It seems that martial arts has increasingly become one of the most common forms of recreational activities, especially for younger people. There is a growing interest in some of the more common forms of martial arts and it might just be time for you to become part of that expanding group of individuals. Martial arts, when practiced and studied regularly, is a great way to defend yourself and stay in shape. Here are 5 of the best health benefits that come from studying martial arts.
Stress Relief
Exercising in general is a great way to relieve stress from your body, mentally and physically. Sometimes if your joints ache or you feel tight all over, you just have to limber up and get moving. Having a healthy outlet for frustration and excess stress, such as practicing Jiu Jitsu and regularly sparring with peers, can prove to be incredibly beneficial to one’s health.
Flexibility
Flexibility is more than just a luxury that a select few inherently have, your current level of flexibility can be symptomatic of the current condition of your muscles and joints. When you’re stretching, you may feel a slight burning sensation throughout your muscles according to the group of muscles that you are stretching. This is normal. Improved flexibility can help to better overall blood circulation and in turn, your heart. Ensuring that enough blood is reaching the muscles is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Improved Focus
Before you can deliver a punch, you must first know open spots of opponents, weak points, telegraph eye movement, as well as being aware of your own weaknesses or shortcomings. Knowing yourself and maintaining a strong stream of focus is the cornerstone of martial arts, as well as a key component of improving your own mental health. It’s important that you challenge yourself at all times to better improve your ability to concentrate, even in stressful situations.
Weight Loss
Practicing, learning, and sparring while learning martial arts is almost always going to be a full body workout. Distributing muscle growth or loss of fatty tissue evenly throughout your body is the most efficient way to lose weight. Sometimes people find it hard to lose particular areas of fat such as love handles or your run of the mill potbelly. A full body workout will exercise every part of your being at the same time, making a work out faster as well as rewarding.
Self-Esteem Boost
Sometimes a good boost of self-esteem is all somebody really needs to get started on a healthy path. Somebody who feels like effort is futile or that exercise is a waste of time is a victim of low self-esteem. Martial arts is a great way to boost your self-esteem through discipline, a sense of community, growth, weight loss, and muscle development.
If you need a push in the right direction when it comes to your health, consider taking up a martial art. You won’t regret it.
