Fusion Fitness: 15 Martial Art Workouts for Mind, Body and Spirit

Readers interested in taking up a martial art but bewildered by the sport's many varied traditions will find a useful guide in this friendly, thoroughly illustrated introduction to the philosophies and practices behind the Asian self-defense arts.""It would be impossible for this book to even begin to touch on all the martial arts styles,"" Millard declares in the first chapter, but her book nonetheless provides clear summaries of the 10 most common traditions, including karate, aikido, kickboxing, wing chun and tai chi chuan. Her detailed explanations of the techniques allow readers to make an educated choice about which form would best fit their lifestyle and fitness level. Later chapters offer easy-to-follow exercise regimens that focus on balance, concentration, stretching, and strengthening the core abdominal muscles; these allow readers to test out some of the principles described in earlier chapters. But Millard, a former personal trainer, emphasizes that martial arts are""very difficult, if not impossible"" to learn without one-on-one instruction, and her book primarily aims to inspire readers to""delve deeper"" and to adopt a healthy lifestyle. A whole chapter on food, for example, sorts through the facts and fictions of smart food selection with sporty headlines like""Carbs Rule!"" and""Cancel That Coffee!"" as well as guidelines for incorporating seasonal eating into daily meal plans.