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The link between martial arts and yoga
By Christina | March 9, 2008
To the untrained eye it would seem that martial arts and yoga are opposite philosophically as well as in their movements but these two health maintenance systems have more in common than you might think. There are many similarities between Tai Chi and Hatha Yoga. Within the warm up, you notice very similar movement, philosophy, and principles. There are poses that resemble tai chi movements, there are kung fu moves that imitate a vinyasa sequence. Each has been called a meditation in motion.Â
The original place martial arts were said to be practiced was the Shaolin Temple. Apparently, the monks at the Shaolin temple had become very proficient at meditation, but had not developed a health maintenance system to sufficiently train their bodies. In the sixth century A.D. a visiting Buddhist monk, from India, began to teach the monks at the Shaolin temple a form of physical fitness, which is believed to be Yoga. It is also said that this visting monk was a member of the Warrior caste. Therefore, he should also have had working knowledge of Kalarippayat; an indigenous Indian Martial art.
TThe century AD is said to be the period during which yoga is said to have originated. There are many martial arts schools which include yoga training as part of their curriculum to bring the balance or yin yang from combining martial arts and yoga.
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