Once used as deadly weapons, to slash enemies apart,
Japanese Katana swords are now used by Japanese
white-collar women to slash away extra pounds and cut down
stress.
The recently opened “Samurai Camp” gym, in Tokyo, looks
more like the training ground for modern amazons More than
100 of them have signed up for this unusual fitness program that
aims to help them lose 11 pounds in just one month. The inventor of
samurai sword fitness, 31-year-old Takafuji Ukon, believed men
would be more interested in the art of Katana wielding, but much to
his surprise, women were the ones who flocked to the gym.
Ukon is not a martial art expert but he is a master of
sword dancing, and knows just what moves to teach, so the women can
shed the extra weight. Still, in order to avoid potentially deadly
accidents, real swords were replaced with wooden ones, wrapped in
tin foil.
Since we don’t live in an era where slashing people is allowed,
Takafuji Ukon teaches his students to visualize fat and stress as
the enemies, when they’re using the swords. And according to the
clients of Samurai Camp, they appreciate the chance to get in touch
with Japanese culture, relax, and lose weight, all at the
same time.
