Martial Arts

Try Something New Martial Arts

If you’re looking for a fun way to get fit, why not try martial arts? You’ll improve your coordination and flexibility, it’s a great way to meet people, and it can really boost your confidence. And you’re never too old to learn. Many clubs offer adult or mixed classes.

Which martial art to choose

There are several types of martial art to choose from. It’s worth finding out a bit more about all the different ones that are offered in your local area. Are you mainly looking for a way to keep fit or do you want to learn self-defence? Do you want to take part in competitions? Do you want to learn to fight with weapon such as swords or sticks, or would you rather focus on unarmed combat? Clubs usually offer taster sessions for free or at a reduced rate, so you could try a few types to see which one most appeals.

How to learn

You’ll want to join a club that’s registered with a governing body, such as the Tae Kwon-Do Association of Great Britain or The British Karate Association. Make sure that the club is fully insured and check the senior instructor’s credentials. If you’re hoping to compete, you may want to choose a larger club that has been successful in tournaments. If you’re just looking for a fun activity, you might prefer a smaller club with a family atmosphere. It’s worth asking for recommendations on social media and within your friendship group.

What you’ll need

For most martial arts, you’ll need to buy an outfit, such as a dobok (tae kwon-do) or gi (karate, judo, aikido, and jiujitsu). However, clubs will usually let you wear normal sports clothes for your first few sessions. It’s a good idea to wait to buy the outfit until you’ve spoken to your instructor, as they may need you to wear a uniform that’s branded with the club logo or that’s been approved by their parent association. Branded outfits tend to cost around £30 to £40, but non-branded gis are often a lot cheaper. You can also pick up second-hand outfits on eBay and dedicated Facebook selling groups. As you progress, you may need more equipment, such as a sparring kit. Again, these can often be picked up second-hand.

How much it costs

Costs vary depending on the type of martial art. You’ll likely need to pay an annual membership fee of £20 to £40, plus a monthly payment for classes. Some clubs do offer a ‘pay as you go’ membership, however. Gradings (where you move onto the next level or belt) cost extra, as do tournaments. If you’re worried about the cost, the best thing to do is speak to the club’s senior instructor. They’ll be able to give you a good idea of how much you can expect to spend over the year.

Puzzled!

Unless you’ve been living as a hermit in a cave in the Himalayas you will have encountered Wordle, the simple word game, created by Josh Wardle, which took the internet by storm and was sold to the New York Times for a seven-figure sum. This fun little game has generated a whole host of similar timewasters. Here are some of the best. Nerdle - A number version of Wordle. Players have to work out a six- to eight-character calculation, for example 7+6/3=9, in six guesses. There are 17,723 valid solutions for an eight-digit Nerdle. Played in combination with Wordle, it makes for some serious daily brain training. Worldle - This one is a geography-based puzzle. A silhouette of a country or territory is presented, and users have six chances to work out the answer. Byrdle - One for Classical musicians. Byrdle uses only composers and musical terms. Other than that, it’s the same as Wordle. It’s also completely fiendish! Crosswordle - There are several games that go by this name but a particularly good one is the one created by Robert Flack, which requires users to guess two intersecting words. And it was only a matter of time before Lordle of the Rings and Wizarding Wordle (for Harry Potter fans) appeared. Finally, there’s Sweardle - Popular among my son’s teenage friends! It’s pretty self-explanatory. Like Wordle...but naughtier. By Tracey Anderson

Fruit

1. Which famous person, who was born in 1642 in

Lincolnshire, featured on the original version of the technology company Apple? 2. The Clockwork Orange is a nickname given to the underground railway system in which British city? 3. Which fictional character had his own production company called Pear Tree Productions? 4. Which Beatles song opens with the line “Picture yourself in a boat on a river with tangerine trees and marmalade skies”? 5. Miss Felicity Lemon is the secretary of which famous literary character? 6. In which James Bond film does actress Gemma Arterton play an MI6 agent called Strawberry Fields? 7. Which two other two female singers featured with

Neneh Cherry on the 1995 number one hit single Love

Can Build A Bridge? 8. Which well known cocktail has a name that means

“strained pineapple” in Spanish? 9. Which 1967 top ten hit single by Donovan was rumoured to be about the mistaken belief that someone could get high from smoking dried banana skins? 10. Which cartoon character first appeared on screen in 1958 and was known for singing an out of tune version of the song Oh My Darling Clementine?

8. Pina colada 9. Mellow Yellow 10. Huckleberry Hound 2. Glasgow 3. Alan Partridge 4. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds 5. Hercule Poirot 6. Quantum Of Solace 7. Cher and Chrissie Hynde 1. Isaac Newton (who was said to have come up with his theory of gravitation by watching an apple fall from a tree)