Akshay Kumar Owes His Unique Outlook Towards Fitness to Martial Arts

7/30/2019 Akshay Kumar Owes His Unique Outlook Towards Fitness to Martial Arts

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Akshay Kumar owes his unique outlook towards fitness to martial arts, particularly Karate

(he has a 6th degree black belt in Kuyukai Gojuryu Karate). He has also delved in other

martial arts like Muay Thai, a Thai kickboxing technique. In fact, he loves martial arts so

much he wants it included in the school curricula and considers it along with yoga to be the

most complete forms of exercise.

So what does he do to keep fit?To understand Akshay Kumars fitness regimen the most important thing we need to

understand is the fact that its not designed to make you look good, its about functionality.The body is like a well-oiled machine and it needs to be maintained properly. Discipline is

of utmost importance. The actor claims that he wakes up at 4:30 am and goes to bed by 9

pm without fail. He avoids night shifts as far as possible. He does go to the gyms in the

morning but says he has no set routine. Instead he just fools around for an hour and a half

doing whatever his heart desires. In his own words, he does anything and everything thatinspires him and pushes his limits.

Like we mentioned before he is a big fan of kickboxing, loves to play basketball, swimming

and practises yoga.

Extreme AkshayThe Khatron Ka Khiladi host is also a big fan of extreme sports and has imbibed its hues in

his day to day life. He actually climbs trees and when he cant find them makes do with acustom-built 30 feet wall. He is a big fan of extreme sports like rock-climbing and takes his

son whenever he gets the chance.

Core conditioning, not 6-8 packs.

He doesnt care for 6-8 packs brigade and says that its more important to develop the core.

Core conditioning refers to a group of exercises that focus on the core muscles. Core

muscles are muscles of your mid-section, abdomen section, pelvic muscles and the muscles

of your lower back. These core muscles literally hold your body up and provide stability to

your spine. Most lower- back injuries occur due to weak core muscles. A strong core

improves posture, prevents lower back pain, increases mobility and improves your overallcoordination and reflexes. Watch fitness expert Raghav Pandes core conditioning exercisevideo here.

He is also a big fan of functional training which is a way to improve the body for daily

activities. It leads to better muscular balance and joint stability. Its a more natural way of

exercising than regular weights which focus on individual body parts and is deemed

unnatural.Food to be lean and mean

No exercise regime is complete without a proper diet and Akshay has one which is easy to

follow. He sticks to normal home-cooked Indian food. He usually starts his day with a heavy

breakfast which comprises of eggs,parathas and a juice or milkshake. Lunch comprises of

a dabba he brings from home usually regular daal-roti-chawal sabzi. Hes a big fan ofGujrati cuisine and raids Paresh Rawals tiffin whenever they are shooting together.

Dinners usually a light meal; soup, salad and chicken. Whats most important is the fact

that he has a very light dinner which doesnt have any carbs. Whenever he feels hungry in-between meals he snacks on dry fruits and actually stays away from tea and coffee. The

actors diet is very interesting because dry fruits are not only the perfect fillers but helpcurb diseases like diabetes and heart disease and even aids digestion. Click here to read the

health benefits of almonds, pistachios and nuts.
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The actor claims he does have to occasionally curb his sweet tooth and only has sweets on

Sundays. In fact he lets himself go on Sundays and eats anything that comes his way.

Chocolate cakes,gulab jamun and other Indian sweetmeats he has in moderation.

What we can really learn from his exercise and diet regime is that its not about bulking upbut eating right and living a healthy life. And looking at him we cant disagree.

Strengthening your abs and other core muscles

Core conditioning refers to a group of exercises that focus on the core muscles. Core

muscles are muscles of your mid-section, abdomen section, pelvic muscles and the muscles

of your lower back. These core muscles literally hold your body up and provide stability to

your spine. Most lower- back injuries occur due to weak core muscles.

A strong core improves posture, prevents lower back pain, increases mobility and

improves your overall coordination and reflexes.

This exercise regime not only strengthens your core muscle but when combined with a

proper diet and weight training can give you a properly defined midsection.

Fitness expert and consultant Raghav Pande shows us some essential core conditioning

exercises including abs workouts.Raghav Pande is a Delhi based fitness consultant who has a passion for health, fitness,

nutrition and people.

Digestive problems? Eat some pistachios!

Eating pistachio nuts may help the growth of potentially beneficial gut bugs and promote

digestive health, says a new study. Pistachios are also an excellent source of vitamin B6,

copper and manganese and a good source of phosphorus and thiamin. Gut bugs help in

digestion of food in the stomach.

They may play a role in modifying microbiota (microbial environment in thegastrointestinal tract) for supporting intestinal health, said Volker Mai, assistant

professor at the University of Floridas Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Toexamine this link between prebiotics in pistachios and the gut, researchers conducted a

study at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center in Maryland. Prebiotics are a

functional food that stimulates the growth of healthy bugs, helping produce digestive

enzymes.

A group of healthy individuals were randomly assigned to eat an American-style, pre-

planned diet that included either 0 ounces, 1.5 ounces or 3 ounces of pistachios or almonds

per day, according to a Florida statement. Each participants diet was calorie-controlled to

ensure they neither gained nor lost weight during the intervention. Multiple stool samples

were collected throughout the study and analyzed for bacterial community

composition. After controlling for age, dietary factors and other relevant variables, the

researchers observed that after 19 days, people who ate up to three ounces of pistachios(about 147 nuts or 2 servings) per day had increased changes in levels of various gut

bacteria.

The difference in gut microbes was stronger in people who ate pistachios rather than

almonds. The researchers used modern high throughput sequencing to quantify specific

gut bacterial DNA signatures before and after nut consumption. According to the

researchers, this is the first study using this method to observe that pistachios and almonds


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may have the ability to help change the amounts of bacteria thriving in the gut. These

findings were presented at the Experimental Biology conference in San Diego, US.

5 reasons to start eating oats today

Eating oats can protect your system from various serious ailments. Rich in fibres and

proteins, they are a good source of essential fatty acids, plant chemicals, amino acidsand vitamin E. They also are rich in copper, iron, zinc and magnesium and prevent

chronic illnesses when consumed on a regular basis. Read on to know other benefits

of eating oats regularly.

Prevents cardiovascular disease

Eating oatmeal can lower your cholesterol levels as it is made up of dietary fibres that helps

lower the bad cholesterol (LDL) without lowering the good one (HDL). Eating a cup of oats

every day with a high-fibre, low-fat diet can do wonders in preventing heart disease.

According to a new research, the antioxidants present in oats reduce the ability of the blood

cells to stick to the insides of the artery walls and thus reduce cholesterol.

Prevents constipationOats are a rich source of fibre both soluble and insoluble ones. These help in regulatingbowel movements and preventconstipation. They are also a good option for people who

want to lose weight as the fibres make you feel full for longer and you end up eating less.

Children who eat a bowl of oatmeal regularly are less likely to be obese and overweight.

Controls blood sugar levels

Diabetics should consume oats regularly as oat beta-glucan delays the fall in blood sugar

levels before meals and slows the rise after a meal. This means, there arent major changes

in its level and your diabetes is better controlled.

Reduces cancer risk

Oats contain a compound called lignin which helps reduce chances of hormone-related

cancers like breast, prostate and ovarian cancer. Eating oats is therefore good for both menand women. According to a research, women who have a higher intake of fibre have lower

levels of circulating oestrogen and are at a lesser risk of breast cancer.

Reduces hypertension

If you suffer from high blood pressure, a daily dose of oats will help you reduce it along

with other complications that it can lead to. Hypertension is becoming common these days

with even youngsters suffering from it due to stress and lifestyle changes. Eating oats can

help combat this problem.

How to make oats tastier?

Now that you know its benefits, learn a few easy recipes and tips to make your oatmeal

tastier as well as healthier.

A quick and easy way to make your morning bowl of oats tasty is to add chopped dry fruitsor cut fruits to it. This will not only add to its taste but will also make it more nutritious.

You could also sprinkle a bit of your favourite herbs on it to improve its taste as it might be

a bit too bland for the Indian palette.

If getting your kids in the habit of eating oats is your concern, you can try making oats

lollipops for them. They are extremely healthy as they are made of sesame seeds, jaggery

and are tasty too you certainly wouldnt mind your kids eating these lollipops.
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Find yourself craving a snack? Satisfy this craving with a healthy snack such as oats chaat.

It is healthy yet tasty and a good way to beat your hunger pangs than reaching out for your

jar of junk food.

Why barefoot running is good for your feet (Expert Interview)

Go to a sports shoe shop and you will find numerous brands of shoes all claiming to be betterthan the others and providing various different features to monitor and heighten your

running experience.Sharath Raju, Indias firstcertified and licensed barefoot running coach

tells us why it is a good idea to put those shoes away in your closet and start running

barefoot.

Why should one learn the technique of barefoot running?

The best way to answer this question is by understanding the term proprioception. Our

bodies are incredibly good at moving, often without any conscious involvement. The reason

we can make simple movements like sitting down, standing up, picking up objects,

throwing, catching, jumping, skipping, running without thinking or falling over is because

of something called proprioception our bodys sense of its own position, balance and

movement. Proprioception gives us our body awareness and is commonly referred to asour sixth sense.

The proprioceptive system uses stretch receptors and pressure receptors situated in our

muscles, joints and skin to inform our brain about our physical environment and how we

are interacting with it.

A large percentage of these receptors are in our feet which are most in contact with the

ground. If we reduce the sensory feedback from our feet to our brains by wearing thick,

shock-absorbing soles then the brain has less information to work with, reducing the

quality of the movement pattern produced.

The foot has evolved over millions of years to a dexterous and sensitive masterpiece. By

patronising it with thick soles and supportive padding were limiting its potential and

risking injury throughout the body. This is why barefoot running is essential.If being barefoot is so wonderful, why did humans invent shoes?

Although the human foot is a marvel of evolution, it has one serious flaw a lack of

protection from the environment.

All other running animals have evolved hooves or pads to protect themselves, but our feet,

originally designed to grasp and climb, are instead covered in proprioceptors, sweat glands

and soft skin.

Theres no way the bare human foot could have coped with rainforests, deserts and otherextreme lands without a protective cover. Hence humans used whatever they could find to

protect their feet which has gradually changed in form to present day shoes. In other

words, footwear that insulates and protects the human foot is a part of our evolutionary

history.Does one need special training to start running barefoot?

Even though running barefoot is in our blood, it doesnt mean one will start doing it

correctly the moment you take off your shoes. If youve been wearing over-protectivefootwear all your life, your barefoot running muscles will be weak and your posture will be

all out of form. Theres a bit of work to do first. Running is a skill, once mastered, it willallow anyone to run efficiently without any injury.
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Like all natural systems, the human brain develops complex patterns by adding simple

patterns together. This is visible in the way babies progress from simple to more complex

movements; that is, from crawling, sitting, standing and eventually walking and running.

Know the saying, you have to learn to walk before you can run? It couldnt be truer. If ourbrain doesnt learn these simple movement patterns in the right order and to the right level

of competency, our potential performance further down the line is jeopardised forrunners that means poor performance and injury.

This training system has three distinct movement milestones: walking/squatting, jumping

and running. To fully realise the potential of your barefoot life, you must perfect each skill

before moving onto the next.

The training system will guide you and start you on your journey to efficient, injury-free

running.

Since there are limitations to running barefoot, what footwear should one choose?

The perfect running shoe allows the foot to behave exactly as it would if bare, providing

maximum protection from the environment and allowing maximum sensory feedback

between your feet and your brain. Whatever barefoot running shoe you chose, make sure

it fulfills the following four criteria:The shoe must allow for sensory feedback

The sole of your foot is packed with sensory receptors, so the sole of your running shoe

must allow feedback from the terrain youre moving on in order to create a natural running

style. This is also called Zero-drop shoes, with no artificial, heel, arch or toe support.

The shoe must protect your foot from the environment

The sole of your running shoe must be puncture-proof and capable of protecting your foot

from extremes of temperature.

The shoes weight must not unbalance your foots natural position

A heavy or unbalanced running shoe will affect your foots natural centre of gravity andtherefore your running style. Ideally the weight distribution of your shoe should allow you

to balance it with your finger half way between the heel and the toe.Your foot should not be restricted in any way by the shoe

When our foot hits the ground, the toes slant outwards to help balance the stride. The toe

box on your shoe must therefore be wide enough to accommodate this spread without any

restriction.
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Akshay Kumar Owes His Unique Outlook Towards Fitness to Martial Arts

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