Tag: Fitness

Lose Those Extra Pounds with Martial Arts

Posted on | by Jason

Most martial arts consist of both armed and unarmed combat skills that originated, flourished, and evolved in the Middle East and Far East starting centuries ago. These include various styles like Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Muay Thai, and Jiu-Jitsu to name just a few. Martial arts are now practiced all over the world for self-defense, health, fitness, and sport.

Fat burning with martial arts

Studies show that you need to burn 3,500 calories in order to lose one pound of body weight. For example, if you want lose one pound of body weight in a week then you need to burn 500 calories a day more than you take in for seven straight days. Learning martial arts is a fun way to lose that weight because intensive training typically burns more than 600 calories in an hour. Kickboxing is said to burn more than 750 calories per hour. Depending on the type of style you choose, you will be able to shed of a lot of excess body weight and mass. Boxing is said to be one of the best forms of martial arts to shed body fat. It involves rigorous sessions that focus on cardio. Intensive training is possible in any discipline, and most styles train both sides of the body equally while strengthening muscles throughout, including the arms, legs, torso, abdomen, and more.

Other styles of martial arts like Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and Judo are a fun way to shed those calories while learning and practicing self-defense techniques. They can help you form a tone, shapely body, a sharper mind, and a renewed sense of self-confidence.

Other benefits of martial arts

Martial arts have a lot of benefits other than just losing weight. They are of tremendous help in building your overall self-confidence. Martial arts help to maintain a disciplined way of life as practicing them must be done consistently for steady progression through the ranks and belt colors of most styles. Martial arts are dynamic workouts for the body that improve cardio, mental strength, physical strength, and spiritual well-being of individuals who train together. Martial arts also increases focus, productivity, and stamina in most practitioners.

Learning martial arts is a great way to lose weight and excess fat from all over the body. With regular training you tend to develop a heightened awareness, quick reflexes, and strong muscles to evade or defeat opponents of even greater size than yourself.

Combine Martial Arts and Cardio for a Body That Can’t Stop Thanking You!

Posted on | by Jason

Few workouts pack in the same range of health benefits as cardio exercises. As the name suggests, cardio training, short for cardiovascular training, improves the health of the heart and reduces risk of associated heart diseases. However, what the name does not suggest is that cardio training also makes –

  1. lungs and bones stronger,
  2. reduces risk of some types of cancers,
  3. reduces stress,
  4. relieves anxiety and depression,
  5. boosts energy,
  6. improves sleep, and
  7. promotes weight loss, making you feel better about the way you look and feel.

Did you notice the stress on the word “feel”? It was emphasized on purpose. Cardio training helps you feel good instantly and feel good in the future. It is suggested to patients suffering from depression and anxiety because it provides instant, albeit temporary relief. Similarly, improved sleep adds to the feel- good feeling you have when you wake up the first thing in the morning.

Cardio training actually alters the hormonal profile of your body in beneficial ways. The feel-good hormones temporarily reduce fatigue and also curb appetite, apart from making you feel less anxious or depressed. In fact, people who train in cardio regularly have a much positive outlook on life overall and lead better quality of lives. Of course, the physical health benefits also translate into a good feeling in the future, when you grow older without the risk of diabetes, some cancers, or weak and brittle bones.

Martial arts and cardio – one power-packed combo!

While martial arts are comprehensive forms of training alone, you can increase the benefits multiple- folds by combining martial arts training with cardio training. Begin with regular cardio exercises like running, swimming, biking, jumping rope, mountain climbing, bear crawling, and rowing to give your body the extra push it needs. Mountain climbing and swimming are, in fact, great cardiovascular exercises that allow you to have fun while working out. At a more advanced level, you can try various drills and sprints to build your cardiovascular endurance.

All professional boxers, fighters, and trained martial arts experts use cardiovascular training with martial arts to improve their performance before a big match, or to speed up their recovery from intense martial arts practice. This is because cardiovascular exercises help build endurance. You’ll see that regular cardio training has a direct impact on your martial arts skills as well. A good idea is to talk to your martial arts trainer for a tailor-made cardio training routine that will work the best for your body and fitness level.

Adult Martial Arts for Physical Fitness

Posted on | by Jason

Martial arts are a great all-round fitness aid. Besides the obvious advantage of feeling more secure being able to defend yourself and others, martial arts for adults also help you feel more in control of your body, mind, goals, and destiny.

Improve endurance

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and kickboxing are expecially good styles for building stamina and resiliency because of their high cardio factor. Condition your body with regular workouts and don’t skip training. Martial arts training plus drills like sprinting stairs, shadow boxing, or skipping rope work wonders in tandem. Just remember, once you get the green light from your doctor, build up slowly to start a routine you’ll stick with and earn results.

The actual moves of many martial art styles may not be highly aerobic activities. But your training will definitely involve a fair bit of aerobic exercise. Warming up is the first thing most trainers will make you do even with milder, low-impact styles.

Build core strength

Learning to get and keep control of your body mass in motion is crucial to performing most martial arts. The ability to alternately restrain it and load and unleash it is a requirement to deliver precision strikes, blocks, kicks, jumps, and grips. Martial arts training develops this vital core strength.

Stretch yourself

A lot of moves hinge on the flexibility you have. Over time, your waist, neck, legs, knees, ankles, toes, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands, and fingers will become stronger with increased range of motion, speed, and power. Stretching and controlling your breathing become deeper and easier with practice.

The heart of the matter

Heart disease is a one of the leading causes of death in adults and has been for decades. You can improve the health of your cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, immune, nervous, and other vital systems with an enjoyable martial arts routine. Getting in a fun, intense workout makes your heart work harder and get stronger – while relieving stress and relaxing you afterward. It also helps lower blood pressure and helps keep cholesterol at healthy levels.

Power up your body

Improved muscle tone and higher muscle mass increases metabolic demands on your body. This means you will burn more calories every day doing the same things you do normally. Martial arts have a tremendous impact on muscle tone and can prevent obesity and aid weight loss. This regular exercise also helps strengthen your bones and reduces chances of developing
osteoporosis.

Cut the stress

A great looking body is not worth much if you’re all wired on the inside! Martial arts can be a great de-stressor. Floor, bag, and partner drills, free sparring, and the shouts of some forms like Karate can help you let go of pent up tensions and frustrations like nothing else. And with a fit mind, your body will soon follow suit.

Full body workout

A high quality martial arts program is a great way to enhance your fitness levels of mind, body, and spirit. Consistent training will deliver a multitude of unique benefits to your self-confidence and outlook, not to mention the total body workouts that expand your capabilities and improve your physical health for a better life.

Keeping Children Fit Through Martial Arts Fun

Posted on | by Jason

Fitness and exercise are crucial to the healthy functioning of both the mind and the body. Some individuals are naturally active, as a result of an active upbringing, but this is not the case inmost Americans today. While adult society is growing in awareness of the need for good fitness and health, the same cannot be said for young children. Nowadays, with all the technology and gadgetry available, fewer children are taking to the streets and parks to toss a football around or do pretty much any other outdoor physical activity. As a parent, it is extremely important to monitor how much exercise and physical activity a child is getting, and ensure that they remain active during their most formative years.

School vs. play

Children of the youngest of ages do not have the pressures of going to school, and often learn through play itself. However, as they grow older, school work and other responsibilities limit the amount of time they have to spend outside playing games or performing any kind of physical activity. While academics are certainly important, a parent should strive to find a balance between work and physical activity for their children.

During a child’s first few years, his or her muscles and bones are still in development. For children to become strong and healthy, it is important for them to engage in diverse physical activities on a regular basis. Apart from strengthening their bodies, physical activity also helps children sleep better at night. Moreover, exercise releases important chemicals in the brain and body that foster a positive outlook and attitude. Finally, frequent exercise also limits the chances of serious medical conditions like diabetes or obesity from developing, which occurs today in Americans of all ages at an alarming rate.

Teaching the whole person

Apart from actually keeping the body fit, exercise does a number of extraordinary things to the mind as well. Physical activities like sports provide a relief or an stress outlet from the day to day school routine that most children have nowadays. It’s something to look forward to, a short time where they can be focus on something more enjoyable than their problems! Moreover, just the act of playing and working with a group of friends helps social skills as well. It goes without saying that a child who is physically active is more energized, and prepared to take on each and every day. If your children are interested, you can usually find a great introductory offer or free trial at most martial arts training facilities. Such classes help children in becoming independent, while also keeping them healthy and fit body, mind, and spirit.