Has Yoga a place in Martial Arts

Millionaire

Hi

Has any of you done Yoga?

Do you think it has a place in MA?

or can site side by side with MA Training.

I did it for about a year in dublin in Irish School of Yoga in 2004 I was under serious business stress, and personal problems at the time, and it did wonders for me, took alot of the tension and stress out of my body, and helped still my mind. It was like as if I smoked something after my 1st session (but I did not inhale...hee hee).

I just started back at it last night, plan to do 2 sessions a week, I am at Muay Thai approx 5 sessions, and 1 ground stuff.

The stretching was amazing, and again it took all the tension and stress out of my body. and I am sure in a month or so I will be 30% more flexible which will help the thai, speed, flexibliltiy., coordination, and make me less prone to injury.

Also I will not kill anyone in road rage incidents! LOL!!!

Any thoughts?

Jimkel

Yoga helps strenghtens the limbs, adds to flexability, Sharpens mental awareness and Helps regulate breathing and in my opinion benefits a Martial artist and therefore has a place in MA. I know if I took up Yoga it would improve my Karate. I've tried some before a few times, found it great, refreshing and stress releiving, Just don't have the time to take it up full time at the mo.

MaeveD

I wouldn't be training today without it... had a serious car accident about 8 years ago and ashtanga yoga and swimming brought me back to almost 90% (will never be 100% ).

Tried everything before trying ashtanga... physios, oesteos, accupunture... you name it, I tried it!

Yoga is the business, always do some as a warm up and warm down when I'm training

Millionaire

yes yoga is outstanding.

I had a new business problems past few days (whats new in my life)...the back pain, muscles under shoulders, top of back and neck was chronic. stress related serious pain muscle tension...and I hate to say I was in an aggressive mood too.

Went for a thai massage...that helped for about a hour. GF was rubbing in tiger balm my the bucket all evening to no avail.

So I went the pain killer and tranquilizer route... Brufen 600 mg about 4 in 2 hours and 2 Blue 10 mg valliumn (mammies little helpers)...you can get anything in a pharmacy here. still not a bit of pain relief.

I knew there was a Yoga school up the road, so I went and luck would have it a class was to start in 10 mins. they did a mix of hatha, Briami (sp?) and power....a mixed bag of yoga, and teacher spoke english.

Class last about 1 hour 15 mins. well after it, 95% of the pain and tension in my back and neck was gone, my mind was as calm as anything, and I was totally relaxed.

It was quite amazing, considering the state of stressful aggression I had worked up earlier, not to mention the pain relief and mental relief of 3 days of back and neck stress pain.

Yoga is the way to go!

and as I said, the Muay Thai this morning went very well, maybe because of the extra stretching last night.

I am aiming for a min of 2 sessions a week.

I think if one has time, it is a great compliment to any MA training.

In fact this teacher some of the moving and breathing she taught remind me of Sanchin Kata in a little way.

anyone recpmmend any good DVDs on yoga.

I am more into it for the mental relax end of it as opposed to the physical side.

paxo

Millionaire wrote:

In fact this teacher some of the moving and breathing she taught remind me of Sanchin Kata in a little way.

Interesting view. Gogen Yamaguchi the founder of Japanese Goju Kai incorporated yoga principles into his system. Sanchin and tensho Kata is considered a cornerstone of this art. Both kata use very specific breathing techniques

Paxo

pearsquasher

I did yoga for about 4 months before travelling this year and I certainly found it a great compliment to my martial arts training and indeed still practice some of the moves as part of my own warm up - as well as the traditional japanese body conditioning we do, which bears lots of similarities anyway.

I think any conditioning in a martial art should mostly be done outside club times as it makes you take ownership of your own fexibility and strength and lets your instructor get on with teaching martial arts. Of course depending on the training, a pre-class and even post-class routine is sometimes advisable. Integrating general stretching/yoga/conditioning into daily inactive periods of your day is worth doing as well - in front of the tv is good!

Millionaire

I just did a 930am class 90 mins Yoga this morning.

Different teacher...each brings their own style to the class.

This lady was into a bit more harder on the moves on the physical side.

Since its thailand its about 95 degress anyway in the room, so I am sure you get an element of the yoga....is it Bikram where in cold ireland they turn the heat up.

My sweating was different than Muay Thai training....it was slow and steady...if that makes a difference? but it sure cleans out the toxins.

I was a wee bit stiff....but thats cause I do not really do trad MA 30 mins stretchs warm up no more.

I Know in 1 -2 months with regular I will be as flexible as I was 7 or 8 years back when I could do splits etc.

Also some of the exercises, I could feel working my lower abs in a way, you would never get from say sit ups, leg ups etc.

Head, mind and body feel great!

Thats interested Yoga elements were mixed into Japanese Goju!

Here you only breath in and out nose. mouth closed. after years exhaling when punching and kicks, and Kiai when hitting Thai pads....thats bloody hard to do! LOL!

47MartialMan

Yoga having a place is as much as meditation and which type of yoga?

GalwayorBust

Yes to Yoga!

47MartialMan

GalwayorBust wrote:

Yes to Yoga!

Which type?

The Shane

Pilates all the way.

In terms of general health and improved standard of living... yeah super stuff.

In terms of high end performance, maybe not.

- prolonged lengthening of the muscles will marginally reduce their elasticity and reduce speed. Which for combat sports is a bit of a problem. Again I say high end and the debate will rage as to whether the loss of speed is made up for by the flexibility.

- yoga is less targeted at specific goals than pilates which is less meditative and more performance focused. Again I say this in terms of high end performance, where gains per unit time need to be maximised.

- The related breath patterns in some forms of yoga are not helpful for the breath pattern in MMA or other combat sports

- There is a reluctance to try new things in yoga, especially to cut things out, to much tradition. Though this is an instructor based assessment

-I'm unsure of the qualifications that yoga instructors have to attain, which means they are probably not well known to the vast majority of people. This can lead to dangerous classes and crap advice. Though this is true of any semi professional you entrust your body to.

Shane, The
Pilates instructor

Millionaire

The instutcutor teachers mainly hathta, with elements of a few othe styles.

what matters to me, is it helps me strectch out my body which eases back pain I get alot. it eases my muscles from 5 sessions of Muay Thai a week.
It relaxes and stills my mind. The class is full of nice looking women.

and most important of all, I enjoy!

I not there for the hard physical work, if I was i would take up Power Yoga, been in a Thai gym all week, I enjoy the gentle stuff.

Black Swan

We have borrowed several of the yoga stretches for warming up before training.

47MartialMan

Millionaire-
With the class is full of nice looking women.
How can it relax and still your mind?

Millionaire

because I get plenty of sex, and do not have such thoughts invade my mind.

47MartialMan

Millionaire wrote:

because I get plenty of sex, and do not have such thoughts invade my mind.

And that will keep you from getting distrcted by others?