| Russian martial arts flexibility and | | | | slashing into water while standing waist |
| strength training techniques such as | | | | deep in a lake. This sounds easy, but |
| kettlebells have been available to | | | | not after doing it for hours, and needs |
| Western Special Forces for many years | | | | total relaxation until the instant of |
| from Russian masters of martial arts. | | | | strike. This is exactly as a martial |
| Russian territory reaches from the west | | | | artist or boxer should be totally |
| through middle Asia to China, and they | | | | relaxed until the arm snaps straight |
| have the benefit of the best of self | | | | with maximum forward momentum and power, |
| defence and aggressive techniques from | | | | and then relaxes immediately after |
| all of these territories within their | | | | strike until the next strike which could |
| armed forces. | | | | be a fraction of a second later. |
| Both before and after the destruction of | | | | Relaxation can become second nature |
| the communist ways in parts of the USSR, | | | | through the use of Qigong or Tai Chi |
| Russian fitness experts crossed to | | | | training, the Chinese art of relaxation. |
| Europe to provide us with the benefits | | | | Many people regard it as an exercise |
| of their knowledge of self defence and | | | | for wimps, yet the greatest martial arts |
| strength training, and both UK and | | | | exponents in the world use it for |
| American forces have reaped the benefits | | | | relaxation, as do many of the world's |
| of this specialized Russian knowledge. | | | | elite martial forces. Meet these guys |
| Much of this knowledge is now available | | | | face to face and call them wimps! |
| online to ordinary people with an | | | | Through a combination of kettlebells, |
| interest in improving their strength, | | | | relaxation training and flexibility, the |
| flexibility and relaxation techniques in | | | | Russian special forces were among the |
| order that they can attain the highest | | | | most feared in the world in unarmed |
| levels possible in their chosen sport or | | | | combat, which is why they were employed |
| game. That means you! | | | | to train the armed forces of the USA. |
| Take Russian kettlebells, for example. | | | | Their techniques are available online if |
| Russian power lifters and martial arts | | | | you know where to look, and relaxation |
| experts are available online to offer | | | | that leads to speed, endurance and |
| you instruction in how to use these | | | | flexibility appears to be one of their |
| simple weights to build exceptional | | | | main skills. |
| power and strength throughout your whole | | | | Its opposite is tension, which is |
| body. For those not familiar with | | | | composed of strength and power. At the |
| kettlebells, they are simple heavy balls | | | | moment of a martial artist's strike, |
| with a handle so that you can lift them. | | | | speed and power are backed up with mass, |
| They are very simple but can make a | | | | but an instant later the fist is totally |
| person stronger, more explosive, and | | | | relaxed as it snaps back to guard. Many |
| with unbelievable endurance and | | | | sports other than just martial arts |
| coordination: just what is needed in | | | | depend on tension and relaxation, the |
| any martial art, and used extensively in | | | | two aspects of the expert sportsman. |
| Russian military training. | | | | Russian training techniques offer |
| Many martial artists, especially in the | | | | opportunities to improve your tension |
| initial stages of study, are unaware of | | | | and relaxation. Strength is increased |
| the true importance of strength, speed | | | | through the use of kettlebells, power |
| and power. In very simple terms, | | | | through dynamic and kinetic training, |
| strength + speed = power. If you strike | | | | speed through flexibility training and |
| with great strength and high speed, you | | | | relaxation through qigong and other such |
| will generate great power. It is for | | | | techniques. Those that laugh and claim |
| reasons such as this that great Russian | | | | that they do not work would shudder at |
| exponents of fitness and martial arts | | | | seeing the power and capabilities of the |
| training such as Pavel Tsatsouline have | | | | Cossack, as did the opponents who would |
| been employed by the American special | | | | rather run than face them. They were |
| forces, police and other organizations | | | | more powerful that their horses and the |
| to teach techniques such as those that | | | | most feared opponents in the known world |
| enabled Russian Cossacks to slice a man | | | | at the time. |
| from shoulder to saddle with nothing but | | | | If you want to improve to your ability |
| a light saber (not a 'light saber' as in | | | | at most sports, but especially in |
| star Wars, but a saber that is not | | | | martial arts, learn from the Cossacks |
| heavy!). This is spelled 'sabre' in | | | | and Russians. Learn from their martial |
| Europe, where it originated. | | | | arts flexibility techniques, and |
| They could do this through relaxation | | | | kettlebell strength exercises. |
| techniques, gained by repeatedly | | | | |