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Monday, September 22, 2003
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Samurai Workout Offers New Yorkers A Fighting Chance At Slimming Down
SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2003

An ancient Eastern art form is now being given a western twist. NY1 Health Reporter Itay Hod filed this report on how you can become a samurai while losing weight and getting healthy.

“The Last Samurai” is one of the most anticipated Hollywood epics opening this holiday movie season, but its title may be a bit misleading. Right here in Manhattan, aspiring samurais can hone their sword-wielding skills.

“People who love sword fighting movies can fulfill their fantasy and finally become a samurai, or a ninja or a Jedi knight or highlander or for women Xena warrior princess,” said Chunbara instructor, Hyan Hwang.

But it's not just fantasy play. Believe it or not it's the latest fad in exercise: a killer workout called Chanbara.

Chanbara replaces the samurai swords with a foam padded stick to allow full contact. The mantra is based on short, fast strokes and lots of wrist action. Within minutes, even novice students are in full swing, clobbering each other to their hearts' content.

The samurais were originally the warrior class of Japan, but now interest in this ancient art is cutting across all classes and denominations.

“Everybody likes to swing things at everybody else. Since you were a kid you'd throw or hit somebody with a stick, so this is made to live out your fantasy,” said Chanbara student, Patrick Fennelly.

It's also a way to learn a little self defense.

“Especially in New York, I think it's very important to have a little bit of that so that you come off a little stronger if you ever get into that situation you can handle that or at least get out,” said another student, Randa Karambelas.

But don't expect to become the next Karate Kid. This latest fad is mainly a fitness routine designed to keep the finicky New Yorker in shape. The cardio benefits of a typical brawl is the equivalent of a hard core one-on-one basketball game.

People tend to go into a trance, and before you know it you've done 500 cuts, and after that you're breathing so hard you're going to fall on the ground,” said Hwang.

Five hundred cuts that may actually cut down your waistline.

--Itay Hod