatening conflict, if you're not injuring someone, you're getting injured. Backing up or attempting to counter his "technique" with another technique (as is typically taught in self-defense classes) only gets you in more trouble: Your body is a lot better at going forward than it is at going backward; for every two feet you move backward, he can move forward three feet.

 

Myth #9 Hit as often and as quickly as possible.
Punching and kicking are akin to slapping an attacker around. If you're in danger, you need to throw all your weight into a single target, or "strike." Imagine you're facing a giant predator and you have a big sack full of rocks. Throw a single rock and "ouch!" is the only reaction you're likely to get. But swing the entire sack at him, hitting him in the head, and he'll be out cold. That's the difference between punching and striking.

9 MYTHS ABOUT FEMALE SELF DEFENSE PT 1

 

Culled from womenshealth magazine.

 

 

Your biggest problem as a woman is not that you may be smaller or weaker than a typical sociopathic criminal. Your biggest obstacle is that you assume a set of potentially life-threatening beliefs about what to do in dangerous situations.

 

Myth #1 You should reason with your attacker.
You've probably never pulled out a knife and demanded someone's watch. That's a good thing, of course, but it illustrates a vital point: Someone who would do such a thing doesn't think like you. Deep down, you probably believe there's a way to resolve a problem without anyone getting hurt. Attackers aren't playing by the same societal rules you are, so you can't react as if they are. All you can ever really do is level the playing field.

 

Myth #2 If you're attacked, scream for help.
You don't have time to wait for a hero. During a truly violent encounter, you have about five seconds to act, and the safest self-defense technique to take in a violent encounter is to cause an injury. Mistakes usually come from some hesitation: pausing to see how things are going, lacking the will to really kick a man, or jumping around in a fighting stance. These are opportunities for him to recover and hurt you. The reverse is also true—if your attacker hesitates or makes a mistake, it gives you a critical moment that you must use to survive.

 

Myth #3 You need to cause pain.
In order to be 100 percent effective, we have to discard the notion of pain as a useful tool in violence. You don't want to "hurt" him; you need to injure him. Anything you do in a violent, life-threatening situation that does not cause an injury is worthless to you.

 

Myth #4 Being fit can save your life.
No matter how fit or strong you are, the best way to hone your self-protection skills is to focus on targeting key points of the body. After that, improving your fitness level can increase the force you deliver to the targets.

 

Myth #5 You need technical self-defense skills.
Technique without injury is only a cool trick, and injury, regardless of how it occurred (with technique or by accident), will always be more effective. It's not important how the injury happens, only that it happens. His ribs don't know if they were broken by a boot, a stick, or a curb; they just know they're broken. All you need is force and a target.

HOW TO EMPOWER WOMEN THROUGH SELF DEFENCE TRAINING

 

I believe it is essential for women to be fearless in order to survive in today’s world. I recently started teaching unarmed combat to a few women from my gym and they have all reported feeling more empowered to negotiate their daily lives after undergoing some sessions of self defence training.

 

Self-defence is a psychological endeavour. Unfortunately, women who come to my classes often feel that they aren't young or fit or flexible enough to defend themselves from attackers. This is the first issue that needs to be addressed, as fear is what the attacker counts on.

 

I usually start by improving the client’s fitness levels and building their confidence alongside. I then repeatedly put them in situations when they are under attack and teach them how to combat the threat. It’s an elaborate process that aims at empowering them, and more often than not, the ladies rapidly rise to the challenge, pushing themselves to levels of performance which they never believed they could achieve.

Women: Don’t Be Afraid of Bodybuilding

 

Bodybuilding is increasingly becoming popular with women, defying myths that it is a boys only sport.

 

 

LaTosha Evans is busy working out. But if you look closer, you can see she's actually in training. Training for her latest competition with the sport she has recently fell in love with one rep at a time.

 

"I've probably been working out close to 4 months prepping for this particular competition. 5-6 days a week", says Evans.

 

The Southern Natural Championships is the second event for the mother of three and she says she is glad to breakdown the stereotypes of women and bodybuilding to future generations.

 

"My particular category is bikini which is a lighter build", adds Evans. "They have other including figure for girls who have more muscle than I do. We also actually have body building women, which some people ask really? Yeah we do and they are really, really defined. Really cut and beautiful women in this competition."

 

Evans is usually accompanied by her high school daughter Alexis at the gym who has also taken interest in the sport. When it's not Alexis, it's Evans husband Antwan. Either way Evans says she's not alone in this team effort.

 

Evans explains, "It's a complete lifestyle change for the entire family including the kids. As far as prepping food, everybody has to do that. There are no cheat meals, because I will only be cheating myself. The whole family eats clean and healthy now."

 

So Evans continues to work hard in and out of the weight room for a chance at a possible trophy as well as a fitness level she can be proud of.

 

"It's not how you lift or how you look in your suit or what your hair is", explains Evans. It's your confidence on the stage and how you present that to the judges. So I have definitely worked on my stage presence. I plan to bring Tosha to the stage and hopefully this time I bring back a trophy."