5 Surprising Benefits of Martial Arts

A lot of people still view martial arts as being all about physical fitness, self-defense, and discipline – but those are only part of the picture. Here are 5 surprising benefits of martial arts that you may not know about: 1) Martial Arts Makes You More Mindful When training in martial arts, you’ll be constantly working to improve your skill, but at the same time, you’ll also be learning how to put your full concentration into each move. This makes you more focused both on and off the mat, resulting in better performance at work and better study habits at school.

1) Build Confidence

You might not be great when you first start out as a white belt at your local martial arts studio, but all students are new to the studio and learn in their own way. At any level, martial arts can be advantageous because they promote self-confidence and self-esteem by teaching effective physical techniques and teaching positive mental attitudes toward achievement. Martial arts styles range from martial arts are widely practiced, ranging from tae kwon do to judo to capoeira to karate. Martial arts originated around two thousand years ago in China and Japan. Currently, there are many martial arts around the world and while they were used to be only for battle, now they include many more techniques that help develop one’s physique and a wider skill set such as modern martial arts, which focuses on grappling and ground fighting or Tae Kwon Do, which uses high kicks and punches. Among other things, the students will be taught traditional weapons like nunchaku or bo staffs, how to break boards with a punch or kick, sparring techniques, and much more.

2) Get in Shape

Don’t underestimate martial arts as a workout option. While many types of martial arts are known for acrobatic kicks and fancy handwork, self-defense moves are also effective ways to exercise your body. That’s because different types of martial arts emphasize different areas. For example, practicing tae kwon do will help build upper-body strength (you can kick high!) while training in jujitsu will bolster core muscles and improve balance (you’ll learn techniques for floor defense). You can even practice judo—one of many types of martial arts that focus on throws rather than punches or kicks—to work your lower body as well as get in shape! Plus, the history of martial arts is fascinating. In ancient Greece, wrestling was often considered an important part of a young man’s education and served as both sport and military drill. Tae Kwon Do may be one of the most popular martial arts today, but it has its roots in Korea’s history; this type of martial art developed after World War II when Korean fighters began incorporating various aspects from Japanese Karate into their style.

3) Improve Flexibility

Learning self-defense is more than just knowing how to kick, punch, and block an attack. The real value in studying martial arts is that it allows you to gain important life skills while having fun. Practicing martial arts can build confidence and discipline and instill a sense of self-awareness that transfers over into all aspects of your life. Plus, it will help you maintain a healthy lifestyle by teaching you about nutrition and keeping active. Don’t believe us? Let these five surprising benefits convince you: 1) Learning self-defense could be lifesaving: If there’s ever a time when your martial arts training will come in handy, it’s when danger strikes unexpectedly. Different types of martial arts teach you different skills depending on the type of fight you might find yourself in. For example, Karate teaches punching and kicking techniques whereas Aikido focuses on using an attacker’s momentum against them. With this knowledge, you’ll know what type of fighting style would work best for a situation based on the environment or number of attackers .

4) Gain Self-Defense Skills

The history of martial arts is long and its influence can be seen across generations. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, learn self-defense or become more in tune with your mind and body, martial arts are a proven means to reach your health goals. In fact, students have reported improved posture, balance and mobility; better coordination and reflexes; stress relief; enhanced confidence; greater focus; better communication skills; an increase in energy levels, as well as a range of other benefits. It makes sense: Before hitting pads or taking part in tournaments at day’s end, students routinely practice yoga and meditation that reduce stress while improving focus. And because the training involves both mental and physical challenges, it’s also been shown to improve brain function. Plus there’s plenty of opportunity for socializing with like-minded people who understand what it takes to push yourself through the discomfort barrier on a daily basis. All this aside, the ability to defend oneself should never be underestimated. Remember: One should always expect violence. There are many ways one might come into contact with danger. You may be walking alone late at night when attacked by a mugger, or driving down the highway when your car breaks down and gets surrounded by gang members who want their protection money from you. It doesn’t matter how big you are or how much you weigh – if you don’t know how to protect yourself, then all these benefits will amount to nothing.

5) Learn Discipline

If you’re looking to lose weight, exercise is an essential component. But that’s not enough on its own. You need to pay attention to what and how much you eat, too—otherwise it won’t matter how often you hit the gym, because your pants will still fit poorly. Learning discipline helps teach self-control and give you a stronger understanding of your personal limitations as well as why it’s necessary to do things like stay hydrated during workouts or scale back on junk food. With discipline, almost anything is possible when it comes to fitness; from losing weight, achieving a new level of performance in martial arts or improving endurance for long-distance runs. Discipline allows us to take care of ourselves by giving us control over our thoughts, feelings and actions so we can better focus on meeting our goals. The beauty of discipline is that it translates into every area of life: our jobs, friendships, marriages, finances.