Natural Martial Arts(Phase Two) The Warm Up

Once Meditation is accomplished, the participant is ready to commence the physical aspect of the workout. It is at this point that though the participant is alert and has prepared himself mentally; physically, the body is still not prepared.

An appropriate warm up is essential to prevent unwanted stretching and injury to muscle. It may seem trivial, but a muscle cannot perform at its fullest at any random given time.

Step 1

As explained in Phase One, find your ‘space’ and ‘position’ yourself (This is done when you position yourself at the centre of your practice area).

Now begin first by standing perfectly straight. Keep your stomach in, and chest out with your back straight yet relaxed in a stand-at-ease posture. Keep your hands unclenched at your side.

Inhale deeply and relax while exhaling. This is called your ‘Natural Stance’.

Every exercise will begin and end in the natural stance.

Step 2

From the natural stance now raise your left foot off the ground till ankle height and clasp your hands behind your back. Keep your knee locked straight. You might lose balance momentarily, but steady yourself on your right foot. Once you are confident, rotate your foot at the ankle in the clockwise direction. Breathe out with every rotation. Continue for 5 repetitions. Now repeat the exercise in the anticlockwise direction. Return to the natural stance.

Now repeat the entire clockwise and anti-clockwise rotation for the right foot.

Breathing technique: When you breathe out, it must be through the mouth. Do not puff the cheeks when you blow out. The breath should be released from deep within the throat. A rasp while exhaling is expected and acceptable. The importance of this exercise will be evident in future sessions.

Step 3

Bring your feet together. Place your palms on your knees and bend at the knees. Keeping your palms on your knees, use them to direct your knees together in a rough clockwise circle. As far as possible only the knees must move. Breathe. Continue for 5 repetitions. Repeat the same movement anti-clockwise. Return to the natural stance. 

Step 4

Place your hands on your hips. Now rotate only the hips. Remember to move your hips a little beyond the normal range (Think hula hoop). Five times clock wise, five time s anti clockwise. Always remember to pay attention to your breathing.

Return to natural stance.

Step 5

Put your hands up. Touch your shoulders with the fingertips of the corresponding hand. Hold that position. Now, bring your elbows to touch each other in front of yourself. Breathe out. Take your elbows down and complete a shoulder rotation to return at the very same position. Breathe out again. Continue this for 5 repetitions. Now, repeat the exercise in the opposite shoulder rotation (backwards). Remember here to touch your elbow tips whenever they meet in front. Return to the natural stance.

Step 6

Place your hands on your hip again. Now look up and begin a clockwise neck rotation slowly. Continue for 5 repetitions and then repeat the same anti-clockwise direction. Return to the natural stance when you are done.

Remember: All warm up exercises must be done slowly at a steady pace. The movements must be fluid and consistent. The relaxed pace allows the muscle tissue to free up and become active. There must be no jerking and sudden/whipping movements. By going gradually from the feet upwards, we target each muscle region independently and activate it. Now the body is properly warmed up.