Many young people grow up with martial arts as one of their first sports or competitive activities. Not only is it a great activity that keeps its practitioners physically active, but it also instills a sense of accomplishment and ethics, just like when you're on your way to earning a black belt. The benefits of practicing martial arts can also be used by adults , even if they have not had previous contact with the activity. Martial arts are recommended for everyone, including women and children. Next, we show you a list of benefits of martial arts for health (bothphysical and psychological ).
The main benefits of practicing martial arts
- Practicing martial arts is full body work: Martial arts are highly aerobic work where all the muscle groups of the body are used. They boost your stamina, muscle tone, flexibility, balance and strength. All of them will improve by doing martial arts.
- Healthy lifestyle: Thanks to the full body work in martial arts training , hundreds of calories are burned during the classes. However, you will find that your natural hunger signals will be better regulated; therefore, the cravings for food will disappear and, consequently, you will eat less. Thus, other benefits of doing martial arts are that they help maintain good fitness and a healthy weight.
- Improve self-confidence: Due to the goal setting, positive encouragement, and respect for values that are part of all martial arts programs, the biggest benefit commonly reported by martial arts practitioners is increased self-confidence. You will feel more comfortable in all situations. It doesn't matter if you are in danger or just performing a task that takes you beyond your comfort zone. You will discover that you can achieve anything you set your mind to.
- Improved cardiovascular health: Research has concluded that the only real way to improve the state of the cardiovascular system is to participate in activities that work the heart, such as beneficial martial arts.
- Weight loss: A one-hour moderate-intensity martial arts session can burn up to 500 calories.
- Improved reflexes: It has also been found that practicing martial arts not only improves your reflexes while performing the activity, but you will also experience faster reaction times during all activities in your life. This is especially important in certain daily activities, such as driving.
- Focus and Calm: As Bruce Lee once said, behind the punches, kicks, and knees, a true martial artist learns how to sit with himself and see where his weaknesses lie. As a martial artist, you will learn what it is to be calm, to be challenged, and to be focused.
- They teach you great values: The wisdom of martial arts means that after consistent practice, you become less impulsive and aggressive towards others. The Shaolin moral code, for example, comprises 12 ethics, 10 prohibited acts, and 10 obligations. Patience, observation and calm are considered prerequisites of good Kung-Fu. This reminds trainees of the right attitude, frame of mind, and the virtues of pushing yourself in and out of the studio. It is one of the greatest benefits of martial arts .
- Muscle Tone: By learning martial arts , you can greatly improve the amount of muscle mass you have in your body. The more muscle mass you have, the greater your metabolic demand. Consequently, more calories you will burn each day. In this way, you will help prevent obesity while promoting weight loss. Increased levels of muscle mass will also increase your agility and prevent falls due to age.
- Better mood: Studying martial arts also carries mental benefits . Researchers have concluded that engaging in a regular exercise routine is one of the best ways to improve your mood. Practicing martial arts is not only a good way to relieve stress and frustration, but it actually helps you feel happier. The endorphins that are released by physical activity seem to remain active in your body for up to four hours after exercise.
These benefits of martial arts can be achieved with all disciplines. The best thing is that you can enjoy them at any age. Adults, children and older people can do martial arts. In addition, there is a wide variety of disciplines that suit everyone. We have a lot of knowledge of martial arts and we will bring more articles of interest and curiosities about them.