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