Just tried Yoga! What are your thoughts?

[JR 137]

TKD martial artists don't run down to the local Yoga club to get flexible. They have exercises built in to there system that covers there specific needs. I've practiced: Yoga, Karate and TKD. The major problem with Karate is not enough warm up time spent on muscles before class. Martial artists that specialize in kicking techniques are continually stretching muscles during the day, every day. Not enough time is spent relaxing tense muscle's in Karate but plenty of time is spent in making them more tense and tight. TKD stretching is a major part of there conditioning. TKD 1 Hr's worth should be spent before class getting warmed up and light stretching. Stretching at intervals during class with a partner and at the end of class more stretching for the cool down. Karate practioners actually need more time to get warmed up and stretched because of the amount of dynamic tension they practice with techniques. Japanese are great ones for bathing in a tub. Not for washing purposes but for relaxing tense muscles; they don't need Yoga but just a simple hot bath!

A very good post. I have zero experience with TKD. I've thought about it, but I'm not going to commit to it for the sole aspect of kicking. I've never been able to half do anything.

[Patrick]

I appreciate the discussion here. Good to have differences to explore.

One thing I would mention is that the physical aspects of yoga (which is what we're really talking about here, I think) are really just a series of movements, much like any martial art.

If you are fine with "stretching," then it seems rather inflexible (I made a pun! ) to say that using "yoga" is wrong. People who do yoga might not do karate to improve their yoga (or they might...), but people who do yoga might do karate to learn how to defend themselves or to improve themselves physically in a different way from yoga. The fact is, people who do yoga probably do other physical things, too. The same for people who do karate.

For my workouts, I follow the routines from Fitness Blender, which is a wonderful resource. They combine strength training, cardio, yoga, pilates, stretching, etc. to build out routines that allow you to properly warm-up, exercise, cool down and hit the right muscles and parts of your body. This is why it's called Fitness Blender, I think.

But they don't feel like they have to label it each time they do it. Like when we're doing the cool down, they don't announce "THIS IS YOGA!" when we do the pigeon pose, child's pose, downward dog, etc. It's just a movement, related to my focus for that workout, that allows me to gradually lower my heart rate and hopefully reduce some soreness.

Similarly, while I could be wrong, I don't think karate or, at least, all forms of karate, have a full group of stretches and warmups built in to the art, as created by the founder, that target every portion of the body. You are doing something to warm up, to stretch, to increase your flexibility and, if you want to call it yoga, stretching or simply your art, I'm not really sure that it matters.

Thoughts?

Patrick

[sensei8]

I appreciate the discussion here. Good to have differences to explore.

One thing I would mention is that the physical aspects of yoga (which is what we're really talking about here, I think) are really just a series of movements, much like any martial art.

If you are fine with "stretching," then it seems rather inflexible (I made a pun! ) to say that using "yoga" is wrong. People who do yoga might not do karate to improve their yoga (or they might...), but people who do yoga might do karate to learn how to defend themselves or to improve themselves physically in a different way from yoga. The fact is, people who do yoga probably do other physical things, too. The same for people who do karate.

For my workouts, I follow the routines from Fitness Blender, which is a wonderful resource. They combine strength training, cardio, yoga, pilates, stretching, etc. to build out routines that allow you to properly warm-up, exercise, cool down and hit the right muscles and parts of your body. This is why it's called Fitness Blender, I think.

But they don't feel like they have to label it each time they do it. Like when we're doing the cool down, they don't announce "THIS IS YOGA!" when we do the pigeon pose, child's pose, downward dog, etc. It's just a movement, related to my focus for that workout, that allows me to gradually lower my heart rate and hopefully reduce some soreness.

Similarly, while I could be wrong, I don't think karate or, at least, all forms of karate, have a full group of stretches and warmups built in to the art, as created by the founder, that target every portion of the body. You are doing something to warm up, to stretch, to increase your flexibility and, if you want to call it yoga, stretching or simply your art, I'm not really sure that it matters.

Thoughts?

Patrick

Solid post!!

[Alan Armstrong]

I belive it is wrong to take Yoga classes to improve your karate (regarding flexibility) Karate teachers should be more aware of their students needs regarding flexibility issues and help them! This is my intent for this bold statement. To take Yoga to broaden one's self that is another matter. Or any other subject is of course fine also. To take what I say 'out of context' is also wrong and is also out of my hands.

[Alan Armstrong]

As we in the West take what we want from the East and in our melting pot put them together, there is bound to be clashing of points of views and perspectives. Yoga is from India. Taekondo from Korea. Karate from Japan. Three very different and distinctive cultures. We in the West may have oversites when we re-teach there ways or techniques and miss out things that don't seem important but in fact they are. All of the customs and rituals that belong to them which are important to them, but for us a Buddha head makes for a great door stopper. These cultures are ancient and we have much to learn from them as they are. As we put these cultures in a "BLENDER" we will loose out on there individual virtues. Yoga is a beautiful self contained way of living one's life. To be reduced to a stretching routines I disagree. For Karate to be taught by none Japanese in an incompleteness manner, I disagree. For Koreans having and teaching a complete style with "stretching included" as an Olympic sport; WELL DONE KOREA!

[Patrick]

I don't know if anyone is reducing yoga to just stretching, as much as following the context of the discussion we're having, which is about the physical aspects of yoga: balance, stretching, breathing.

If I took what you said out of context, I apologize. When I read your second to last post, this is what I gather: if you take karate, you are wrong to take yoga to increase your flexibility, as all that you need for increasing flexibility should be contained within your karate.

But if you take yoga to broaden yourself in other ways that are not flexibility, then that is another matter and may not be wrong.

Is that accurate?

Thanks,

Patrick

[Alan Armstrong]

Hi Patrick! I will try to put it another way. Karate stretching. TKD stretching. Yoga stretching. TKD stretching is all about being able to throw high kicks or jumping kicks and multiple kicks if need be. All of the main fundamental TKD stretches are different than Yoga and Karate stretching for the exception of a few techniques. Yoga stretching techniques are not designed to improve kicks but TKD stretching techniques and exercises are. Improving flexibility with Yoga doesn't guarantee better kicking abilities. The strength and "kicking flexibility" that TKD offers those that want to improve their kicks outweighs Yoga without question! Flexibility without strength can cause a person when kicking to damage a hip joint. Karate being a very solid style such as block hard then hit hard is not dependent on loose kicking legs such as in TKD. So Karate stretches are different than both Yoga and TKD because there needs are different. Karate stretching is similar to body builder stretching were they stretch solo while balancing in a type of low stance. TKD stretching is more upright as standing against a wall or sitting with a partner pushing your flexibility (pnf) limits to the max, doing both legs at the same time. Plus in addition using many Yoga and Karate stretching techniques also but they are not primary. Ohh did I forget to mention Kung Fu stretching techniques also. Having said all that, TKD stretching goes even further than all that! Yoga is better suited for slim built people and Karate is better suited for short muscular builds. It goes far beyond body types there are also character and cultural differences to be taken in to consideration also. To sum it up; the Karate Sensei should give the student the skills, all skills to perfect the style in question. For the student to look elsewhere for information outside of the Karate style is neglecting that student's needs. Mixing martial art styles is in fashion right now but there are consequences to consider. MMA practitioners could be for the most part chasing greener grass than looking at the grassroots of their Style. I believe it is wrong to take Yoga to improve one's flexibility for Karate kicking, unless the Yoga teacher is also a Black Belt in Karate. Flexibility is one thing 'kicking flexibility' is something very different.

[Patrick]

Thank you for the elaboration, Mr. Armstrong.

Patrick

[username19853]

Personally, I do not look at Yoga as just stretching. Will it help improve flexibility? Of course. Does the stretching my Sebsei does improve flexibility? Yeah! I've looked at Yoga to FURTHER improve my flexibility in not just the flexibility needed to throw fancy kicks, but needed to move better, breathe better, and live better. If I wasn't still in the military I'd probably erase all other forms of strength and conditioning I do and focus soulfully on karate and use Yoga as my warmup and Cooldown for each practice. Or if I'm bored at some point of the day, just do some yoga!

I truly believe Yoga helps develop the mind, body and spirit, just as the Martial Arts.

[Alan Armstrong]

For many Yoga is a way of life. Interwoven with culture and beliefs. Just popping out to the Yoga club Luv because of boredom; want to improve my mind, body and spirit while there. I'll try out that line on my wife the next time I go to the pub for a pint. I'm starting to think that a Yogarate club is needed to fulfill the needs of the open minded inflexibles. Does Yoga and Karate really help to develop the mind, body and spirit? Or is it just something we are told to believe without question?