Getting Fit With Martial Arts

Learn how karate and other martial arts can refresh your exercise routine and challenge your mind and body.

Martial arts can help you defend and protect yourself, but there are a number of health and fitness benefits associated with them as well.

There are several types of martial arts, including:

• Karate. This is the most common and well-known form of martial arts. Karate is a great way to tone and strengthen the upper body. In karate, an individual uses the hands, feet, and elbows for self-defense.
• Tae kwon do. Tae kwon do is related to karate, but focuses more on the legs and kicking, and less on the hands and upper body. Tae kwon do is good for strengthening and toning the lower body.
• Judo. In judo, you leverage the size and strength of the person you are fighting to defend yourself. Unlike other martial arts, judo focuses more on rolling and controlling opponents by holding them off, rather than by striking them.
• Kung fu. This high-intensity martial art provides a strong aerobic and cardiovascular workout. Kung fu involves primarily kicking and punching moves, somersaults, jumps, and evading an opponent. Kung fu particularly helps improve cardiovascular health.

The Health Benefits of Martial Arts

Karate and other martial arts offer a number of physical and mental health benefits:

• Conditioning. The martial arts are a great way to tone and strengthen your muscles.
• Flexibility and agility. Practicing martial arts increases flexibility and agility, thereby improving your coordination skills.
• Posture. Good posture is beneficial for your health and can make you look and feel better.
• Weight. By burning calories and toning muscles, martial arts help you lose weight and maintain a healthy body weight.
• Stamina. Since martial arts provide a full-body workout, they increase overall stamina and endurance.
• Mental health. In addition to improving physical fitness, martial arts can improve mental and emotional health. As you learn self-defense moves, martial arts can give you greater self-confidence, reduce stress, and help you to concentrate and focus.

Getting Started in the Martial Arts

    First, you need to find a school, class, and instructor that are good fits. Look for martial arts schools and classes offered in your area: Search online or ask friends for recommendations. When you find a class, meet with the instructor and ask to watch a session before you sign up.

    For many forms of martial arts, you will need a white cotton uniform and belt. Martial arts are practiced barefoot, but there are special shoes that can be worn; ask the instructor about them if you aren't comfortable being barefoot.

    Martial arts involve many techniques that will take time to learn, so the first classes will focus on basic moves and plenty of stretching. You'll also find that classes are often varied and broken into different segments, helping to keep you on your toes and prevent boredom.

If you're looking for a way to boost your self-confidence and stay fit without doing the same old gym routine, give martial arts a try.