Krav Maga training is a good workout! Students come to learn to protect themselves but also get in shape due to the training drills and exercises in a Krav Maga class. We teach Levels 1-5 of the Krav Maga Worldwide(TM) curriculum. The physical activities in each level is progressive. Level 1 classes are designed for beginners to start getting in shape, regardless of the fitness level they start with. However, the higher the level, the more physically challenging the training and testings become. The more physically fit a person is the more capable they are of defending and dealing with the stress and exhaustion of an actual attack.
A consistent exercise program and awareness training, like our Krav Maga classes, will help prevent the Top Ten Health Threats to Men in the United States listed below.
Self-Defense Today designed by Tom Callos for the UBBT and The 100 www.tomcallos.com.
Self-Defense Today: For Men
Number 1 of the 10 most deadly health threats to men, is
1. Heart Disease
Though heart disease is the longstanding No. 1 killer, its mortality rate since 1950 has been halved in the 25-to-64 age group. Approximately 28 percent of American men-more than one in four-die from cardiovascular diseases today.
Risk Raisers: High cholesterol; High blood pressure; Obesity; Diabetes.
Fact: Heart disease kills about 26 percent more African-American men than white men.
Prevention 101: Eat fruits and vegetables; Be smart about fat intake; Exercise; Go for regular check-ups; Don’t smoke.
Number 2 of the 10 most deadly health threats to men, is
2. Cancer
The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that cancer will take the lives of 289,550 men in 2007. However, the death rate for cancer’s major killers has steadily been decreasing. Even without a cure we could slash the rate by nearly one-third: ACS says tobacco accounts for 30 percent of all cancer deaths.
Risk Raisers: Smoking; Sun exposure; Excessive alcohol intake.
Numbers That Count: Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death among men (31 percent), followed by prostate (9 percent) and colorectal (9 percent) cancers.
Prevention 101: Eat well; Exercise; Get screened; Protect against UV rays; Learn about carcinogens in your environment.
Fact: Fewer than half the people diagnosed with cancer today will die of the disease.
Number 3 of the 10 most deadly health threats to men, is
3. Accidents
“Unintentional injuries” kill a staggering number of people every year. In 2004, the CDC’s total for men and women was 112,012. Vehicle accidents accounted for the most fatalities, followed by poisoning, falls and drowning.
Risk Raisers: Driving while intoxicated; Ignoring safety regulations; Dangerous occupations such as mining, farming, construction and fishing.
Prevention 101: Wear a seat belt; Don’t drink and drive; Be well rested at work; Follow safety guidelines; Follow warnings on household and workplace chemicals.
Did you know?: Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for men under the age of 34.
Number 4 of the 10 most deadly health threats to men, is
4. Stroke
There are two types of strokes-those caused by a blocked artery (ischemic) and those due to bleeding in or around the brain (hemorrhagic). Both types result in the death of brain tissue, which can affect one’s entire body.
Risk Raisers: High blood pressure; Smoking; Diabetes; High cholesterol; Obesity.
Numbers That Count: About 80 percent of strokes are ischemic and 20 percent hemorrhagic.
Prevention 101: Keep a healthy diet; Exercise; Mind your blood pressure.
Did you know?: A 2007 report by the American Heart Association estimated the cost of health expenditures and lost productivity due to cardiovascular disease and stroke at $431.8 billion-well over twice the cost of all cancers.
Number 5 of the 10 most deadly health threats to men, is
5. COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
COPD is not actually one disease but the co-existence of emphysema and chronic bronchitis. These lung conditions are primarily caused by smoking-and they will kill you.
Risk Raisers: Smoking.
Numbers That Count: According to the American Lung Association, male smokers are nearly 12 times as likely to die from COPD as men who have never smoked.
Prevention 101: Don’t smoke.
Did you know?: Smoking is bad for you.
Number 6 of the 10 most deadly health threats to men, is
6. Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes follows closely on the heels of this nation’s obesity epidemic. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) states that 54 million Americans are pre-diabetic, meaning that blood glucose levels are approaching diabetic levels.
Risk Raisers: Excess body fat and inactivity increase risk for type 2 diabetes; risk factors for type 1, which is far less common, are not well understood.
Numbers That Count: 9.6 percent of people aged 20 or older have diabetes, while nearly 21 percent of people over 60 have it.
Prevention 101: Make a habit of healthy food choices; Exercise; Maintain a healthy weight.
Did you know?: According to the ADA, 10.5 percent of all men aged 20 years or older have diabetes, although nearly a third of them do not know it.
Number 7 of the 10 most deadly health threats to men, is
7. Pneumonia & Flu
The statistic that 36,000 people die from pneumonia and influenza every year scares a lot of Americans into getting a flu shot. Most are individuals with compromised immune systems, especially the elderly.
Risk Raisers: Pre-existing respiratory condition; Heart disease; Diabetes; Weakened immune system.
Numbers That Count: The pneumonia/flu death rate dropped 10 percent between 2003 and 2004.
Prevention 101: Immunization.
Did you know?: As of 2004, more people are dying of Alzheimer’s disease than pneumonia or flu. (Alzheimer’s is far more prevalent among women than men, which is why it ranks lower on the list of health threats for men.)
Number 8 of the 10 most deadly health threats to men, is
8. Suicide
Depression is the common element in more than half of all suicide attempts, though only one in 10 attempts is successful. It appears men are more successful than women because they choose more certain methods of self-destruction (for example, a gunshot rather than sleeping pills).
Risk Raisers: Depression; Painful illness; Recent crisis or loss; Substance abuse.
Numbers That Count: Men commit suicide four times more frequently than women.
Prevention 101: Tell a friend; Contact a doctor; Call a suicide hotline (1-800-SUICIDE).
Number 9 of the 10 most deadly health threats to men, is
9. Kidney Disease
Your kidneys remove waste and toxins while also helping to regulate blood pressure and body water. Kidney diseases are predominantly brought on by diabetes or high blood pressure.
Risk Raisers: Diabetes; High blood pressure; Inactivity; Smoking.
Numbers That Count: Treatment for chronic kidney disease (CKD) soared by 57 percent as awareness rose in the 1990s, though the actual rate of prevalence has been relatively stable.
Prevention 101: Exercise; Drink plenty of water; Maintain a healthy weight; Limit aspirin and ibuprofen.
Did you know?: CKD is closely associated with heart disease. According to the American Society of Nephrology, death from cardiovascular disease is 10 to 30 times higher among dialysis patients.
Number 10 of the 10 most deadly health threats to men, is
10. Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s is a brain disease correlated to aging, so the number of cases has been increasing as men live longer. Life expectancy after diagnosis ranges anywhere from two to 20 years.
Risk Raisers: Aging.
Numbers That Count: According to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, an estimated one in 10 persons over age 65 and nearly half of those 85 or older have Alzheimer’s disease.
Prevention 101: Little is known, but experts advise taking similar steps to preventing heart disease.
Did you know?: One hopeful prospect for combating Alzheimer’s is a brain-imaging technique which would measure the amount of the toxic compound (amyloid) that causes Alzheimer’s.