Air Mshl (Dr) B Keshav Rao AVSM (retd)
Ex Director & Commandant Armed Forces Medical College, Pune
Ex Senior Vice President & Medical Head, Fortis Healthcare, Ltd
As the setting sun paints the western sky a bright orange and I breathe the fresh crisp air of Kalote Mokashi, I hear three distinct but rhythmic sounds – village belles washing clothes on the river banks create a repetitive whack-whack, young budding squash champions fire tracer bullet in the academy squash court and in the background a melodious “lub-dub/lub-dub-dub” as fitness enthusiasts punch away performing the BARK-BEAT!
We’ve all heard of rhythmic gymnastics and synchronised swimming or skating …but rhythmic boxing??!! How could the jab or the hook or the vicious upper- cut be played out in rhythm? How could the artistic movement of wisp of a gymnast twirling a ribbon in perfect harmony with a rhapsody be compared to the raw aggression of a Mary Kom? Well guys, as different as chalk and cheese I thought but at the Start Foundation, when Munna and Ritwick introduced me to BARK-BEAT, this brand new and truly remarkable sport, I witnessed the brutality being taken out of boxing and replaced instead with a fusion of the mind the body and the senses ( sight,sound and touch) to form a unique sport that is physical training plus, plus, plus.
Whatever sport one takes up coaches focus on the importance of balance, timing, flexibility, co-ordination, stamina and muscle strength. Hearing acuity and a rapid muscle response to a sound is often as important as is the response to visual cues. Stitch all these attributes together in a systematic sequence and you have BARK-BEAT – a truly comprehensive sporting activity that will enrich the mind body and soul!
Try it – you will love it.