52 / martial arts illustrated

Continuing his crusade against fat, Ian Mc-Cranor looks at the psychological stumbling blocks that make weight loss such an effort...

THE STOP BEING FAT CLUB

one group who don’t recognise themselves as fat in the first place - these are the ‘well built, large frame’ exclaimers who really believe their size is due to a combination of ageing and the slowing of their metabolism and that nature simply intended them to look this way. Alcohol, curries and peanut M&Ms didn’t play a role whatsoever... Then you have the ‘it’s not fair’ group who pro-claim that they have tried everything to lose weight, but it’s just impossible. Let’s just look at the facts - if there was a place to go to that would absolutely guarantee weight loss and every single person who went there returned looking slim, the Government would provide it totally free of charge. Just imagine the financial gains for the NHS if no one had any weight related conditions! The truth is indisputable - if you are fat, you are most probably staying fat because what is required to lose weight is just far too much for you to handle. As a serious martial artist, however, I would hope you would hold yourself in higher esteem - especially if you are an instructor...

Next month I am going to start laying down the groundwork for what is required to get yourself in great shape. I already have some prominent martial art figures who are up for the challenge - it’s starting to get very exciting...

IAN McCRANOR

NEXT MONTH Hit the Spot - pull out workout routine poster. Stop Being You...

nessed even twenty years ago. It’s no secret that I am not a fan of the UFC or cage fighting in general, but as much as I dislike what I refer to as ‘street fighting with rules’ I have to say that the physiques that the majority of fight-ers display should be an example to us all. I may not agree with the caged concept, but the training and physical conditioning needs to be adopted as the martial arts gold standard.

Many would argue that the martial arts are about physical and mental improvement and that to mandate a physical appearance makes the mar-tial arts inaccessible to the masses. I would actually agree, but considering that martial arts nowadays is pack-aged for the masses, the hobbyist, gradings should carry the same dis-tinction - thus putting to rest the argu-ment surrounding the belt system. The hobby black belt has been awarded to countless individuals over the years, but never really had its worthlessness highlighted and, just like the fat bloke who hides behind past achievements, the hobby black belt and the standard and character of its recipient, speaks volumes. YOU WILL NEVERLOSE WEIGHT... With the exception of a few dedicated individuals, fat adults will actually remain fat their entire lives. You have

A bloke was driving along the road looking around, he was completely lost. He stopped a guy on the street and asked for directions - the guy tried

his best to explain how to get to the destina-tion that the bloke had asked about, but found it very difficult given the complexity of the street layout and given that the bloke had absolutely no local knowledge of the area whatsoever. In desperation the guy jokingly said, ‘If I were you I wouldn’t start from here!’ When it comes to weight loss I see some very lost individuals, most of who are of the type who would never stop and ask for directions to begin with - and would rather drive around aimlessly instead of admitting they actually need help. Of the ones who do ask for help, only a small percentage take on board the information offered as the directions given take them on a much longer journey than they are prepared to endure. Like the lost driver, they often come back with, ‘Well, is there a faster way?’ Yes actually, there is if you are prepared to take a few months of driving around to familiarise yourself with the area. I can lose weight pretty quickly as I am famil-iar with the process and I am prepared to do what is required. The average fat person is not going to be able to lose weight easily or quickly. A one mile jog will burn around one hundred calories, so being in good shape means a steady five miles for me is not a problem, five hundred calories dismissed without a second thought. Whilst an out of shape, fat bloke struggles to get his trainers on I am in the shower looking forward to a nice cup of tea. Of course I am being flip-pant, but the point I am trying to make is that getting in shape is very hard work. If you are fat and have never exercised before, you are going to have to get into ‘workout shape’ before you can do what is required to speed up the process. This begs the question, If someone in ‘workout shape’ can lose weight quickly and with relative ease, then why are there so many fat, out of shape looking martial artists around? Martial artists pride themselves on being of disciplined character and even promote their art as creating a ‘fit’ mind and body. The truth, however, is that modern, or to use its correct term, ‘commercial’ martial arts are a different animal to what you would have wit-