Muay Thai. Krav Maga. Jujitsu. Martial arts enthusiasts, fans of ultimate fighting and even those obsessed with the Jason Bourne movie trilogy understand these terms. But to most of us, these exotic -- and yes, violent -- martial arts are uncharted territory.
That unfamiliarity may not last much longer. Mainstream martial arts clubs and fitness studios are building on the popularity of these sports and incorporating parts into mainstream fitness. Extreme martial arts offer a full-body, cardio and endurance workout, with a dose of self-defense.
"The soccer mom wants to get in shape anyway," says Steve Del Castillo, the owner of Premier Martial Arts and Tampa Krav Maga in Lutz, Fla. "The difference is that they're getting a great workout and a person can truly defend themselves in a life and death situation."
The past six years, Del Castillo has taught Krav Maga, a hand combat fighting system of the Is-raeli Defense Forces. It's designed to empower users to respond quickly to an attack. Thirty percent to 40 percent of his students are women.
Both Del Castillo and Brian Cleary, owner of Tampa's Freestyle Muay Thai, have noticed a recent increase in interest in these combat sports, most often tied to the world of competitive mixed martial arts popular online and on pay-per-view television. While most of their students remain young adult men, women looking for a different kind of workout are showing up at studios, prepared to hit and kick.
"It's not enough for me to be in shape. I like to have a reason for my workout," says Rebecca Laborde, 28. The Tampa resident started studying Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, at the suggestion of a traditional boxing coach who thought the rapid-fire rounds and swift kicks and punches would appeal to her.
As a competitive sport, this national sport of Thailand features several two-to-three minute rounds in a boxing ring. Fighters are expected to relentlessly kick and punch using the "eight weapons," their arms, legs, knees and feet. There's a scoring system.
Krav Maga, by comparison, has no specific set of rules, Del Castillo says. It's refined street fighting, with punches, kicks, chokes, bear hugs, headlocks and grabs. It incorporates parts of Muay Thai, as well as wrestling sports such as jujitsu.
He suggests that anyone interested in studying a martial art first visit a class. There are so many different styles, from meditation-based workouts to the other extreme.
"Krav Maga is something you either love or hate," he says. "Krav Maga is a type-A personality energy system."
Developing agility, power and endurance is at the heart of every Muay Thai or Krav Maga work-out. Imagine two hours of solid exercise, skipping and kicking a boxing bag 50 to 100 times in a row, or getting your arms strong enough to issue a series of rapid punches to a face.
Cleary encourages his Muay Thai students to go at their own pace. The Tampa firefighter and competitive fighter knows people starting Muay Thai won't have the strength or endurance to compete. Instead, he introduces the sport's variety of crisp, swift moves gradually.
"As women, we don't learn how to throw a punch. Now I know I have strength. I can punch somebody," says Deborah Reed, who got Muay Thai classes as a Christmas present from her boyfriend. This about-to-turn-40 "soccer mom" type was intimidated initially by the idea of the class, but got hooked after the first session.
Unlike Laborde, Reed doesn't plan to compete in any of the local amateur Muay Thai tour-naments. She's more interested in getting in shape. She said in four months, she's lost 13 pounds, dropped two clothes sizes and built muscle.
"Everything has moved around," she laughs.
Serious fighters like Duane Spires know how fierce true Muay Thai can be. He's sparred with Cleary, whose leg kicks are compared to swings of a baseball bat. Spires, 26, owner of Ex-treme Youth Sports in Tampa, got interested in the sport after growing up studying martial arts more popular in mainstream America.
"This sport focuses more on cardio and endurance. Karate and tae kwon do tend to be stop and go," he says. "Here, with the two- to three-minute rounds, you have to pre-pare."
Spires says despite the violent aspect of the sport, there is an art to Muay Thai.
"It's not just about ripping their head off," he says.
Reed agrees. She's gained confidence, as she's toned her muscles and increased her endurance. Traditional exercise doesn't work for her. A home gym sits unused, she says, because it's boring.
"There, I would be watching the clock."
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