The discipline known as martial arts has spread at an incredible speed in the West since its introduction in the 20th century from its historic roots in East Asia. Martial arts can be classified as either armed combat (including fencing and archery) or unarmed combat (such as hapkido, taekwondo, aikido, judo and karate). Awareness, strength and skill make a student in training exceptional in the discipline.
Adults who study martial arts at any level experience a wealth of benefits that transform both their physical health and mental clarity. Men and women can train in a wide variety of martial art styles.
Examples of various forms of martial arts include the following popular styles:
- Kung Fu – Kung Fu is a Chinese martial art that harnesses qi.
- Karate – This Japanese technique emphasizes the use of punches, kicks and the famous karate chop.
- Judo – As a newly developed Japanese form of martial art, competitors aim to physically throw their opponents to the ground.
- Jujitsu – This Japanese martial art disarms an enemy without the use of a formal weapon, instead relying on the opponent’s energy.
- Tae Kwon Do – Developed in Korea, Tae Kwon Do is a form of self-defense that happens to be the oldest form of martial art as well as the most popularly practiced martial art today.
- Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) – MMA utilizes a mix of martial arts and non-martial arts strategies.
There are immense advantages to exploring martial arts training even as an adult:
1. Boost Your Self-Confidence
As a martial arts trainee, the goals you set, the respect you give to the incredible history of the discipline and the positive encouragement you receive lead to greater feelings of self-confidence in your daily life. If you aim for high goals, as a martial arts student, you experience further belief in yourself to accomplish whatever you set out to do.
2. Learn Self-Defense
During classes, students practice strategic kicks and punches. These powerful martial arts moves give you a valuable repertoire of self-defense skills. There are also a number of martial arts benefits for women specifically. As you attain confidence in your ability to throw punches, you gain life-saving techniques that can protect you in the face of danger.
3. Relieve Stress
Students report that martial arts practices dissolve stress. The awareness and control of breathing that you develop allow an easy escape route for stress. Since martial artists are trained to focus on the present task, distractions melt away into the background, also helping to significantly lessen the stress accumulated throughout the day. Martial arts students who let out the vocal kihap and punches during classes also experience a reduction in frustration, tension and anxiety.
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4. Give Yourself a Full Workout
Practicing martial arts gives you complete, total body aerobic training. When you engage in this training, you are utilizing incredible physical energy. As a result, strength, balance, flexibility and stamina increase proportionally to your dedication to the discipline. Also, Martial Arts moves involve crossing the midline of the body, which has been proven to increase proprioception and brain health.
5. Improve Your Heart Health
When you participate in martial arts classes, you undergo intense cardiovascular workouts. The martial arts stress the heart, leading to improvements in your cardiovascular health. Plus, high-intensity training sessions give practitioners an improved level of fitness, which lowers your heart rate and blood pressure.
6. Lose Weight
Every martial arts training session involves intense physical movements that burn calories. One hour of moderate martial arts training can burn up to 500 calories. Plus, martial arts students discover they tend to naturally crave less food. When eating becomes more regulated over time through martial arts training, you see a reduction in body weight.
7 . Get Faster Reflexes
Students who practice martial arts report that their reflexes are substantially improved. Reflexes not only become quicker as you participate in martial arts activities, but martial arts also helps both men and women develop quicker reaction times in a range of daily, routine life activities, like driving.
8. Develop a Positive Mood
Exercise is known as a natural mood enhancer. Endorphins that are released during exercise boost your mood for up to four hours after training. The mood enhancing benefits of engaging in martial arts are equal to participating in intense exercise sessions.
9. Build Strength
Develop impressive muscle tone through intense bouts of certain martial arts, like Tae Kwon Do. This Korean martial art form accentuates the muscles through performing complex kicks. Plus, the gradual buildup of incredible bodily strength helps you execute a wide range of critical moves.
10. Improve Concentration
Adults who engage in martial arts discover improved concentration. Certain martial arts, like Karate, require the memorization of a series of movements. As a repetitive discipline, the martial arts help you, the practitioner, maintain mental focus.
11. Increase Coordination and Flexibility
Lower body stability is emphasized in the martial arts, especially since martial artists need a strong base from which to execute several popular movements. In order to perform certain martial arts tactics, like punching and kicking, increased coordination becomes tactically essential. Adding martial arts to your weekly routine will help you advance in flexibility and daily coordination.
Learn Martial Arts from Sr. GrandMaster Yu
The practice of martial arts in the West is more common than ever. In fact, if you are located near the Oak Park, Forest Park, IL area, the Sr. GrandMaster Yu Adult & Teen Martial Arts program is an ideal path for adults to gain essential skills in the martial arts.
Traditional noncombat arts, like Hapkido, Tae Kwon Do, Dansudo, Kung Fu and Judo, are a fraction of the many styles of martial arts taught at Master S.H. Yu Martial Arts in Oak Park. Students will also discover martial arts training in the use of ancient weapons at the center.
Students who are less inclined to participate in group martial arts training are welcome to take private, one-on-one sessions with Sr. GrandMaster Yu or Master Wilson. Private martial arts training is ideal for students who aim to master particular martial arts skills or who would like to work toward achieving a personal training goal.
Read more Top 10 Benefits Of Martial Arts For Kids: Mental, Social, And Physical
Master S.H. Yu Martial Arts will help you embark on your journey toward becoming a skilled martial artist and reap all the incredible physical and mental benefits of martial arts classes.
Contact Us
For more information regarding our martial arts classes in Oak Park, IL, please contact Master S.H. Yu Martial Arts directly at (708) 383-3456 or fill out a contact form.
— Update: 11-02-2023 — cohaitungchi.com found an additional article Top 10 Benefits Of Martial Arts For Kids: Mental, Social, And Physical from the website www.thestudiodirector.com for the keyword benefits of martial arts.
Between school and homework, kids spend the majority of their day sitting at a desk. That’s why extracurricular activities that allow them to release their energy are so important. Martial arts provides this essential exercise and more. Whether you choose karate or taekwondo or another form, practicing martial arts requires focus, respect, and self-discipline. These are the ten major benefits of martial arts that can help children in daily life and school.
1. Improved Concentration
Some activities allow children to simply show up and go through the motions. In martial arts, this isn’t the case. One of the largest benefits of martial arts for kids is improved concentration.
Active listening and observing is a fundamental aspect of learning new moves and sequences. Children will also learn to develop quick reactionary skills in order to change directions at a moment’s notice.
2. Knowledge Of Basic Self-Defense
Peaceful conflict resolution is a pillar of martial arts. However, there are instances when self-defense may become necessary.
While we hope our children will never be in a situation that requires self-defense, it is a lifesaving skill. In a frightening scenario, basic self-defense can give your child the ability to protect themselves.
Children will also learn about stranger awareness in a way that is appropriate for their specific age range. Instructors stress the importance of being aware of your surroundings and who you are with at all times.
3. Discipline
Structure is an important component of any martial arts class. You’ll recognize that every session has a predictable format and routine. Instructors strictly enforce rules and emphasize the value of respect.
Over time, your child will learn these routines and, in the course of training, learn to be accountable for their own actions, too.
4. Coordination
The proper development of your child’s motor skills depends on coordination and balance. One of the major physical benefits of martial arts is learning how to use your body and react quickly.
Through punching, kicking, and jumping, your child will develop the coordination needed to excel in any physical activity. Many of these sequences also require fast changes in direction, which can improve balance.
5. Reduced ADHD Symptoms
Some parents of children with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) report improved symptoms after enrolling in martial arts classes.
Many of the basic tasks in these types of classes involve specific targets, which means a child must focus their technique in one place. Whether it’s a kicking shield or punching bag, they will learn to “zone in” on the task at hand. This helps sharpen the skills that are often challenging for children with ADHD.
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6. Healthier Living Skills
Physical fitness is essential for proper growth and development. In addition to eating a healthy diet, it’s important for kids to learn the value of being active.
Fortunately, one of the best benefits of martial arts is the ability to get exercise while having fun. According to Harvard Health Publishing, a 125-pound person can burn 300 calories in just 30 minutes while practicing martial arts.
7. Memorization
Retention is an important skill to master. With this in mind, young children studying martial arts are taught to memorize important personal details. This may include their address, phone number, and a parent’s cell phone number. In an emergency, this information is crucial, but it’s the concept of memorization that serves them for years to come.
As your child works through the various levels of martial arts study, they’ll need to also memorize maneuvers and poses. By exercising this ability, it can improve the way they approach memorization and retention when it comes to schoolwork.
8. Teamwork
While the practice of martial arts is highly introspective, there are exercises and activities that call for teamwork as well.
This is one of the many social benefits of martial arts. Partnering with classmates to practice various kicks or punches provides an opportunity to master the art of working with others. This gives kids the skills needed to pursue positive social interaction at school and in other activities.
9. Respect
The study of martial arts has long been tied to the concept of respect. It is one of the core values you’ll see in any class, regardless of the type of martial arts. From day one, children are encouraged to respect the instructor, as well as their parents and teachers.
This concept is taught by requiring eye contact, obedience, and the trademark martial arts bow. By stressing the importance of respect within the studio, your child can learn to transfer this to everyday life. They will learn to treat their elders, as well as their peers, with more respect and kindness.
10. Increased Confidence And Self-Esteem
The study of martial arts focuses highly on self-improvement. Unlike team sports, the only person to compete against is yourself. This speaks to the many mental benefits of martial arts.
While some kids struggle with the highly competitive nature of team sports and the idea of letting others down, martial arts can boost their confidence through slow and steady growth as an individual.
While every variation of martial arts discipline is different, most will encourage students to work their way through each level. As they continue to grow and achieve proficiency, they begin to feel proud of their accomplishments.
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