| The last thing someone with back pain would want | | | | muscles. My chiropractor later told me that many of |
| to do, would be something strenuous...like martial arts. | | | | his patients were from the kick-boxing schools. As he |
| I first heard about the health benefits of martial art | | | | was a Kung Fu sifu, he found that the classical |
| kicking was from an article by editor, Mark Bricklin. Mr. | | | | schools, such as kung fu and karate, seemed to have |
| Bricklin described his on-going back problem that he | | | | less back problems than their kick-boxing counter |
| later solved by practising Tae Kwon Do. The logic | | | | parts. |
| was that the exercises and the kicking movements | | | | This is not to say that one style is better. Just some |
| strengthened the abdominal muscles and stretched | | | | techniques are healthier. |
| the hamstrings. | | | | Try this simple kicking warm up: Stand with one leg |
| How about that for simplicity? | | | | bent so that the knee is above your ankle and your |
| Later on, my research turned up the same approach | | | | other leg is straight behind you. Keeping your front |
| for easing back pain: strengthen the abdominal | | | | foot flat on the ground, swing your rear leg forward |
| muscles and stretch the lower back and hamstrings. | | | | as high as you comfortably can. Then return your leg |
| This was confirmed by the American College of | | | | back to the ground behind you. As you swing your |
| Sports Medicine. Maybe I was onto something. | | | | leg, you should pull your foot up so that you get a |
| Sure enough years later, I met a Tae Kwon Do | | | | deeper stretch in your hamstrings and lower back. Do |
| instructor who explained that he too was able to | | | | this five to ten times and switch sides. |
| overcome back pain by practising the martial art Tae | | | | Once you achieve balance to do this several times, |
| Kwon Do. I found the same with my own training of | | | | with your supporting foot flat on the ground, you |
| kick-boxing, kung fu, Pilates and Power Yoga. | | | | can move onto to several other kicks. |
| However, I found that the kick-boxing roundhouse | | | | Try a kicking style class like Tae Kwon Do, Tang Soo |
| kicks aggravated some of my back and hip pain. I | | | | Do or Hapkido. After a month, you should feel your |
| figured out later that it was from excessive kicking | | | | back loosening up. You might even release another |
| the heavy (punching) bag. This hard, pounding motion | | | | back pain producer: stress. |
| tended to tighten my hip flexors and strain the back | | | | |