| Exercise without moving as muscle? Yes, of course. | | | | fullest risk of being arrested for being in possession |
| A tried and tested system - perhaps not to turn | | | | of a dangerous weapon. So if you get a PEST and |
| yourself into a man or woman of steel, but | | | | decide to make a metal karatetsu, keep it in your |
| nevertheless an accepted and documented way of | | | | house or grounds. |
| reviving much of your younger days' tuning. | | | | Incidentally kara tetsu means "Empty Iron". Back in |
| There are many and varied training methods. When I | | | | the 80's when I was younger and more vigorous (if |
| worked in the London hospitals (so many years ago!) | | | | you follow me ...) Doreen my wife walked past me in |
| I was actively involved in Exercise Study. A | | | | the passage carrying a cup of coffee. As a 'big tough |
| passionate student of BRIME - Brief Repetitive | | | | Black Belt' I decided to 'attack' her. As I grabbed her |
| Isometric Exercise, that was the 'In Thing'! | | | | she smartly hit me on the knuckle with the saucer - |
| Isometric means 'staying the same length when | | | | Smack! It sharply hurt and in the instant dampened |
| contracted'. The joint which the aimed-at muscle | | | | my ardour! 'Nursing my wounds' I retreated to the |
| moves - does not move. In the case of the | | | | comfort of the sofa and thought - 'How could one |
| quadriceps, which control the knee, nothing moves. | | | | defend against a house intruder when armed only |
| The joint stays straight and firm. | | | | with a cup (and saucer) of coffee? A row of saucers |
| Of particular value for aiding quadriceps recovery, the | | | | on the wall? Shuriken throwing stars? Shaken |
| schedule ran thus: | | | | stabbing rods?' Thinking, thinking, thinking ... |
| In the case of 're-tuning' the quadriceps, that big set | | | | A year later the Karatetsu was born! A metal hand |
| of four muscles of the thigh, the front of the upper | | | | held weapon specifically designed to powerfully |
| leg, start by lying down on your back. Put a largish | | | | defend oneself if attacked inside the home. Small, |
| weight - say several bags of sugar? - on your instep, | | | | able to fit in a shirt pocket, in effect invisible till drawn |
| where your shoe laces tie up. | | | | in the instant. Able to drop an intruder in his tracks |
| You want to find that weight which you can JUST | | | | without warning him of your intention. So shaped as |
| straight-leg lift up three or four inches for exactly ten | | | | not to be grasped. With sharp corners able to cause |
| seconds before you simply HAVE to drop the leg | | | | severe depilating pain or, if necessary remove an eye |
| down again. " - 8 - 9 - 10 little seconds" - collapse! To | | | | ... (His, of course!). All in all, a formidable house |
| assess your maximum, start with quite a high weight, | | | | protection weapon ideally suitable for a woman in her |
| so you can reach the maximum poundage quickly. | | | | kitchen as the door bursts open and in he comes ... |
| Don't move up in small increments - you will tire your | | | | Is there such a need? Well, we ourselves have been |
| quadriceps too soon and get a false result. | | | | burgled several times, and I have actually chased a |
| Lets say (for ease of my mathematics) that you | | | | robber out of the house. I went into the passage, |
| could JUST manage 9 lbs. Fine. You are going to | | | | and there he was. My karatetsu was in my hand in |
| work with two-thirds of that total - 6 lbs. | | | | the instant. In my hand? Yes, it is ALWAYS in my |
| The isometric routine: Put a 6 lb weight on your | | | | pocket. |
| instep. Lock your knee straight and - without any | | | | I registered the product, and was on the point of |
| bending or sagging - raise your leg some three inches. | | | | presenting it to the world when the then home |
| Hold it tightly there while you count "ten little | | | | secretary brought in legislation prohibiting the carrying |
| seconds" and then lower it down and rest relaxed for | | | | of martial arts weapons. And the karatetsu was too |
| "ten little seconds". | | | | near to a knuckleduster for safety. So that was that. |
| Repeat this for seven times. So that you have raised | | | | But of course it is perfectly legal to have it in your |
| and lowered seven times. Finish. That is one exercise | | | | possession in your home. |
| session. For that particular muscle group. | | | | But the plastic PEST template is very interesting in |
| The higher you keep your leg lifted, the easier the | | | | that it has many other perfectly valid uses. As I've |
| exercise is. For maximum effect, only raise it up a | | | | said above, it facilitates my isometric exercises. It is |
| few inches. Don't let the knee joint move! | | | | an excellent acupressure instrument to relieve many |
| Studies have shown that seven repetitions are | | | | non-serious medical conditions - such as headaches or |
| sufficient to achieve the desired result, over time, of | | | | indigestion. Press the corner into the acupressure |
| developing, of strengthening a muscle, or set of | | | | point for thirty seconds every ten minutes while |
| muscles. I have to say though that I myself prefer | | | | walking in the fresh air. |
| to do ten repetitions. To play safe, I suppose, but | | | | One of my Staffordshire Bull Terriers accidentally bit |
| there we are ... | | | | my finger, severely, such that I had to have medical |
| Now that I am older and perhaps less focussed, I still | | | | treatment, recorded in my case notes. I still have |
| have a happy-memoried love for isometrics. Not lying | | | | problems years later and have difficulty carrying |
| down and (re-)building my thighs. As a student of | | | | shopping bags. The PEST makes an excellent |
| sutekki-shin-jutsu - walking stick personal protection | | | | shopping bag handle to ease my damaged grip And |
| (= self defence!) - my physical need is to tone-up my | | | | Doreen uses hers most of the time when carrying |
| arm and chest muscles, so as to be able to deliver a | | | | those plastic bags. A useful facility, if the bag |
| powerful WHACK! should the need arise ... | | | | becomes too heavy, it can be released from the |
| So I use the karatetsu P.E.S.T. each day. The Pocket | | | | PEST in the INSTANT to relieve the pressure. This |
| Exercise Stimulator and Trainer, it stays in my breast | | | | could be useful if threatened or indeed actually |
| or shirt pocket all the time, where I can easily draw it | | | | attacked when crossing a supermarket car park. I |
| out and go through an isometric routine for my arms | | | | know the PEST is only a light piece of plastic, but it's |
| and pectorals. I actually carry my house key | | | | better than a 50 pence piece in your pocket. Though |
| attached, for convenience. The PEST is shirt-pocket | | | | I suppose Doreen could always fiercely push it up his |
| size, and cannot easily be lost, and is excellent for | | | | nose ... |
| non-moving push - pull full-strength ten second | | | | While talking about the various uses of the karatetsu, |
| isometric actions. I wouldn't go so far as to say it is | | | | the PEST itself, as my key holder, is an excellent |
| fun; but for my own personality as a martial artist | | | | dog's toy! Yes, when I'm walking Tyson I often |
| with the need to be able to use a walking stick | | | | exercise his mind (mind? What Mind!!!) by deliberately |
| maximally, I am aware of the importance to keep | | | | dropping it and commanding "Find Key!" And he does, |
| my power ability 'topped up', as it were. [You never | | | | with much tail wagging and joy! Fun, I suppose it |
| know when ...] | | | | takes all kinds ... |
| The PEST is actually the lightweight template from | | | | There, I've come a long way round from isometric |
| which one can make the actual kara-tetsu close | | | | exercise. I hope you found the story interesting. I |
| quarter metal hand weapon. This of course is a | | | | warn you, if you get me talking about dogs or martial |
| prohibited item, and you would carry this in public at | | | | arts, you'll be in for a long haul! |