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Health & Fitness

The Top 9 Benefits of Practicing Martial Arts

Martial arts isn't just for self-defense: it provides many health-related benefits.

Martial Arts have been practiced for more than 2,000 years because those who partake in this exercise form reap many physical and mental health benefits.

What are martial arts?

According to blackbeltmag.com, “No matter their origin, code of ethics or moral foundation, all martial arts are saturated in a repertoire of similar techniques and skills that can be classified as martial arts basics. This holds true for traditional martial arts and modern mixed martial arts styles.

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“Some martial arts basics include striking, kicking, leg kicks, sweeps, punches, slaps, finger pokes, parries, evasion tactics, footwork, elbow and knee strikes, and specific kinds of stances that reflect defensive or attacking positions. Other basic skills that may occur within specific sets of styles include takedowns, throws, head butts, grappling, chokes, rolls, ground techniques, wrestling, joint manipulation, stomping, submission holds and striking vital areas of the body.

“Mastering martial arts basics is usually accomplished through repetition, forms, sparring or fighting.”

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Yes, martial arts can be a self-defense technique. But other benefits of learning and performing a martial art include improved:

  1. Coordination and balance (leading to better posture)
  2. Self-discipline (including the ability to concentrate on a task and conclude it)
  3. Self-confidence
  4. Cardiovascular health (a typical class may include jumping jacks, pushups, and stretching)
  5. Muscle tone
  6. Reflexes
  7. Stamina
  8. Mood (you will have less stress)
  9. Fun!

According to experts, these benefits occur no matter what your age is.

In fact, experts say martial arts are a “fun way for both boys and girls to achieve fitness and focus…The martial arts actually help teach self-discipline and socialization skills,” according to parenting.com. “The belt-ranking system gives a child measureable goals to follow that are realistic to attain. The sense of accomplishment a child feels by mastering a new technique or graduating to a new belt follows him wherever he goes,” says livestrong.com.

Ready to try it?

The Warrenville Park District offers several Martial Arts classes that are enrolling now:

  • Kid’s Tang Soo Do (ages 5-7); Tuesdays from 6-7 p.m. Sept. 4-Oct. 3
  • Tang Soo Do Karate (ages 8+); Wednesdays from 6-7 p.m. and Saturdays from 7:30-8:30 a.m. Sept. 5-Oct. 6
  • Tai Chi for Health (ages 12+); Saturdays from 10-11 a.m. Sept. 8-Oct. 6
  • Adult Kickboxing (ages 19+); Mondays from 8:15-9:15 p.m. Sept. 10-Oct. 22

 

For more information, please visit our Web site (www.warrenvilleparks.org) or call 630.393.7279.

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