Martial arts is a contact sport that is continuously growing in popularity. Men, women, and children will often take lessons for very different reasons. Some of the most popular include weight loss, learning self-defense, and to compete with others in sport. This article discusses the advantages that martial arts can have on one’s overall fitness, including how it can help with weight loss and to improve muscle tone.
Exercise & Dieting
Nutritionists will be the first to tell you that without a proper diet plan, you won’t lose the weight your aiming to rid yourself of. If you’re goal is to lose 20 pounds, the best approach is to exercise and eat right. Easier said than done, yes, but very possible for most, when a proper workout regimen is closely followed. This is where martial arts comes into play.
Which Type of Martial Arts Should I Pick?
There are multiple disciplines of martial arts, so choose one that you feel will have the most positive effect on your fitness goal. Kickboxing, karate, taekwondo, and American kenpo are all intense stand-up fighting styles, and great for achieving a solid cardiovascular workout.
What to Expect in Martial Arts
A typical martial arts school will begin the class with a light jog or a few minutes of jump-roping to loosen up the body’s muscles. From there a stretching session takes place that helps to prepare all of the body’s muscles for executing martial arts strikes, throws, and grappling techniques during the class.
After warming up, most classes will go through a light work-out, such as several sets of pushups, sit-ups, ab-crunches, and/or squats. These exercises are excellent for helping to tone your muscles, not to mention they burn plenty of calories. Regularly going through this routing will help to shape your legs, arms, and midsection, while at the same time make you more physically strong.
Perhaps one of the best aspects of utilizing martial arts for a workout regimen is that you can attend classes with like-minded people of the same age, as martial arts classes are usually broken up into groups based on age and skill level. Plus, most martial arts schools have 4 to 5 classes a week, meaning you can go as often as your schedule allows you.
Sandoval Freestyle Karate Difference
At Sandoval Freestyle Karate, weekly classes include sparring, learning karate katas, and practicing self-defense moves. Each of these activities provides a great workout, so come join us today and get your first class absolutely free. You may just find that getting back into shape is a lot more fun than you thought!