Are you or someone you love considering martial arts for a fitness activity? If you are, it’s a great way to commit to conditioning for you and for your kids. The majority of martial arts from judo to karate to Tai kwon do are high-energy, high-action activities that emphasize speed, agility and strength. There are plenty of experts that endorse judo as the best for developing your stamina. But it’s important to note that as conditioned and toned as you will become with martial arts, you are not going to get a cardiovascular workout.
If you are looking at martial arts as the way to go, consider it in combination with a program of walking, running, biking or cardiovascular intense activity. Martial arts are not about power weight training, but about control and discipline. In many ways, martial arts are on the same level as tai chi, yoga and Pilates for building strength, flexibility and tone for your overall body.
Precautions
While martial arts are a great way to teach discipline and physical activity, it’s also a sport where injuries can happen. There is kicking, punching, falling and flipping and not only do you have to have a care with what you do, but also how you do it. There’s a lot of strain that can happen to the muscles whether you are young or old. A good instructor will insist on a regimen of stretching before every class. It’s also a good idea to be well rested before a class and when the instructor teaches you how to fall, pay really close attention!
Finally, martial arts are very attractive to our youth because it makes them think of being super ninja or a Power Ranger. If it motivates them to go to class, great, but it’s important to that kids understand this is not about kicking someone’s butt. It’s about discipline and control. A good class will instruct kids in goal setting, discipline, commitment and refraining from violence as an answer. A good martial arts class does not teach might makes right. So if you are looking for a way to build self-confidence as well as a positive outlet for aggression that teaches self-control – martial arts is a way to go.
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