Adding a kick and a punch to your workout

Weight watchers and body builders have identified their arch nemesis: calories.

And for Fitness First, a leading fitness club in the country, one of the most effective ways to defeat it is how you would normally bring down an enemy: punch, kick, and strike.

This is exactly why Fitness First brought in body combat, a non-contact, martial arts-inspired program with moves derived from karate, tae kwon do, kung fu, muay thai, kickboxing and tai chi. From world-renowned distributor of trademark fitness Les Mills, each 55-minute body combat session is choreographed to 10 tracks of music that combine pop, rock, techno, and other exhilarating beats.

“Martial arts are not just for fighting or self-defense anymore. The incorporation of this discipline into fitness programs has produced a lot of success stories. What we did is we took it a notch higher and created an innovative program where people can get results in a short span of time and at the same time, enjoy themselves doing the program,” says Mike Abacan, Fitness First’s senior group exercise manager.

According to Abacan, one class of body combat can burn up to 900 calories — one of the highest in all Fitness First programs that can certainly benefit anyone interested in losing weight. It also develops endurance and strength, making it a perfect regimen for athletes, and also targets and tones core muscles that help people maintain their ideal form. Body combat can also help reduce stress and release pent-up energy, thus contributing to overall wellness.

The session begins with warm-up exercises that involve basic kicks and punches. As the music progresses, more complex combinations take place as the instructor encourages the students to pulverize their imaginary enemy. A short recovery period is allotted with slow and relaxing movements like tai chi.  Then the music picks up again with steps that challenge upper and lower body strength. Sit-ups and push-ups follow before cooling down with varied stretching exercises.

Diversity is also one key that makes body combat a favorite among Fitness First members. To make sure that no one gets bored with the program, Les Mills sends new body combat tracks and choreography to Fitness First every quarter.

For inquiries, call 848-0000 or visit www.fitnessfirst.com.ph.