Here's a fun little GIRL FIGHT martial arts film I found. It's called "Muay Thai Giant". The girl fighters in it are awesome. They're miniature little Thai fighters and it takes place in Thailand.
Nathan Jones is great as, Barney Emerald, the "Gentle Giant". I've actually known a few of those in the Martial Arts world. Thank goodness not all males are Alpha types.
In addition to all that, it's so delightful to break the tradition of martial arts movie equals drug smugglers, thieves, and gangsters... oops. I lied. But at least the girls with the gentle (Aussie?) giant make it CUTE enough to qualify as FAMILY FUN.
Okay, it gets a little silly. But haven't we all felt that way with a little too much wasabi?
There's even a male vs. female Muay Thai match. How could you miss that?! You gotta love the "flying" elbows, upper-cuts, and knees of Muay Thai... but where are the blocks? Oh, yeah, I did see some inside the thigh knee blocks! Nice.
And then there's the Papaya Girl. Mmm.There's nothing better than TOUGH and SEXY!
SPOILER: Inside the ring she beats him but they call it a draw (being a male-dominated culture and all). That's one of the things we, as women, have to face in this patriarchal world culture. I once took down an 8th Degree Black Belt as a 6th Degree myself... did I get the same respect a man would have? No. Instead of saying, "Good job!", he said... "Here's what you did wrong."
Okay, let's give the HOT martial arts GUYS some equal time... and nobody does it better than Tony Jaa in the movie Ong Bak. The first one in the series is my favorite. He does the Muay Thai Flying Knee (and elbow!) attack (among other things) like nobody's business. HOT. HOT. HOT fight scenes coming right up.
Eventually the sweat adds up - if you're doing a good job working one up! So you will have to contend (not just with your sparring partner) but also with gear's odor.
A girl came up to me after one of our kickboxing classes one day and said, "Geez, my wraps are starting to smell. I guess I need to buy a new pair." Are you kidding me? Hello-o! I didn't say anything (I just smiled) but I was thinking, 'C'mon, woman, just wash the damn things!'
Does your gear smell? Are you the odorous ogre in your martial arts class? Here are a few tips for cleaning your gear (instead of spending your hard-earned on buying more!): hand wraps, (non-leather) gloves, protective gear, headbands, etc.
First of all, at the end of your class, don't just stuff all your "wet" gear into your bag and leave it there until your next class. That is the worst thing you can do. Once you're in your car, lay it out so that it can air out.You might even want to run your fingers along each side of your hand wraps and fold them nicely to get the wrinkles out.
Another trick is to buy these little balls that you can find in the laundry section of your grocer, for sneaker odor control, and put them inside your gloves between classes (besides airing them out).
But, at least once a month (once a week for the ambitious), soak your gear in a bucket or sink with a little (a very little or you'll have too many suds) Dawn Dish washing Soap. They now make one specifically for ODOR CONTROL. Soak your gear for about 45 minutes to an hour and then rinse and squeeze until you've removed all the detergent and gotten them as dry as you can by hand.
Now you will want to hang them out to dry. A little sun in the summertime won't hurt them. You can even leave them out overnight. Just be sure you're giving yourself enough time between classes, so that you will have dry gear for your next event. Do NOT use bleach or put the gear into a dryer. Air drying is best. Hanging them over a heating vent in the winter might also work.
And for when you forget (and you will), there's always the Travel Sized Lysol Spray or any regular type deodorant spray you can keep in your gym bag... just in case.
As you probably know by now, I am a martial arts "Fan-atic". I've been doing it since I was a kid and think it should be required education for all children, especially girls.
So here's a Tribute to a few of my Fave Martial Arts Femmes:
Is there a healthy way to release pent up frustration and stress?
Q: Lately I've been going through a crisis of sorts. There are other people involved and when I think about them, I get so angry I just want to scream or break something.
Please don't tell me to do yoga or slow breathing meditation or to hit a pillow. I already do Tai Chi (a soft martial art) and it doesn't help.
Day in and day out, this anxiety persists and I just feel like I'm going to explode. But mostly I just cry all the time. I'm on edge and feel emotionally drained. Is there anything I can do to help myself immediately?
A: Exercise is key. It produces endorphins, chemicals in your system that work like a "drug" to help relieve stress. You will feel better about yourself at the end of each session.
And I'm glad to hear that you do a martial art. Why not try something a little more... INTENSE. I do a Muay Thai kickboxing class in which we kick and punch bags. The sweat just pours down, I breathe hard, and sometimes I even imagine certain faces on the bag... certain people I'd like to kick the sh-- out of. LOL. It works! At the end of the class it feels like I've done just that.
It's an awesome way to let go some anger and stress. Couldn't cope without it.
And I'm not sure how old you are but age shouldn't matter (unless you have a unique medical condition such as osteoporosis. Then do consult with your doctor first). This class is a cardio/aerobic kickboxing class, no actual sparring involved, which I know intimidates some people. If I can do it at fifty, anyone can.
Have you seen how hard those people work out on Biggest Loser? Most people think that growing older means relaxing... retirement. I'm afraid it's just the opposite. We have to work twice as hard for the same results we had in our earlier years.
Oh, P.S., reducing refined sugar and caffeine and aspartame in your diet also helps. These ingredients can cause these feelings of frustration as a symptom of an out of balance body chemistry. Most people don't understand how powerful sugar is in this regard. Plus, an added benefit of reducing sugar in your diet is more energy for your workout.
Do your legs sometimes feel heavy, like you're lifting them with 20 lb. ankle weights tied to each? Replacing refined sugars (What are those? See the book The Sugar Addict's Diet for a complete explanation.) with more natural ones will take of that. You'll feel much lighter. Instead of dragging yourself through your workout (and your day!), your energy level will skyrocket. And, as an added bonus you'll be able to think more clearly. Improved memory is a side-effect of reduced sugar consumption.
Today, in Salt Lake City, Utah someone replaced the Baby Jesus in a nativity scene with a Mr. Potato Head, leaving only a ransom note. The Care Takers were visibly distraught.
