Media

January 2011

Time Out NY

FORZA

The workout: Forza means “strength and power” in Italian—an apt descriptor for this intense workout that combines two Japanese sword-fighting techniques, kendo and aikijujutsu. The routine was developed to work the body and mind: It begins with 20 minutes of basic cuts with a wooden sword, then escalates into a full-body workout in which you chop, cut and swoop while squatting, twisting and turning. The second half builds on a martial-arts routine, which starts with simple combos then turns complex; this is where the “mind” part comes in. Forza burns up to a whopping 700 calories an hour, and working with the weight of the sword builds lean muscle; the varied movements target each part of the arms, as well as the shoulders and back.