Martial Arts Workout

 The reasons people take up a Martial Art are many and varied. Whether it is learning self defence, increasing fitness, building a young person’s confidence and self esteem, or maintaining an older person’s flexibility and general cardio-vascular fitness; a regular Martial Arts Workout will benefit everybody. No matter what a person wants out of Martial Arts, all these benefits are given to all who partake of this type of training.

While Martial Arts were initially designed for hand to hand combat, the cultures that spawned these practices also imbued them a sense of self restraint which can improve character and promote spirituality that makes them a full workout for mind, body, and soul.

Physical Fitness,

A good Martial Arts Workout will give you a solid, all-body workout. Arms are exercised when performing strikes and blocks; which encompass the arm’s full range of movement and hands and wrists are strengthened by the tension needed at the point of impact. Legs are exercised when kicking and retracting, and especially when moving through combinations in the appropriate stance – always maintaining full grip on the training surface and proper balance.

The body is worked hard maintaining balance and posture throughout a workout with torso twists incorporated into many of the movements. Constant relaxation during the delivery of a technique followed by full tension at its contact point (real or imagined) provides a complete workout for the whole body.

Mental and Spiritual Fitness

Martial Arts Training is training for the mind and soul as well. The discipline of the dojo benefits all who enter. It promotes respect and humility and works to discourage pride and arrogant posturing. Mental preparation for a workout involves varying levels of meditation to clear the mind of external issues and prepare the Martial Artist for the total focus required for effective training. Emotions like fear and anger work against the needs of Martial Arts. These negative emotions result in constant tension in muscles that are required to be relaxed throughout the major portion of each technique, and need to be quickly flexed at the point of impact to attain maximum power and precision. A time of focused relaxation prior to a workout is designed to remove such encumbrances to allow the full extent of a person’s abilities to be fulfilled. This de-stressing aspect of Martial Arts training is a big advantage in this day and age.

The Way of a Martial Art trainee is one of little steps in the right direction. Minor points of achievement mark the road to greater ability, each one acknowledged and celebrated by gradings and rewarded by presentation of a new belt or other insignia. This advancement and sense of accomplishment all work to build confidence and self esteem.

Martial Arts training is suitable, in one form or another, for people from six years old to those over sixty. It gives the body, the mind, and the soul a good workout; building your physique and your psyche. The benefits are wide ranging and are being taken up by more people of all ages each year.