MANILA, Philippines ? Asian martial arts will be the next big thing after outdoor fitness activities such as triathlons.

According to the New York Times, martial arts studios in the United States are eclipsing Dunkin? Donuts outlets. Over two million Americans are getting into Oriental combat disciplines for sport or self-defense.

Many devotees are attracted by the combination of athletic strength and mental concentration. The article quotes an exercise physiologist as saying that the explosive combination of expanding and shortening, contracting and releasing the muscles build up power and suppleness. The coordination of various parts of the body at one time, while changing the center of balance and gravity, help strengthen the core muscles.

Martin Camara, chiropractor and head of the Intercare Healthcare Systems, sees ?kun tao,? an unheard of martial art form, as a tool for wellness. Unlike other martial art forms which had become mere contact sports or combat disciplines, he was attracted to ?kun tao? because of its holistic approach and philosophy.

He explains that ?kun tao? originates from traditional military training, infused with oriental philosophies and practices such as meditation, breathing and the path to enlightenment.

?These contribute to the higher sense of awareness,? says Camara.

Complete workout

He was trained in the Imua Shan Tung style, which is characterized by sparingness of movement, animal stances, dynamically graceful blocking and suave wallops, circular and linear movements, high and low kicks, immobilizing the opponent, sweeping strokes and throwing?all of which have an elastic quality.

Camara learned this martial art from his associate, Doctor Armand Soto, his classmate at the prestigious Palmer School of Chiropractic and co-founder of Intercare. Soto is the Lineage Holder of Imua Shan Tung Kuntao, the system developed by a Dutch-Indonesian martial artist, Otto Vander Groen. Camara holds an honorary fourth-degree black belt for applying the principles in his profession.

Both ?kun tao? and oriental healing arts focus on restoring balance and vitality to the body and realigns, the body, mind and soul. He views ?kun tao?s? exercises and mental disciplines help in preventing joint and muscle dysfunctions, reduce stress, pump up body circulation and respiratory efficiency, increase range of motion and lessen pain. Hence, the Intercare staffers are also made to study it under Martin Boassen, a Norwegian health practitioner and a third-degree black belter.

?Kun tao is complete body conditioning. It is good to know how defend yourself. It?s better to know it and not need it than need it and not know it. If you had to do one thing that could involve physical and mental capacities and a meditative state, kun tao has everything,? says Camara.

The 90-minute workout consists of a warm-up stretching for 20 minutes, 45 minutes of fundamental movements and sparring. Towards the end of the workout, you pull out all the stops with physical strengthening exercises such as power jumps and tough push-ups.

These movements are coordinated with a variety of breathing processes. ?Breathing emphasizes the potency of the movement. It supplies power to the muscles. Without breathing, you lose power. It also focuses the mind and sharpens the senses,? says Boassen.

Camara adds that in traditional Chinese healing arts, energy is controlled by breath. ?Breathing drives energy to areas where you want them to go. Proper and coordinated breathing strengthens the diaphragm which, in turn, stabilizes the lower back and the abdomen for a stronger core.?

Benefits

Weight loss comes from the execution of the movements through cardiovascular conditioning and muscle tone from the static strengthening. ?As you use the whole body, it draws out a lot of its resources, ? says Boassen.

?Kun tao? has psychological benefits such as conquering fear by constantly confronting it. Boassen explains, ?When you?re past the beginner level, you are confronted with things that seem scary such as fighting and dropping. You learn to overcome them. In falling, you learn counter falling and how to become one with the ground as you fall. It becomes part of your strength and enhances your discipline. You train your brain and you think of obstacles as a tool against the blockage, instead of letting your mind magnify the obstacles.?

Camara says aside from his improved flexibility and muscle strength, he has gained more from the mental benefits of kun tao training. ?The exercises are meditative. As the mind becomes clearer, you realize what is important. Kun tao allowed me to focus on what is important in life and helped me to separate from the ego. It has disciplined me to prioritize my time with work and children and build better relationships.?

Age is not an issue. Camara saw the late kun tao master Edgar Vander Groen, a scrawny octogenarian who kicked a hefty six-foot opponent. ?As you get older, life experiences changes the way you move. The more hardships you?ve endured, the focus will be different.?