Health Clubs and Gyms in New Jersey

POMPTON LAKES, NJ -- Why are residents opting to leave the health club scene for another, age old tradition? If you're like the thousands of people who are tired of joining the health club in January only to be "uninspired" by March, than keep reading ...

It's almost tradition in New Jersey, vow to make a change and then let the excuses take control. It's not due to your lack of will power or commitment, you're not a machine. Yes, some people like to run on the treadmill like a hamster, day after day: uninspired. But for the rest of us, pushing a bar, riding a fake bike or running in place just doesn't cut it.

Failure at the gym is nothing new. Even as far back as the 19th century, educators and sociologists realized the need for physical fitness. As the industrial revolution gained momentum, the need to replace the physical benefits of manual labor was sought after. It began with rudimentary calisthenics, some of which are coming back into 'vogue' today. The core body training methods that seem to be all the rage were actually common place 100 years ago.

Body weight training exercises proved to concentrate on the entire function of the body, rather than the "look" of a particular part of the body. The results now are the same then, an over all healthier body with functional strength instead of an "all show, no go" beach body. Add to the fact that working without weights has proved to be safer on joints, ligaments and bones, it's no wonder we've come full circle.

Now the typical new jersey gym has less muscle heads and muscle "bunnies" and more fitness oriented, total body wellness people. But that still begs the question ...

WHY ARE PEOPLE STILL QUITTING IN DROVES!!!!

Why do you pay for a yearly health club membership and use only a third of it? What's the excuse this week? Too much work? A family emergency? Are you moving? Did you change your job? Are you not feeling well? What ever it is, you know that 99% of the reasons not to go workout become excuses after a while. But, you know, it's not really your fault. Ditching the gym is as common in New Jersey as it is in the rest of the world and it was a problem over a century ago.

In 1892 a man by the name of Jigoro Kano developed and launched the first martial art ever. It was the first to have belts and a ranking system and the first to have a standardized uniform and testing that is still in use to this day. Kano (an educator by trade) realized the need for physical education in his rapidly changing world. From his experience, calisthenics lack the intellectual problem solving challenges the human mind craves to keep interested. He knew that in order for his program to work it would have to challenge people intellectually and physically.

This is the same reason there is always "something new" at the gym. The health club program directors keep it interesting by adding and creating new fads. Just walk into any gym in New Jersey and you'll see the latest version of spinning, pilates, yoga- fusion. But all of these activities still fall way short, because AFTER the newness wears off, you're bored again.

Fortunately people are discovering martial arts again. It's no wonder it's the fastest growing industry in the New Jersey fitness scene. People are tired of just working out, now you can get both an awesome core work out and learn how to protect yourself. Even after a short while, you will see dramatic results and have the confidence you can't get from a yoga class.

Plus, being a part of a real dojo community inspires you to come. The friendships forged in training keep you coming back. Why did you play sports when you were young? Sure the physical benefits were incredible, but I'm sure you didn't think of that. It was hanging out with your friends. If you ask any athlete at any level what they miss the most, it was the camaraderie and the relationships forged on the field, and on the courts that they remember. Being a part of a dojo provides that feeling, forever! And you don't have to be a steroid induced cage fighter to do it.

More and more professional men and woman are discovering true fitness and practical knowledge can be gained at the same time. Imagine having the attention of a personal trainer, team spirit and learning the knowledge to protect you and your loved ones from harm.

There is no argument; personal trainers definitely work if you can afford one. The good trainers are expensive. Unfortunately, you still run into the same problem as before. You could have the best personal trainer in the world, but if you're still doing the same old thing, you'll get bore and start thinking of excuses NOT to work out all over again.

To learn more about how thousands of New Jersey residents in the Bergen, Passaic and Morris County Areas interested in finding a health club or gym alternative with all the benefits of a Personal Trainer without paying $70 to $125 per hour than you can start your search wtih Martial Arts for Men and Women..

A Brief History Martial Arts and Self Defense

Many martial arts and self defense systems are derived from military combatives; the study of hand-to-hand combat and martial arts in warfare. After all, the term "martial art" means "art of warfare." For example, the sport of judo comes from jujutsu, which comes from samurai grappling, which was part of the training Japanese warriors received as preparation for battle.

Many weapon-oriented martial arts, such as iado, kendo, kyudo and naganata-do originated in schools of martial techniques for warriors. These weapons, the sword, bow and arrow, and pole arm, were the assault rifles and machine guns of their time--the default weapons of military fighters--and as such were key components in combat training.

The Western interest in East Asian Martial arts dates back to the late 19th Century AD, due to the increase in trade between America with China and Japan. Relatively few Westerners actually practiced the martial arts, considering it to be mere performance.

Edward William Barton-Wright, a railway engineer who had studied the martial art Jujutsu while working in Japan between 1894-97, was the first man known to have taught Asian martial arts in Europe. He also founded an eclectic martial arts style named Bartitsu which combined jujutsu, judo, boxing, savate and stick fighting.

William E. Fairbairn, a Shanghai policeman and at the time a leading Western expert on Asian fighting techniques, was recruited during world War II by the Special Operations Executive (SOE) to teach UK, U.S. and Canadian Commando and Ranger forces Jujutsu.

The seminal self-defense book Kill or Get Killed was written by Colonel Rex Applegate, who worked closely with Fairbairn to train the "First Special Service," a joint U.S. and Canadian army unit; it became a classic military treatise on hand to hand combat and created the reality based martial art "Defendu." Modern variations that can still trace an authentic lineage to Applegate are very few.

Seeing the need to bring these legitimate and proven techniques and method of close-combat back into the Modern world of "hobby" Martial Arts (Karate, Kung Fu, Capoiera, Aikido, etc.) and "sport" Martial Arts (Judo, Brazilian Jui-jitsu, Wrestling, Kick Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts, Ultimate fighting , etc.), Yoshisada Yonezuka, Damian Ross, Roger Jones and Peter Barry have dedicated their lives to teaching, instruction, and spreading the "truth" about Martial Arts, street fighting, self defense, and close combat.

This site is the only link to that legacy