Learn Karate, Martial Arts and Hapkido at Azad's Martial Arts in Chico, CA!
News and Articles
Tai Chi beats stretching in fibromyalgia study
By Gene Emery
Boston| Wed Aug 18, 2010
(Reuters)- The slow, flowing movements of tai chi are better for relieving pain and other symptoms of fibromyalgia than conventional stretching exercises, doctors reported on Wednesday.
The improvements continued throughout the three months of lessons for 33 volunteers receiving the movement and breathing exercises, study leader Dr. Chenchen Wang of the Tuffs University School of Medicine in Boston said in a telephone interview.
“Week by week they changed. The pain and depression improved, and a lot of people were depressed,” said Wang, whose study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
“They feel better. People said it changed their life. Only two or three feel it didn’t help.”
Although they said the study should be repeated with a larger group to see if, for example, the enthusiasm of the instructor played a role, Dr. Gloria Yeh and her colleagues at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston said it might be time to give tai chi a chance.
“Aside from reductions in pain, patients in the tai chi group reported improvements in mood, quality of life, sleep, self-efficacy and exercise capacity, “Yeh’s team wrote in a commentary in the same journal.
Article from Chico Enterprise Record By MARY NUGENT - Staff Writer Posted: 11/13/2011 12:10:14 AM PST
Lynn Elliott, 70, does some kicks with Grand Master Farshad Azad on Nov. 4, the day...
CHICO -- Lynn H. Elliott is an accomplished playwright, author and screenwriter. He is a professor emeritus at Chico State University, where he also was chair of the English department. In May, he retired.
Nov. 4, he mastered a different sort of challenge. After six years of dedication and hard work, he tested for a martial arts black belt and passed.
"I think it was old age and guile that got me through," he laughed. "But yes, I'm proud. There is a mystique to it," said Elliott, 70.
It represented the end of a long, demanding journey. But the journey isn't over. Elliott said the philosophies behind the black belt will endure. "It's a way of life," he said.
From the time he started studying martial arts with Grand Master Farshad Azad, Elliott was committed to earning a black belt.
Having been physically active all his life, it seemed he could reach this goal. A native of Cardiff, South Wales, Great Britain, he played rugby for years.
Earning a black belt in the martial arts signifies years of hard work and discipline. But as reporter Rick Carhart shows us in tonight's Kids In Action, one young black belt candidate in Chico has done more than just learn a skill, he spent countless hours making life better for those less fortunate. Click here for the whole story.
A Letter to Friends of Azad's Martial Arts
J.D. Lawton
Al Taqaddum, Iraq - March 1, 2006
I was lucky enough to train with Master Azad for five years (from 8th grade to 12th grade) and the training I received at the academy I am still applying eight years after I left. I sure am glad that I harassed my parents enough to let me give it a try back when I was in junior high. I am currently a Marine Helicopter Pilot deployed to Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 04-06. I write this letter as I finish up my seven month deployment and reflect on what has contributed to my success. The following are some topics that I would like to share with you that I learned about years ago at the academy and still use daily. I would like to stress their importance.
Published in the Chico Enterprise Record, October 2008
Children need to have confidence in themselves in order to succeed in their daily lives and to realize their future potential. Joining a martial arts program is a great way to build confidence in children because they will learn various techniques that enable them to keep themselves safe. As they learn these techniques, they also receive concrete confirmation of their success as they advance through the belt ranks and receive praise from their instructor. In teaching martial arts to kids over the past twenty-three years, I have worked closely with parents, teachers, counselors, law enforcement and others in order to understand the daily strategies that can help children achieve their potential through building their self-esteem. What follows are some of the strategies that I have seen work for parents and that we employ in our programs at Azad’s Martial Arts.
