Why Martial Arts

For Children

Child obesity is an enormous problem throughout the world, and the epidemic is only set to get worse. Martial Arts provides a great all over body workout, forcing participants to use muscles that are rarely exercised.

Social skills is a crucial aspect of childhood and a lack of it can really show and affect the child as they grow older. Martial Arts, with its team work and skill sharing, is one of the activities that encourages and promotes this in a healthy way.

Team work is something required in school, the workplace and everyday life. Martial Arts is impossible without effective team work, forcing them to develop necessary skills.

Many kids suffer from lack of self esteem, however confident they may appear. Martial Arts is rewarding in every sense, and awards and competitions will help to boost their self-esteem and confidence.

With discipline being such a leading factor in Martial Arts it is easy for this routine to cross over into everyday life, ensuring better practices and attitude when dealing with all manner of situations. 

Martial Arts is all about self-improvement and growing within the sport, and so target setting and achieving goals plays a big part.

Through the sport, they will learn how to practice self defence in a safe and proper way, allowing them to protect themselves if ever in danger.

Martial Arts is one of the few sports that requires as much listening and paying attention as it does physical activity.

The modern world presents many problems for concentration and focus, with distractions everywhere. Each session of Martial Arts requires lengthy concentration.

Getting children to understand the notion of respect for others and their elders is no easy task, but Martial Arts certainly helps, emphasising its value.

For Adults

Martial Arts are a fun way of staying in shape – adults who take up a Martial Art have less body fat than those with a more sedentary lifestyle.

Martial Arts are a fun way of staying in shape – adults who take up a Martial Art have less body fat than those with a more sedentary lifestyle.

Those who take up Martial Arts can use their confidence and awareness of their surroundings as well as, if necessary, their balance, agility and skills to avoid physical confrontations by quickly recognising potentially problematic situations and preventing them from escalating.

Martial Arts help to reduce stress and lessen tension by giving an opportunity to relieve the anxiety which has built up during day to day life.

Martial Arts make participants more productive – hard physical exertion releases endorphins which keeps the brain functioning well.

Because all people can take part in Martial Arts, it’s a wonderful way for parents to spend more time with their partner and their children.

The enhanced level of self-esteem which comes with taking part in Martial Arts can help participants in their career and personal life, as they look at challenges in a more positive fashion.

All Martial Arts have a strict set of rules which require the participant to be courteous to those around them. An adherence to etiquette is vital.

Forget social networks and text messaging – training in Martial Arts develops focus and improves levels of concentration through rhythmic breathing exercises.

Physical coordination tends to improve rapidly in adults who take up a Martial Art – many of the techniques which must be learnt are complicated, and require hours of practice to perfect.

Should I Take up Martial Arts?

When you ask the question, “should I take up martial arts?” your mind may automatically assume that martial arts are all about fighting. Martial arts can teach you both the skills and confidence to defend yourself, if necessary. However, the process of learning martial arts has many benefits for adults and children beyond self-defense.

These benefits may vary across the martial arts disciplines. For example, some martial arts focus on balance and flexibility, while others focus on strength, and yet others focus on mindfulness. However, all martial arts can lead to physical, mental, and emotional growth.

Physical Benefits of Martial Arts

Historians believe that many forms of martial arts have their origins in the physical preparation that monks used to defend their monasteries from marauders and bandits. This physical training came to be combined with the spiritual and mental training that the monks underwent in a unified system representing a martial art.

However, at its root, martial arts are a form of physical training to build the body’s fitness and skills. Children, active adults, and older adults can realise many physical benefits from martial arts including:

Mental Benefits of Martial Arts

Learning martial arts requires students to follow an instructor as he or she explains and demonstrates various skills. After demonstrating a skill, students practice the skill alone or with other students. These skills, taken together, form the base of martial arts training.

In addition to the physical benefits arising from the physical activity, the learning process brings many mental benefits including:

Personal Growth Through Martial Arts

Whether you term them spiritual or emotional, martial arts can bring intangible benefits to your approach to life. Martial arts training has a reputation for being a contemplative sport. However, these benefits are not mystical. There are a number of ways that you can grow and develop as a person from participation in martial arts including:

Range of Options Brings a Range of Benefits

Once you decide to take up martial arts, you are faced with the question, “Which martial art should I learn?” This is a very personal decision, based on factors that only you can evaluate. However, you should keep in mind that different martial arts emphasize different skills and bring different physical benefits.

For example, Tai Chi promotes relaxation and focuses on balance, flexibility, and mobility through slow, yet precise and flowing, movements. Kendo, on the other hand, is noisy and emphasizes speed through quick reflex movements.

If you have a specific set of benefits in mind, you may wish to research the various martial arts disciplines. Your research will likely uncover one or more styles of martial arts that can bring you the benefits you seek.

Low Cost

Most martial arts disciplines require no special equipment. You can typically practice at home after you clear some space to move about. Because martial arts have such minimal demands for equipment and facilities, it is a low-cost fitness option.

Moreover, there are many martial arts instructors near you. A search of martial arts classes will uncover several options for prices, disciplines, times, and locations for you to select from.

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