Health Trend: Eskrima Workout

IDEAL FOR: Those who wish to develop strong cardio
system agility and strengthen the core, but are tired of their gym
routine that works out the same muscles every day.
 

WHAT’S THE FUSS ABOUT? While
most martial art forms that are used as a part of fitness training use
free-hand techniques, Eskrima is weapon-based combat with sticks, knives
and daggers. In fact, as Eskrima expert Radhika Sheikh from The
National School of Combat Arts (NSCA), Mumbai, explains, “It is the only
form of martial arts that progresses from the use of weapons at the
basic level to practising with empty hands at the most advanced level.
From rattan sticks to double sticks to daggers, Eskrima progresses to
the use of double daggers and then to fighting with hands. This form of
martial arts is quite flexible — students practise after learning the
basic principles. There are no fixed patterns of going about Eskrima.”

USP: You
can start off as a novice and graduate to the most advanced level of
Eskrima. The best part is that it is suitable for anybody between the
ages of 8 and 80. Eskrima was designed to be simple to learn because it
was originally meant to train laymen in the Philippines for combat
against foreign invaders in a short period of time. Effectiveness and
simplicity rather than complex techniques are the most important aspects
of the training.

CALORIE METER: A regular
class lasts for an hour, while an advanced level class may work up to 90
minutes. Typically, a one-hour class would help you burn 300 calories.

YOU WILL NEED: Since
it is a mode of combat, you will require rattan sticks (to begin with),
a head guard, a body guard and a pair of gloves. You may want to wear
regular fitness shoes while exercising. Again, it all depends on the
technique you want to follow. The ‘bagging’ technique, for instance,
uses a stack of tyres on which you can unleash all your energy with the
sticks.

WATCH OUT: It’s not that popular in
India yet, and you won’t find too many videos to showcase the movements.
There are plenty of principles to follow while working out with Eskrima
so that you don’t get injured. Like all exercises, it should initially
be practised under expert guidance, which might not be available
throughout the country yet. You might initially want to work with padded
sticks — that’s what beginners and children do!

CURRENTLY OFFERED AT: National School of Combat Arts, Fort; Star Studio, Worli; Fitness and Physique, Mazgaon, Mumbai

EXPERT TAKE:  “Eskrima
is a complete, wholesome fitness form that sharpens you spiritually,
mentally and physically,” says Sheikh “It modifies itself around each
individual practising it. There are so many techniques that it allows
individuals to absorb what is most useful to them and discard what seems
impractical.”

CELEB FOLLOWERS: Bollywood
actress Isha Koppikar has been in the news for training in Eskrima for
her next film. Even in Hollywood, stars like Lucy Liu, Matt Damon and
Denzel Washington used this martial art workout to prep for action
sequences.