Kalaripayattu - The basic (gruelling) routine

Here's how a normal routine at the kalari class is going (and killing the hell out of me!):

Start:
1. Warm up and stretching exercises
2. Jumps (front and side)
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Basics:
3. Single front kicks
4. Front kick + Back kick + Turn
5. Side kicks
6. Slap kicks
7. Front kick + side kick + slap kick
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Snake Movements & Katas:
8. Front kick + Sit
9. Front kick + Sit + Defend and turn + Sit + Defend and turn + Sit
10. Circular d+ Vertical chop (x4)
11. Circular d+ Vertical chop + Horizontal chop (x4)
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Others:
12. Kalari Namaskar (namaskar + defend + namaskar + right kick + namaskar + left kick + namskar + sit + Aasan + Hanuman namaskar + Garuda namaskar + Lotus + Back step stretch + Defend + Left kick + namaskar + Right kick + namaskar + Left kick + namaskar)
13. Lizard Walk
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Finish:
14. Stretches
15. Cool down excercises

By the end of it, its draining, i sweat like a pig and drenched to my bone (major understatement), parched even after consuming a bottle full of water, and feeling like i've just given my body the best possible workout that it could have attained. Absolutely fabulous.
Looking forward to many more gruelling practice sessions in the future :) Wish i can continue this all the way - for years together!

In my next note, i'll put down my obeservations of Kalari as compared to the other martial arts i've learnt. It is shockingly undifferent in many senses!

Till then, Ciao!

A deviation to Kalarippayattu - The mother of all martial arts

Kalarippayattu - the art of war in session
An early legend in martial arts tells the tale of a South Indian Pallava prince turned monk named Bodhidharma (also called Daruma), believed to have lived around 550 A.D. The martial virtues of discipline, humility, restraint and respect are attributed to this philosophy.

The Shaolin Monastery was built by the Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty in AD 477. Buddhabhadra (called Batuo in Mandarin), an Indian dhyana master becomes the first abbot of the Shaolin temple.

A shaolin monk in practice
KALARIPPAYATTU is considered the origin of all martial art forms across asia. From Shaolin Kung Fu, to Japanese Ninjitsu to Korean Taekwondo. All of them have been derived from this ancient Indian art. Given a chance to learn this art was one thing i just couldnt let go.

So, to hell with my fitness regime for the moment. Right now I'm on a crash course in the mother of all martial arts. And i must say its killing me with exhaustion - JUST THE WAY I LIKE IT :)

Will keep you posted on the proceedings :)

From Flab to Fab - The Weekend Binge Disaster!

3 day weekend.
No gym. No excercise. Loads of Play Station 2.
Tons of good food.
You get the point -DISASTER!!!!!

have to work-out my way through it today - redemption!!!!! here i come!!!!

From Flab to Fab - My First Date with Ferra (day-1)

Finally it happened! 2 hours of pure bliss.
Just me and the iron. An hour of slow and heavy. An hour of fast and vigourous.
To keep it intresting and fun all through - i decided to mix it up everytime.

Dedicated the day to the back. But i'm gonna break up each day into : one Muscle + 1 random excercise routine.
For eg: this time for One hour i went on to heavy weights for the back - 10
reps each.
The next hour i dedicated to Boxing exercises like hook punches with weights, swaying with weights and punches with dumbells.


Pic: Now this is where i aim to get at the end of 30 days - fingers crossed :)
The mixing seems to be a lot of fun. and bloody good excercise. The weight training helps build muscle. The random routine helps break the monotony and develop an additional feature like speed/agility/force/stamina.

Helps with my target too - The first hour, the muscle keeps growing - the next hour, the fat keeps burning :) It lends a major rush. Feels like i've worked out and pushed myself. The feeling is addictive. I love it! :D

I Plan to keep on this alternation of excercises through the month.
Let's see how well it helps me stay on track :)

Cheers to training - like hell n lovin it! :)

(btw - ferra = ferrous = Iron)

From Flab to Fab - The Swim Prep

Before i get to the iron, i decided to flex my body and just get it revving again.
And there's no better excercise than swimming - it stretches almost every possible muscle in your body.

So i headed for the pool and lap-ped my lungs out.
25 laps with moderate rest - Breast Stroke, FreeStyle Crawl and BackStroke - alternating.
By the time i was done, my shoulders ached and i could feel my stomach strain with every breath.

Was an Incredible way to prep myself up for all the iron pumping that is to start from today! :)
Am already charged and readyyy to go!!!! :D

Germy-nemo!!! (that's my version of Geronimo) :D

Continuing on my trip - from Flab to Fab :D

I finally got my weight down to the right level.
The flab is gone. But the slight chubbiness around the waist still remains.
The muscles are toned, but their shape still needs work.

Got an assessment done from Gold's Gym and the results are almost PERFECT.
with just 2 slightly problematic readings - WHR (Waist Hip ratio) and Muscle-Fat balance.
The perfect WHR should be between 0.75 to 0.85.
>Mine is 0.85.
The perfect Percent body fat should be between 10.0 to 20.0.
>Mine is 20.8.
My total fitness score reads 73 points.

So there you go. Almost at perfection.
So what now?
I guess i should take it to the NEXT LEVEL - Perfection

Starting 6th May, I'm going to push myself more than the usual. Push myself to that perfect 8 pack. To the perfect muscle form. To a level of relentless stamina. To making myself a 64 kg machine of pure muscle mass. To that impossible score of perfect 100.

Starting 6th may, here's what I'm gonna do:
1. High Protein Diet.
2. TWO hours of Exhaustive Weight Training - 5 days a week.
3. Maintain my weight at 64 Kgs - despite the addition of muscle mass.

Let's see how I fare :)
Wish me Luck :)