Fit and fast
Gholam Riza Sharifi, UAE’s kickboxing champion, says the sport is good to build up speed and increasing body flexibility. He shares his expertise now at The Fairmont Dubai
He readies his body for the action and kicks hard in the air, the26-year-old’s leg now making a perfect straight line with the body. As for the kick, not many can take it. It is power-packed.
Gholam Riza Sharifi did not reach this perfection without hard work but now, as he trains others in kickboxing at The Fairmont Dubai, the youngster demands nothing from them except dedication. “Any one can learn kickboxing, there are no pre-requisites,” he says.
A UAE champion in kickboxing and Tae Kwon Do, Gholam’s interest in martial arts kick-started with the usual Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan movies as a child. Unlike many others, whose dreams are often bogged down after a few sweaty rounds at the gymnasium, Gholam persisted. Training in Kung Fu and Tae Kwon Do before taking up kickboxing, he has taken part in UAE championships in all sports and won coveted titles too.
The shift to kickboxing, he says, demanded that he build up speed. This, he achieved, through hard work outs as well as meditation, which keeps his mind and body focused. “While you can gain much from the masters, you must practice regularly if you want to be perfect in your moves,” says Gholam. Kickboxing, he explains, is more easy and effective and is fast gaining popularity among the youngsters in the region. “It is a tough sport but practice makes it easy.”
As for laymen, who are more interested in keeping fit than fighting it out in championships, Gholam says kickboxing makes for a good exercise regimen. “It burns more calories than most conventional exercises. You can say, the calories burnt in three minutes with kickboxing are what you burn in 15 minutes in other sports. It also has a wider range of movements, which make the body more flexible.”
Gholam says anyone can practice kickboxing. “It is a sport that boosts your confidence,” he explains. At The Fairmont, he trains students in the basic movements apart from giving advanced courses for those who are already familiar with kickboxing.
For the rigorous trainer that he is, Gholam has a polished exercise regimen to keep him fit for the various championships he participates regularly. While the kicks he executes pack a punch, he says, the awareness of the might has only enhanced his self-discipline. “Power is also about control, and you are not easily provoked.”
Even in situations which could see others flare up, he keeps his cool. “When you learn to gain the power, you also learn self-restraint. You use this not to fight but to break up fights.”
-RN
