| According to history, in A.D. 527, an emperor | | | | give practitioners health benefits such as |
| named Wu Di invited an Indian monk named | | | | stronger muscles and improved endurance. |
| Bodhidharma to travel to China. The purpose | | | | Martial arts training also includes |
| of the journey was for Bodhidharma to come | | | | meditation. These moments of stillness may |
| and teach his fellow monks in certain | | | | bring short periods of relaxation. Some |
| exercises to help strengthen their bodies. | | | | people actually see martial arts as "moving |
| Monks in Henan province were frequently | | | | meditation." Researches have also shown that |
| attacked by bandits and had no training in | | | | the regular practice of martial arts help |
| how to defend themselves. | | | | release stress and improve one's self-esteem. |
| | | | |
| After arriving in Henan Temple, Bodhidharma | | | | Sexual health |
| meditated for nine long years. After he | | | | |
| finished the meditation, Bodhidharma wrote | | | | But more than just a system of self-defense |
| two books entitled, "Yi Jin Jing" and "Xi Sui | | | | and meditation, the martial arts practice is |
| Jing". The former was about exercises for | | | | also associated with the improvement of |
| developing external strength while the latter | | | | libido and overall sexual performance. People |
| was about meditation and breathing. After | | | | who frequently exercise have more energy, |
| finishing the two books, he wrote a third | | | | less anxiety, better self-esteem, and |
| book entitled "Shi Bao Luo Han Shou" (The | | | | increased testosterone levels. Martial arts |
| Eighteen Hands of Lohan), which was about his | | | | not only firms one's body and improve their |
| experiences as a member if the Kshatriya. | | | | overall health, martial arts can also improve |
| (Indian warriors and rulers). This book | | | | one's sex life. The practice of martial arts |
| included synchronized defensive routines. | | | | entails rigorous physical exertion. Still, |
| Historians consider this book as the first | | | | Bodhidharma was careful to teach his |
| manual on offensive and defensive combat | | | | monk-students about the virtue of moderation. |
| movements. That was how the martial arts | | | | He taught them that even in martial arts, |
| began in China. | | | | care must be exercised to avoid |
| | | | over-training. Some studies show that too |
| These facts explain the close similarity of | | | | much intense physical training may have an |
| the postures in Chinese martial arts and | | | | effect on one's sterility. An investigation |
| yoga. Both traditions focused on the lower | | | | by health experts revealed that exercising |
| abdominal region as the center of all human | | | | too much causes fatigue, which then |
| energy (chi, pneuma, ki). Martial arts and | | | | temporarily reduces sperm count and quality. |
| Yoga were both developed to promote a healthy | | | | Other researches point out that those who |
| body, increase lifespan, and attain a state | | | | exercised to the point of exhaustion produced |
| of bliss. | | | | less sperm during ejaculation. Specialists |
| | | | say that this happens because the body |
| According to Eastern beliefs, the mysterious | | | | literally "kills" itself during training. To |
| power of the chi is responsible for | | | | build muscles and improve the body, it needs |
| self-healing, self-recovery, and | | | | to recuperate to attain normal cell |
| self-realization; and that ll life in the | | | | development. Intense physical activities may |
| cosmos is inspired by the chi. As the "life | | | | reduce the level of hormones in the |
| force" or vital energy that is present in | | | | bloodstream that affects sperm production. |
| every living thing, it is also the same force | | | | Medical experts believe that sperm levels |
| that controls the universe. Chi is the | | | | return to nearly normal after about three |
| Chinese word for the word life...and | | | | days. They added that drinking coffee after a |
| translated as 'pneuma' in Greek... and 'ki' | | | | few hours of training may protect sperm |
| in Japanese. | | | | quality because of the antioxidants that are |
| | | | found in caffeine. |
| Clinical studies show that martial artists | | | | |
| use several aspects of fitness like muscular | | | | Indeed, understanding the benefits of martial |
| strength, endurance, aerobic, and anaerobic | | | | arts and exercise can make a difference in |
| conditioning. Their training also involves | | | | one's life. If done properly, these arts may |
| flexibility, body composition, motor skills, | | | | promote good health, and an even better sex |
| and coordination. These training modes may | | | | life. |