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W O M E N ' S H E A L T H A N D F I T N E S S

requires little or no equipment. The place of practice is, however, im- portant. Both in their daily lives and when training in the martial arts, the Chinese place great importance on environmental conditions. Rules about where and when it is best to live, work, and train have been cod- ified into the art known as feng shui . Feng shui is a complex subject, but suffice to say that when training, just let common sense be your guide. For example, if you wish to train outdoors, choose firm land that is sheltered from the wind. Training is best done in the morning, when the body and mind are rested. Avoid training on a full stomach (wait two hours after a heavy meal), but a light meal or snack before training is recommended so that it provides you with the energy to exercise without weighing you down. The Chinese do not en-

courage the display of the hu- man body, in part for moral reasons, and also because of health concerns. When train- ing, you should wear loose-fit- ting clothing, such as a t-shirt, sweatshirt, or track-suit. Wear clothing that is appropriate to the season, layering in cold weather so that you can remove and replace layers as your body warms up and cools down. While the Japanese train

Pick clothing that is easy to move in, but won't bind or catch as you perform the various moves.

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