The hits parade

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, March, 2004 by Jay Shafran

Qi Gong, Capoeira, Poekoelan. Classes based on martial arts regimens from around the globe are popping up everywhere.

Maggie Reyes, a black belt in both Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido and group class director of the Bear Stearns Fitness Center in New York City, attributes the growth in popularity of these martial arts-inspired activities to a number of factors. "It started with Billy Blanks' Tae-Bo videos," she says. "These were fun and different and gave women a sense of empowerment. Soon women were looking for a more disciplined approach and a mind-body connection." According to Reyes, martial arts and self-defense classes are now filled to capacity and the demand continues to grow.

Here's an overview of some of the more popular offerings:

Qi Gong (or Chi Kung): Chi is your life force and Gong is a skill. Put them together and you have a system of exercise designed to develop and improve the flow of energy through your body. Training varies from softer forms like Tai Chi to more vigorous forms like Kung Fu, though the softer technique is what prevails in most classes. Slow movements and stationary postures are combined with breathing techniques and mental focus to create a soothing yet invigorating effect. If you're more interested in fighting your internal attackers than those from the outside, it's the choice for you. (For more info: The National Qigong Association, www.nqa.org.)

Capoeira: It's "Jackie Chan meets the Dance Theater of Harlem." Classified as both an art form and a self-defense technique, this vigorous class will have you kicking and bobbing--and spinning upside down while balanced on one hand! Developed 400 years ago by African slaves in Brazil as both a martial art and form of self-expression, Capoeira trails only soccer as the most popular sport in Brazil and now classes are popping up all over the U.S. It's beautiful, dance-y and acrobatic and is conducted in concert with traditional rhythmic Brazilian music. (For more info: www.capoeira.com or check your local clubs.)

Poekoelan: Very similar to Kung Fu, this Indonesian martial art merges various animal-based movements (tiger, monkey, crane and snake) with mind/body skills associated with Eastern martial arts. In the class setting, movements are often combined into a fluid dance-like session that focuses on technique and concentration. If you're looking for something more in line with the discipline of the more traditional martial arts, try a class or two. (For more info: www.poekoelan.com.)