Why should I learn martial arts?
Strike, sweep and spin your way to better fitness
There has been a huge boom of martial art and combat-based classes in recent years, with more people choosing boxing, wrestling, and karate as ways to stay active and keep fit.
With over 180 types of martial arts out there you’ve probably heard of some of them, such as tai chi, karate, taekwondo, kickboxing, or Muay Thai. With so many options, there’s something for everyone!
Need some encouragement to get started? Take a look at our top reasons to learn martial arts below:
Combatting stress
Breathing, meditation, and mindfulness are huge focus points in many types of martial arts. Learning these elements will eventually help you train your mind to keep your attention focused while staying calm, which in turn helps to reduce stress and anxiety. Knowing how to do this is transferable to many situations in our everyday lives that require us to have emotional stability and self-confidence.
Increasing alertness
A study showed that martial arts participants have a higher level of alertness, vigilance, and stronger cognitive control than non-martial artists. The study also looked at the effects of long-term martial arts practice and found that alertness was better in people with the most experience. So, the longer you stick at it, the more you reap the rewards!
Physical exercise
Like any form of exercise, practicing martial arts releases a nice boost of feel-good endorphins – our happy hormones – that can give our mood a lift. As we’ve said above, you’re likely to get a confidence boost from martial arts as you master it! With the variety of martial art types to choose from, there are plenty of options that can help build your physical fitness over time.
Hybrid learning
Another bit of good news is that you can practice many types of martial arts both with an expert and at home. While you need a trained professional to provide feedback and help you work on more advanced techniques, something such as tai chi is ideal for practicing alone as it’s focused on self-practice, and you don’t need a sparring partner. Depending on the kind of martial art you’re practicing, you can get training equipment (such as a punching bag) to enhance your home workouts too.
There’s much more to martial arts than physical exercise, at a selection of our centres we have martial arts clubs where you can find a whole new community of like-minded people! If group workout classes are more your thing, we offer sessions such as Les Mills’ BODYCOMBAT which draws inspiration from karate, boxing, taekwondo, tai chi, and Muay Thai.
Whether you’re a fresh face to martial arts or looking to level up, it’s never too late to learn something new.
Looking for a martial arts club near you? We can help!
Sources: Martial arts can improve your attention span long term, according to new study (The Independent) | Mental Benefits of Martial Arts (WebMD) | Quick Guide: How to start martial arts training at home (Made 4 Fighters)