With increased stress at work place and sedentary lifestyle taking a
toll on their health, more and more young IT professionals are taking to
martial arts to keep them fit both physically as well as mentally.
Gyms help train an individual to keep the body fit, but for those
working in IT industry, there has to be proper training as per their
work culture and the martial arts meets their requirements and boosts
their self-confidence, says an expert in MuayThai, a martial art form of
Thailand.
"Practicising regular exercises would not help the body to stay
fit, there has to be training as per their body and most importantly
their work culture", All India Pro-Muaythai and Mixed Martial Art
Association Founder-President J Keshav said.
Normally techies work more than 12 hours a day in one place and
hence require more than exercises to overcome the stress, he said.
Keshav, who has been teaching Muaythai and other forms of martial
arts for the last 25 years here, said increasing number of IT
professionals were attending his courses.
The objective of the programmes offered by his association is to
equip the participants in practical self-defence techniques and fighting
skills and develop mental strength that can be readily utilised when
there was a need, Keshav, who has also trained some film artistes, said.
"Martial arts not only helps them to stay fit but also trains
them to develop self-confidence. So far I would have trained about 5,000
people. Most of them work in the IT companies situated on the IT Corridor," Keshav said.
28-year old Kavitha Viswanath, an employee of a leading software
firm here, attends muaythai boxing classes two days every week and
considers them her most favourite days.
"I was a bit reluctant to join in the beginning, since I wasn't
sure of what I was getting into. But now, after a few classes, I think
this is an amazing sport," she said.
"I highly recommend this to all those who want to defend
themselves, channelize their energies and de-stress in the most
interesting way," she said.
Besides, learning martial arts also helps the IT professionals to
take care of their personal safety as they tend to travel at odd hours.
"Most of the IT and BPO employees work at odd hours and leave for
home in cabs or in their own vechile. They may face any kind of problem
at that time, therefore, if they learn martial art training, it
definitely helps them in protecting themselves," he reasoned.
Keshav, whose association has 119 offices across the country,
said people from Gulf countries also visit the association for training
every summer.
His association provides training in muaythai, cardio-kickboxing,
mixed martial art, personal training, kickboxing for women he said
adding some of his wards have even competed at state and national level
championships.
Keshav said the association offered special coures for women. "We
offer special self defense courses for women, teaching techniques aimed
at avoiding or combatting any type of physical confrontation. Most of
the women come to us to learn self-defense techniques and some to stay
fit."
Keshav, who also offers customised packages for children, said by
practicing martial art, children develop good manners, eye contact, and
public speaking skills.
"As the child advances through the ranks,the opportunities are more", he said, adding currently, he trains about 100 children.
To a query, he said they also train Mixed martial arts (MMA)
which is a full contact combat sport that allows a wide variety of
fighting techniques.
"This is mainly for beginners and are inter-mediate. It is a
mixture of martial art traditions and non-traditions, mainly to be used
in competitions. The rules allow the use of striking and grappling
techniques, both while standing and on the ground," he said.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete